How To Create A Healthy Buffet For A Special Event
Posted on: 22 March 2017
If you're hosting a celebration and you'd like to provide a tasty buffet inspired by your favorite health food restaurant, it may be easier than you think. You can treat guests to fresh, flavorful foods instead of the typical greasy fare, such as pizza and hamburgers, served at a lot of special events.
A healthy lunch or dinner buffet filled with fresh produce and other nutritious selections is appropriate for almost any type of event, such as a wedding reception, birthday party, bridal or baby shower, or graduation or anniversary celebration. You can also create a healthy buffet for a family Christmas party, which may be a welcome departure from they typical rich and heavy holiday season foods.
When planning the buffet, draw inspiration from the menus of healthy restaurants that you've enjoyed in the past. Even if you don't have the exact recipes on hand, you can create something similar if you know the basic ingredients.
Here are some fresh, healthy dishes that you can serve buffet-style:
Appetizers
1. Vegetable Platter
Start the meal off on a light-yet-delicious note with a colorful vegetable platter. Arrange baby carrots, celery sticks, radishes, green, yellow and red pepper strips and cherry tomatoes, along with any other vegetables you desire, on a large decorative tray. You can also include baked potato, tortilla and pita chips, along with multi-grain crackers.
Complement the fresh produce with a variety of healthy dips, such as ranch made with low-fat, high-protein Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, hummus and homemade guacamole and salsa.
2. Bruschetta
Top small toasts with a garden-fresh tomato, basil, balsamic vinegar and olive oil mixture to tempt guests' taste buds as the party gets started. Party-goers can easily enjoy these gourmet snacks as they socialize.
Main Courses
1. Roasted Fish and Vegetables
Treat guests to plates of roasted fish, such as salmon, along with a medley of oven-baked vegetables. You can easily serve both items in large pans buffet-style. To ensure the freshest flavors, use seasonal vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, asparagus and squash, and toss them in a mix of olive oil, sea salt and pepper before roasting.
2. Grilled Skewers
A variety of grilled skewers make ideal buffet items for an outdoor yard or garden party. Create several different skewer combinations, such as scallops and fresh mango, shrimp and pineapple, chicken and red onions and peppers, or marinated tofu and mushrooms, to please all of your guests.
You can serve a few dipping sauces along with the skewers so that party-goers can customize their meals.
Desserts
1. Fresh Fruit Cups
You can't go wrong serving individual cups filled with juicy, in-season fruit, such as berries or melon, as naturally sweet desserts. Top with a dollop of light whipped cream for a bit of guilt-free decadence.
2. Frozen Yogurt Bar
Instead of sugar-laden ice cream, offer guests several different types of frozen yogurt to choose from. Let them personalize their desserts with healthy toppings such as nuts, fresh or dried fruit, coconut flakes or dark chocolate chips.
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