Consider small bites when thinking about what food to serve at a retirement party.
Retirement, which usually happens around the age of 65, is a time to celebrate for many people. The retiree has dedicated much of his life to his career, so a retirement party is the time to recognize and honor his achievements. Retirement parties are often held in the workplace, usually in a large, communal area or a conference room. Because this is a time for coworkers to mingle and congratulate their colleague on retiring, food served needs to be easy to eat and able to be carried around on small plates.
Hors d'oeuvre
Although many retirement parties have a buffet, there is no reason why you can't still serve things in courses. Start by putting out hors d'oeuvres. Or, if the event is catered, have catering staff bring around hors d'oeuvres on trays. Include easy to eat, bite-size items like bruschetta with goat cheese, deviled eggs, prosciutto-wrapped dates or even something as simple as cheese and crackers. Serve lighter items for this first course and include items for people with restricted diets, like vegetarians. If you are serving food on a buffet table, consider hummus and vegetables, like carrots, celery and broccoli.
Side Dishes
Next, pass around side dishes. Place uneaten hors d'oeuvres food to the side on the buffet table to make room for side dishes like a green salad with apples and pine nuts, a pasta salad with cherry tomatoes, pesto and feta cheese and a meat dish, either an asian-style chicken salad or a small turkey roll. These side dishes need to fit on a small plate and be easy for guests to eat as they stand and talk to each other. Consider including a light fruit dish, like diced watermelon with mint, to cleanse the palate before guests move on to the main course.
Main Dishes
Serve some substantial, more filling items as a main dish. Consider chicken with rice, asparagus risotto, vegetable quiche cups and mini-hamburgers or sliders. Don't serve soups, which are hard to eat while standing. Don't serve anything that needs to be cut or sliced by the guest. Make sure items are easy to eat while standing. Retirement parties normally offer lighter food items, so even if you decide to serve something heavier, make sure the portions are small.
Dessert
Retirement parties often serve a cake to honor the retiree. Get a cake made with a congratulatory message to wish the retiree well and to let him know he'll be missed. Or, ask the retiree what his favorite dessert is and serve that. Other dessert ideas that are usually well-liked by many people are brownies, cookies and lemon bars. Because some guests might not want a heavy dessert, also serve something lighter, like a small fruit cup. Serve coffee and tea with any dessert item.
Tags: hors oeuvres, side dishes, buffet table, many people, parties often, Retirement parties