Which Foods Should Be Offered for Funeral Catering?

Are you planning a funeral and entirely overwhelmed by all of the choices? If so, you're not alone. Planning memorial services for a friend or loved one comes with a lot of difficult decisions. But funeral catering doesn't have to be one of them.

Stick to simple, crowd-pleasing foods for what to serve at a funeral. Talk to your funeral caterer about any dietary needs and family favorites to make planning this part of the services less challenging.

Finger Foods

Depending on your memorial service setup, you may find it most comfortable to serve your guest's finger foods, particularly if you are having a drop-in wake. Leaving out a platter of finger foods like cheese and crackers or pigs-in-a-blanket are easy funeral catering foods.

Irresistible Snackers

In grief, some may need to be tempted into snacking. That's why offering fan favorites in small portions can help guests realize how hungry they are.

Put out tasty sides like chips and dips, buttered rolls, cheese, meat plates, and other simple snacks to bring folks to the table.

Prioritize Nutrition

What should a caterer serve at a funeral for the main course? For some attendees, the funeral reception food may be the first real meal they have had in days. Grief and the sudden torrent of things that must be done after the death of a loved one can leave food the furthest thing from their mind.

Work with your funeral caterer to choose sandwich platters, casseroles, and pasta salads packed with your choice of protein and veggies to get some healthy calories.

Make Room for Family Favorites and Recipes

Food is intrinsically linked to our cultures and our families. Therefore, there may be specific recipes or family favorites that you associate with your loved one who has passed. An excellent way to honor them is to include these foods in your gathering's spread.

Your caterer may be able to follow exact family recipes or produce a similar style to evoke fond memories. Think about the best way to represent your family member when planning the food.

Traditional or Ethnic Funeral Foods

It's ok to ask your caterer for traditional or ethnic funeral foods. Hindu families, for instance, may need to request a completely vegetarian set up.

If there is something your family or culture wants to include, feel free to ask your caterer and provide details on how it should turn out.

Dessert

We know some desserts - like dark chocolate - are proven to affect the mood positively. Anecdotally, we all know that sometimes just having some comfort food in the form of a chocolate-chip cookie can help.

If you choose to include desserts, make sure they do not seem celebratory (cupcakes, for instance, maybe a bit off-key). Opt for rich, filling desserts that can help nourish empty bellies and broken hearts.

Take Funeral Catering off Your List

At one of the busiest times of your life, take funeral catering off your list when you hire David Alan Caterers as your funeral caterer. With experience and culinary skill, we're prepared to provide nourishment and comfort on this most difficult of days.

Reach out to plan your gathering's menu today.