Food for Fundraising

Cheap, Easy, Healthy BBQs:  Eight tips for improving fundraising and catering basics

Cut down on the fat

  • Minute steaks, lean meat kebabs and skinless chicken are good meat options. If using sausages and meat patties, ask your butcher for reduced fat options (less than 10g fat per 100g). Balance any higher costs of lean meats with reduced portion sizes.
  • Remove any visible fat from meats before cooking.
  • Vegetable options are generally low in fat – vegetable burgers are a tasty option and cater for vegetarians.
  • Limiting oil use will not only reduce fat but also costs – oil spray from a can helps manage quantity.

Choose healthier cooking oils

  • Use healthier plant oils such as canola or sunflower.

Provide better bread

  • Swap white bread options for wholemeal or multigrain breads, rolls, wraps etc.

Add vegetables and fruits

  • Automatically serve salad items such as sliced tomato and lettuce on bread options (eg burgers and steak sandwiches). Ask your supplier to pre-slice tomatoes. Sliced lettuce can also be used, however whole leaves can be easier to handle.
  • Ask your butcher to add grated vegetables to lean meat patties – it can bulk up the serve and reduce the overall cost.
  • Corn on the cob is very popular among all age groups and is an item that can make a large profit. Ask your supplier to remove the husks and cut cobs in halves.

Swap the seasoning

  • Ask your butcher to use herbs and spices to flavour meats instead of salt. Use salt-reduced foods including meat, sauces and dressings.

Ditch the drink options

  • Always have water on display and kept cold if possible. Other drinks such as soda, sport drinks, juice and flavoured milks often contain high amounts of unnecessary sugar and little or no nutrition. If supplying these, keep them out of sight and provide upon request only.

Make healthy eating easy

  • People generally enjoy eating tasty healthy foods, however if other more familiar foods are also available (eg sausages and other fatty meats), these may still sell in high quantities. Support healthy eating by making the healthier options the only options.

Get the numbers right

  • To help you achieve your planned profit, you want to avoid a lot of leftovers – it may be better to under cater than over cater. Get to know your crowd if possible. What age, gender and nationality may be purchasing food from you? How many people are expected? Be mindful that not everyone will eat.

 

Resource: OPAL (SA Health)