Catered Lunches Posts

When you’re looking for new ways to create a balanced lunch that leaves you feeling full and powered up for the second half of your day, bruschetta is a delicious option. It’s an Italian favorite that’s commonly used as a dinnertime appetizer, but the combination of fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil, and balsamic makes it a really yummy lunchtime treat, too! With that being said, ordering a basic bruschetta recipe for lunch delivery every day – or even every week – might get a little boring. Lucky for you, there are a bunch of bruschetta alternatives that you will absolutely love to mix up this classic favorite. And we’ve compiled our favorites below!

Gorgonzola, Arugula, and Raisin

If you’re drooling just reading the name of this yummy entree, we don’t blame you: this take on traditional bruschetta is absolutely delicious. Gorgonzola cheese is mashed with mascarpone and loaded up on some crusty toast. It’s then topped with golden raisins and arugula, then drizzled with red wine vinegar. This is one of those meals that’s great for lunch, but you could also order for delivery in the afternoon to take to book club tonight – it’s even lovely reheated!

Rosemary and Cannellini Beans

For a protein-packed version of bruschetta, this is the perfect choice. Cannellini beans, also called Fagioli, are a traditional Tuscan ingredient that make their way into lots of traditional Italian dishes. To create an awesome flavor, the beans are mixed with some fresh onion, lemon juice, and garlic. Added into the mix is freshly chopped rosemary and parsley, then the combination is spread across some lightly toasted crostini.  This meal makes for a delicious lunch all on it’s own and is sure to help you get productive this afternoon.

Yellow Tomato and Mozzarella

Traditionally, you think of bruschetta as being made with chopped ripe red tomatoes. This dish puts a twist on the old classic and instead uses yellow tomatoes, which have a slightly different taste – namely, yellow tomatoes are a little sweeter than their red counterparts. Fresh, cubed mozzarella is mixed in with the tomatoes, then diced basil completes the dish. It sounds incredibly simple, but it’s one of our favorite fresh lunches to order this month!

Ricotta, Kale, and Mushroom

If you’re looking for a superfood combo to top off your bruschetta, this is the dish for you. It’s also one of the fanciest bruschetta recipes on our list! Diced mushrooms are sauteed with garlic, then cooked with super healthy kale leaves and a chopped chile pepper. Seasoned Ricotta cheese is spread over toasted Italian bread, then topped with the mushroom and kale combo, creating a flavor explosion for your taste buds. Plus, kale is full of vitamins and nutrients that support brain development, stabilize your blood sugar, and help you feel fuller, longer. It’s the perfect way to pack some staying power into your lunch order today.

Packed with Flavor

One of our favorite things about ordering bruschetta for lunch – besides the fact that you typically get a heaping of veggies as part of your meal – is that it’s absolutely delicious. There’s not a single bruschetta recipe we’ve come across that hasn’t been completely delectable. And with all of the amazing restaurants Waiter.com connects you to for ordering lunch delivery, we’ve definitely got some options you’ll fall in love with. So if you’re looking for a foodie take on one of your favorite meals, make sure you’re checking out all the options we can bring straight to you for lunch today!

Here at Waiter.com, we love a good Caprese salad. The delicious taste combo of fresh mozzarella cheese, juicy tomatoes, basil and balsamic vinaigrette is enough to make us crave the same meal for days. Since this is usually better as a meal appetizer as opposed to a full lunchtime spread, you might be hesitant to order a Caprese salad as your whole midday meal delivery choice. But did you know there are a lot of ways you can order the flavor of this Italian favorite in a meal that’s a bit more filling? We love when restaurants bring the Caprese salad to their lunch options in unexpected ways. If your taste buds are tantalized, here are our four favorite lunchtime choices to get that delicious Caprese taste in a non-salad way!

Caprese Flat Bread

We love flat bread as a healthy lunch choice, because it’s a great way to bring some whole grains into your meal without going the route of a full-blown pizza. Since whole grains can help you better sustain your energy over the course of the afternoon, it’s important to get a healthy balance between them and the protein, veggies and fruits you choose. The best part of the Caprese flat bread is that it’s easy to add some extra protein to your lunch in the form of grilled chicken or delicious Italian sausage. This is a perfect lunch choice to order for your midday meal today!

Caprese Soup

When you’re looking for the flavor of a Caprese salad, but want a meal that’s more filling – and perhaps extra delicious on a chilly day – choosing the Italian flavors of a Caprese salad in soup form is the perfect idea. And it’s really not anything too out of the ordinary – simply a creamy tomato basil soup that’s even better with the addition of a few balls of fresh mozzarella. And when you want to make this a more well-rounded meal, try ordering some fresh bruschetta on the side – it’ll make you feel like you just had lunch at a little cafe in Rome!

Caprese Sandwich

Another take on the flavors you love, a Caprese sandwich is a super delicious way to get a nutritional lunch. Fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes and basil are packed onto crusty Italian bread. Oftentimes, a pesto spread will be added to the sandwich, balancing out the acidic flavor of the delicious balsamic vinaigrette. Even better, this sandwich is yummy on its own, but also delicious when it’s grilled! And again, it’s a lunchtime choice that makes it super easy to add in some extra protein – sliced, grilled chicken or even a little prosciutto pair perfectly with this lunch delivery choice.

Caprese Pasta

Because the Caprese salad is so full of Italian flavor, it’s a no-brainer to order a yummy dish that infuses the tastes and textures you love with a traditional Italian grain. Again, this is a dish that will also have a little Pesto added in for extra flavor – creating a combination that you’re going to want to order again and again. To take the healthiness of this lunchtime meal up a notch, consider ordering yours with whole wheat pasta – or split this your tasty delivery meal with one of your work friends! It’s the perfect way to fill up with some healthy flavors over the noon hour.

Getting Out of the Box

When you have a delicious meal that you love, but are getting burnt out on ordering the same meal week after week, consider looking into unique ways you can get some of those same favorite flavors with a new meal choice. And when you want to explore all of the options that help you do just that, rely on Waiter.com to connect you with restaurants all over town offering fresh ingredients and delicious tastes you’re sure to love. Once you find a meal that sounds extra enticing, simply place your order on our site and we’ll deliver it straight to your office – we’re your one-stop lunchtime shop – and we strive to make your day as easy as possible!

When you’re planning lunchtime meetings with clients, your immediate thought is likely to pick up the phone and make a reservation at a local hot spot with yummy food and a lovely atmosphere. But those lunches don’t typically make for great working lunches, and when you’re trying to accomplish a lot with a client (or even just a few colleagues), they’re probably not your best bet in terms of packing the most productivity into your day. But when it comes down to it, what are your options? Well, when you have access to a delicious catering service like Waiter.com, who will bring a delicious meal right to your office, you can easily keep your meetings in-house. Below, we’ll detail exactly why this is an ideal setup for you and your client – and how to do it best.

Making Meetings Work

There are a lot of meetings where an external sit-down at a neutral location – whether for good or not so good reasons – makes sense. But when you’re trying to accomplish quite a bit with a client over the lunch hour, bringing the food to you just makes sense. Everything you need, including computers and a secure internet connection, are available at your fingertips. The research you’ve already done is easy to access. If you need to pull a colleague in for quick feedback, you don’t have to step away and ‘get back’ to someone. Essentially, the ease of having everything you need to accomplish great things is readily available, which immediately makes your meeting more productive.

And since people tend to work better when they’re well-fed, bringing in a catered lunch will ensure that everyone’s satisfied and ready to stay on task. However, when you’re bringing a client to the office, you don’t want to just order in food from a random restaurant; you want to show them that you planned for the meeting and you value the time they took to come to your office to make the meeting work. This means it’s in your best interest to find the right corporate catering option to really impress your client.

Building the Catered Lunch Menu

As you’re building the menu for your lunch meeting, ask your client if anyone joining has any dietary restrictions or preferences. This will help to create some catering options that everyone at the table will love. Next, think about the foods that offer the most benefits, especially in terms of boosting productivity. For example, lean meats or fish can be a great way to add in protein for energy, without packing on a ton of calories. A salad with a spinach base can offer brain-boosting nutrients, plus fiber to aid in digestion. Packing on fresh veggies and seasonal fruits can also be a tasty way to add more vitamins and antioxidants to your meal.

Finally, make sure to include some yummy whole grain carbohydrates to sustain your energy over the afternoon, like seven-grain rolls or a tasty sandwich that includes ingredients from all of the food groups. No matter what you settle on for the menu, choosing a balanced meal will help you to ensure everyone’s happy and energized to accomplish everything on your list during the meeting.

Set Up Your Space

Don’t forget that when it comes to a successful business meeting, your ambiance will be important as well. Make sure you secure a room in your building in advance that offers a quiet space for collaboration, ensuring that you can get your work done. Also, be sure to choose a space that comfortably seats everyone who will be joining your meeting, and presents an easy spot in which to serve and enjoy your lunchtime meals. Many offices now have meeting spaces that offer refrigerated refreshments, along with technology to easily contact anyone who can’t physically make it to your meeting time. If these are requirements for your lunchtime collaboration, make sure you book a room that can accommodate all of your needs.

As you’re planning your next lunchtime working meeting, Waiter.com is the perfect partner to fill your corporate catering needs. Not only can we supply delicious and nutritious food options, our meals are just as tasty as the restaurant down the street. Planning a productive working meeting has never been easier, or more delectable, than it is today!

Paella is a delicious rice, vegetable and meat dish that originated in Valencia, Spain, during the days that the Moorish Kings were in power. According to legend, it’s a dish that melds two different old cultures: the Romans – who made the special pan within which paella is cooked, and the Arabs – who brought flavorful rice to the table. After royal banquets, servants would mix leftovers in large pots to take home, constituting early versions of this now-famous dish. The recipe was eventually refined and spread throughout the entire country, which created a huge explosion of paella dishes that include a variety of meats, veggies, and flavors that we call get to enjoy today!

There are two reasons why paella makes a great lunchtime meal delivery option for you: first, it’s a naturally balanced meal between the rice, meat, and vegetables that are mixed into the dish. A well-balanced lunch means you’ll get the right combination of food groups to feel full and sated, and be better able to sustain your productivity throughout the rest of your day. Second, the flavor is amazing – and since there are so many different options for how this particular meal can be made, you’ll never feel like you’re getting the same humdrum meal two weeks in a row. Intrigued? Let us tempt your tastebuds – here are three of our favorite Spanish paella dishes you could order in for your office meals today!

Traditional Paella

As it’s been made for centuries, traditional paella includes a few types of seafood, usually shrimp and mussels, in combination with one or two ‘land meats,’ like chicken and spicy sausage. While they’re not flavors you would usually think of mixing, there’s something totally perfect about how these proteins blend with the rice and veggies in this meal. Finely chopped veggies are then added to the dish, usually in the form of red bell peppers, diced tomatoes, and peas. Then some of the beautiful flavors of Spain, saffron and paprika, are mixed into the dish. Because paella is cooked in one big pan, the flavors infuse the entire meal with something unique and totally tasty. We definitely recommend adding this dish to your list of lunch delivery items to try this week!

Grilled Paella

This yummy dish infuses a smoky flavor with some of the traditional flavors of Spain. Shrimp, chicken, clams, and Spanish chorizo bring a yummy combination of meats (and protein, for energy) into the dish. Mixed with traditional Spanish paella rice, chopped tomatoes, and onions, the main ingredients of this lunch meld together perfectly. Seasoned with saffron, a traditional way to take the flavors of a paella dish up a notch, this plate is then topped with a little squeezed lemon – which adds something modern into the mix. When you’re craving barbecue, but are ready to try something different than a burger or chicken sandwich, this is a more refined meal choice to order for office delivery today!

Mushroom Paella

When it comes to eating paella in the winter months, sometimes swapping a few ingredients can do just the trick. In the case of this dish, using mushrooms to compliment the traditional red peppers used in the original version is the perfect way to bring a little heavier taste – and texture – to the meal. Mushrooms are definitely a strong feature; the mixture of flavors from the shiitake and oyster varietals in bulk really pack more mass into your meal. Not only that, but mushrooms are an excellent way to help your body digest food and boost your immune system – taking this dish up a notch to terms of the health benefits it provides. This  midday meal also mixes in chicken and shrimp, as well as some Italian parsley and cloves to change up the flavor a bit. It’s one of our favorite takes on a very old favorite dish!

Lunchtime Flavor Swaps

When it comes to changing up the flavor of your favorite lunchtime meals, paella is definitely a tasty treat that you should considering ordering for delivery today. The seaside taste mixed with the flavorful spices of Spain will leave you ready to book a trip to walk the streets of Valencia. You might even be intrigued to make a batch of fresh sangria over the weekend!

When you’re ready to try some of the unique flavors Spanish paella has to offer, Waiter.com is here to help. Our easy to use meal delivery service allows you to order from your favorite restaurants around the city, and have your food delivered straight to your office. Planning a bigger affair? Our corporate catering can make a yummy paella dish your team is sure to love for any big event. Learn more about how we can help you make your next big meeting one to remember!

We get it: ordering the traditional food delivery sides like chips and french fries is an easy way to round out your midday meal. But since they’re typically fried in oil, you’ll often find yourself feeling pretty greasy — and hungry — by the middle of the afternoon. That’s because chips and french fries are packed with empty calories. Thus, they don’t have the staying power you need to make it through the rest of your day without additional snacks.

Choosing healthier options that contain more fiber and vitamins — like veggies — can help you to eliminate that afternoon slump, be more productive for the second half of your day and combat the afternoon munchies. Not only that, choosing healthier food options can help boost your immune system, reducing your risk of catching common illnesses like a cold or the flu. And this means you can use your days off for the things you really want to do — like taking that fantastic beach vacation this winter.

To help you find great tasty options that pack a healthful punch, we’ve pulled together some of our favorite healthy sides that will keep your mind refreshed and your taste buds happy.

Wedge Salad: This classic steakhouse favorite is a great way to round out your main dish at lunch. The big wedge of iceberg lettuce is filling in itself, but it’s the protein that gives this side some staying power. A wedge salad is typically topped with bacon bits – a nice treat in moderation – and sliced boiled eggs. Add in some chopped tomatoes – which are packed with potassium and vitamin C, can help control your blood pressure and boost your immune system, and you have the makings of the perfect side dish. Cheers!

Veggies and Hummus: We all know to pack lots of veggies into our day — but sometimes, vegetables on their own can get a little boring. By adding hummus to dip your veggies into, you can do more than just mix up the flavor of your meal and boost the health value of your lunch. Hummus is packed with protein (it’s made from chickpeas, after all), which means it can help you fight hunger cravings long into the afternoon and better control your weight. Now that’s a side with some staying power!

Quinoa Salad: Although it’s been gaining popularity over the last few years, quinoa still isn’t a completely mainstream side order. If you’re wondering what it is, quinoa is essentially a seed that is eaten like a grain. Recently, quinoa reached superfood status because it’s packed with protein, fiber and other nutrients like manganese, iron and potassium. Quinoa salads usually take a health-filled lunch to the next level: they’re packed with yummy veggies like cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and onions and can even include some light cheese, like a nice Feta to compliment all of the other flavors. Plus, it’s a great way to mix up some of the flavors you typically get with your typical midday meal. It’s definitely a side to try.

Fruit and Greek Yogurt Parfait: If you’re craving something sweet to top off your meal — but want to get away from the sugar packed desserts — order a simple fruit and Greek yogurt parfait. Although it’s typically a breakfast item, many restaurants will still offer it during lunch. Greek yogurt is full of protein and dairy, which can help you manage your weight. It’s also great for improving your digestive health due to the probiotics naturally found in the yogurt. And adding fruit is a lovely way to end your meal with something sweet while not sacrificing your dietary goals for the day. It’s the perfect way to feel satisfied until dinner.

Simple Edamame: Edamame is one of our favorite sides. Because it’s a simple dish that’s delicious, you’ll always be ready to order it again. Just one half-cup serving of these steamed soybeans doles out a whopping 9 grams of fiber and 11 grams of protein at just 120 calories. The lightly salted taste is excellent for satisfying your lunchtime craving — and soy protein is thought to help reduce cholesterol and protect against certain types of cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis. Not only is edamame completely delicious, it can be a regular part of your healthy lifestyle!

Healthy options for busy days

When your day is swamped, it can be easy to give in to cravings for fat and sodium packed sides that don’t have the right nutrients to keep you full and productive for the rest of your day. Choosing a healthier option can not only help you keep your diet on track, but accomplish more during the day and promote a healthier lifestyle in general.

When you’re ready to order a great lunch — complete with a healthy side like those we showcased above — Waiter.com is here for you. Our easy-to-use service will deliver your favorite meals right to your office — making healthy living a little easier to come by.

Americans tend to be bad at taking breaks. We let our vacation time go to waste, use our smartphones in bed, and of course, are notoriously awful about actually relaxing on our lunch breaks. We just order up our go-to food delivery and might never even leave our desks.

And believe it or not, some experts are actually starting to propose that skipping your lunch break might not be such a bad thing… only instead of staying glued to your computer, they suggest you head to the gym.

Lunch hour workouts are, in fact, a growing trend, partly thanks to the workplace wellness programs that are taking off in popularity as the Affordable Care Act continues to incentivize employers’ focus on preventative health. And it really can be a brilliant idea: you’ll get a mental break from the daily grind, and even if it’s only 30 minutes, that exercise can make a big difference in your health and energy levels.

OK, but what about actually eating? That’s where food delivery can be a lifesaver: arrange for a post-workout lunch to be waiting for you at the office, and you can eat when you get back to your desk. While you don’t want to squander the positive benefits of working out (like weight loss and boosted energy levels) by downing a monster burrito or greasy burger, it is crucial to eat healthy, protein-rich food to replenish your muscles and get the biggest bang for your workout buck.

We’ve rounded up a few ideas for post-workout office lunches — complete with the complex carbs, plenty of protein, and vitamin-rich vegetables your body craves after a run or weight-lifting session. If you think takeout can’t be a key part of your healthy lifestyle, think again.

Chinese

If you’re craving Chinese food, choose beef with broccoli and brown rice. You’ll get more than enough protein (ordered from PF Chang’s, this dish packs in 56 grams), along with a ton of tissue-repairing vitamin C from the broccoli and complex carbohydrates from the brown rice.

Mexican

If everyone else is ordering Mexican takeout, pile a burrito bowl with brown rice, black beans, chicken, fresh salsa, and guacamole… and don’t be afraid to eat only half. Too much food after a workout can be detrimental to your health goals, and we all know those burrito bowls don’t exactly follow the recommended portion-size guidelines!

Sushi

If you’re ordering from the sushi place, pick a roll with salmon and brown rice (and without the mayo-laden “spicy” sauce), along with a side of edamame for an extremely healthy meal rich in protein, inflammation-fighting omega-3 fatty acids, and complex carbs.

Thai

When it comes to Thai takeout, choose cashew chicken — between the stir-fried chicken and the nuts, you’ll be swimming in protein and healthy fats. Pair it with som tam, a spicy green papaya salad, to make sure you’re getting enough vitamins and minerals from some fresh veggies.

Indian

Choose Indian food for a lunch that’s essentially pure protein: order a few kebabs of tandoori chicken with raita, a yogurt dipping sauce… and add in a side of dal (curried lentils) for even more protein and fiber.

Deli/sandwich shop

When you’re ordering from the deli, any lean meat on whole-wheat bread is a winner, but kick your workout recovery up a notch by choosing tuna over turkey for a dose of omega-3’s.

Whatever flavor you’re craving, if you’re a lunch-hour workout warrior, you’ve simply got to make sure you’re fueling up after the fact! Set up a recurring food delivery order with Waiter.com, and you won’t have to lift a finger (after lifting weights) to make sure a healthy, protein-rich post-workout lunch is waiting for your return.

We all know the story: when you’re out with friends and want to find the nearest sports bar/cocktail lounge/late-night burrito spot, everyone reaches right for their phones. Someone checks Yelp, the bargain-hunter opens Savored, another pulls up Urbanspoon, the big spender looks up reviews on Zagat… everyone in our tech-savvy generation has their go-to restaurant app ready at a moment’s notice. Especially for those of us who fall in the Millenial generation, technology is the default tool when it comes to finding the perfect spot for dinner or drinks. But what about when it comes to eating even halfway decent office meals?

If you’re stuck in a morning meeting that’s running long, and your stomach starts to growl, and your only window to have an actual lunch is quickly shrinking, finding a healthy, delicious, fresh meal might be a laughable thought. If you have time to wolf down a package of nuts from the vending machine (and maybe a half-stale donut from the break room), you’ll consider yourself lucky. It doesn’t have to be this way! Just like you take the time to pick out the ideal stop along the pub crawl, you can take advantage of a handful of apps to ensure your office meals are actually meals, and not a patchwork of less-than-wholesome snacks. And since everyone is checking their smartphone during meetings anyway, no one will be the wiser that you’re ordering lunch instead of taking notes! These five apps can help make your lunch hour the opportunity to relax and recharge that you deserve!

1) If you want to make sure you’re ordering healthy takeout, Restaurant Nutrition is a must-download. It charts the nutrition info for more than 60,000 items at over 250 chain restaurants, so you can check the stats on that quesadilla salad before you accidentally eat a whole day’s worth of saturated fat in one sitting.

2) Sushi seems like a no-brainer for a quick and healthy lunch — but some restaurants serve seafood that may be endangered or hard on the environment, like bluefin tuna or farmed Atlantic salmon. If you want to make sure your lunch order isn’t cause for concern, use the Monterery Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch app: not only does it tell you if your chosen fish is “ocean-friendly,” but it offers a list of alternatives to make changing your order easier.

3) Addicted to food images on Instagram? Then you have to check out Foodspotting. It’s all food photos, all the time, and you can browse by location and type of cuisine to see a real-life image of the kung pao chicken at the neighborhood Chinese place before you order it. And remember, if anyone gives you a hard time about snapping photos before you eat, tell them you’re just engaging mindfully with your food.

4) It may not come in quite as handy at lunchtime, but bonus points go to web-based Vinepair for combining two of life’s great pleasures: takeout and wine. The interactive mix-and-match tool lets you know that you should pair your curry with Syrah, barbecue with Malbec, or Thai with Gewurtztraminer. Just a quick stop at the wine shop on the way home, and you can feel downright fancy about eating your leftover takeout for dinner!

5) Of course, we may be biased, but nothing makes ordering office meals easier than our own Waiter.com app! When you need to be discreet in a meeting or order your delivery while you run out to pick up the drycleaning, use your smartphone to access the same selection of menus and food delivery service that we offer on the web. We make ordering on the go (or the down-low) easy — so you can kiss that vending machine “lunch” good-bye!

How many fruits and vegetables do you eat every day? How many do you think you should be eating? Maybe an apple at breakfast, a side salad at lunch, and an ear of corn off the grill at dinner?

Think again. The latest recommendations from the USDA suggest that the average American adult should be eating nine servings of fruits and veggies daily, with an emphasis on the vegetables. Approximately, that means two cups of fruit, and two and a half cups of vegetables.

If your current routine leaves you falling short (especially if you don’t count white potatoes, which many nutrition experts say you shouldn’t), you aren’t alone. Research suggests that many Americans are only eating three servings of fruits & vegetables every day — a third of the recommendation. And this means that most of us are actively saying “no thanks” to a healthy habit that would almost certainly reduce our risk for weight gain, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and cancer.

Vegetables, for some reason, seem trickier than fruit to most of us — maybe because fruit is sweet and easy to eat all on its own, and vegetables typically aren’t. Snacking on apple slices or fresh berries is a lot more appealing than eating a dish of raw broccoli. The good news is that you don’t have to become a vegan or eat a bucket of kale every day to up your vegetable intake — and even at the office, you don’t really have to change your routine or ditch your favorite food delivery order at all!

One way to build a nine-servings-per-day habit is to simply always be on the lookout for ways to add vegetables to whatever office meals you’re already eating. If you decide to make more drastic changes (like observing Meatless Monday or cutting back on sugar), that’s awesome… but don’t let inconvenience hold you back from eating more fruits and vegetables right now.

Need a little inspiration to get your vegetable habit kick-started? Here are ten easy ways to sneak more veggies into your office meals:

1) Add veggies to your morning omelette (spinach & tomatoes are excellent options) at a catered breakfast meeting

2) Instead of cream cheese, spread a healthy dose of hummus on your bagel: chickpeas are a great source of fiber

3) Order your lunchtime pizza with extra veggies (bell peppers are an excellent choice), and if you really want to go crazy, half the usual amount of pepperoni or sausage too

4) Order sweet potato fries instead of regular from the diner — while fries still aren’t the best choice, you’ll at least get a nice dose of the antioxidant beta-carotene

5) Add a cup of minestrone soup or vegetarian chili to your lunch order — as a bonus, it may help you consume fewer calories during the rest of your meal

6) Instead of sour cream, get guacamole on your burrito (yes, avocado is technically a fruit, but still packs a lot of vitamin C and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats)

7) At the Chinese place, ask for extra veggies in your favorite stir-fry or more broccoli in your beef-and-broccoli — and eat a little less rice to make room

8) Add an order of edamame next time you have sushi delivered to the office

9) Try an eggplant curry from your favorite Indian takeout place — you’ll be shocked at how little you miss the meat!

10) When you order a deli sandwich, add a few extra veggies like spinach or sliced bell peppers (iceberg lettuce is kind of a nutritional throwaway, so don’t waste your time there!)

The easiest way to eat more vegetables is to try new ones — if you automatically think of broccoli and spinach, you might just need to broaden your horizons. Whether it’s eggplant in your curry or beans in your chili, there are so many ways to sneak a few extra servings into your office meals! And ordering with Waiter.com makes the facing challenge even easier. What’s holding you back from getting your nine-a-day?

When you order takeout or food delivery for a working lunch, picking a salad off the menu often feels like the easiest way to eat healthy at the office. But many, many restaurants make their salads more mass-appealing by adding less-than-low-cal ingredients… and after a little bacon and a lot of cheese, that “healthy” salad ends up being just as packed with fat, salt, and calories as a triple-decker club or even a burger.

Sadly, several of the most popular restaurant salads often fall right into that category. To help keep your food delivery orders on track, here’s our take on which salads should be skipped, which can be salvaged, and how to make it happen:

Greek salad

Tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, olives: there’s a lot to like about a good Greek salad, which is traditionally packed with vitamin and antioxidant-rich vegetables. Make sure your restaurant order stays healthy by ordering a traditional vinaigrette on the side, instead of a creamy “Greek” dressing poured over the top. And if you’re watching your calorie intake, ask for just half of the usual feta cheese (with flavorful cheeses like feta, a little goes a long way).

Wedge salad 

Crisp iceberg lettuce, savory bacon, creamy blue cheese, sweet tomatoes — the wedge salad hits all the right notes when it comes to taste and texture. Unfortunately, it misses the mark on nutrition. Iceberg lettuce makes for about the least nutritious salad green out there, and the calorie-laden toppings load this salad with excess fat and salt. At one nationwide chain, you’ll consume 59 grams of fat and 600 calories when you order the wedge — and it’s classified as a side salad. Consider this a very occasional treat, not a healthy everyday lunch.

Cobb salad

There’s no doubt that this is a hearty salad, with grilled chicken, hardboiled egg, bacon, blue cheese, and, oh yeah, some vegetables underneath. While the calories and fat grams can add up with all that bacon and blue cheese, it is possible to modify your way to a healthy Cobb salad: swap in heart-healthier avocado for bacon, and again, ask for just half the amount of blue cheese. With a vinaigrette dressing, it will be a very satisfying and fairly healthy lunch with plenty of protein and vitamins… just be careful not to overeat when you order a gigantic restaurant portion.

Caesar salad

This classic has a few nutrient-packed positives: romaine lettuce is a great source of vitamins A and K, and anchovies are packed with omega-3 fatty acids (although many chain restaurant varieties leave out the traditional chopped fish). However, those are drowned out — literally — by a sea of creamy dressing, Parmesan cheese, and crunchy croutons. At one Southwestern chain, a chicken Caesar salad has 44 grams of fat… almost as much as a lunch order of their signature baby-back ribs. Given the simplicity of the ingredients, it’s hard to make substitutions without ruining the salad completely… so you’re better off skipping Caesar altogether.

Southwestern chicken salad

Shredded romaine piled with chicken, black beans, corn, peppers, and tortilla strips: we all know this ubiquitous restaurant salad, although it goes by many names (yes, the counterintuitive “quesadilla salad” being one of them). And it’s this-close to being an awesome lunch choice, since it has all the hallmarks of a satisfying salad (fiber from beans, protein from chicken, and vitamins/minerals from the greens and veggies)… but when it’s piled with crispy tortillas, breaded chicken, and a creamy ranch dressing, it becomes another fat-and-calorie bomb. Luckily, by ordering grilled chicken, a vinaigrette-style dressing, and skipping the tortilla strips, you’ll end up with a very well-balanced salad.

There’s a pattern here to making sure your restaurant salad is a healthy one: choose grilled instead of fried when it comes to your protein (whether chicken or shrimp), ask for a vinaigrette dressing instead of a creamy one, and hold the empty-calorie extras like croutons or tortilla strips. And if you can’t do without a little indulgence in your salad, just choose one: pick bacon OR blue cheese, not both. You’ll still be way better off than if you’d gone right for the burger or burrito, while still enjoying a flavorful and satisfying lunch.

Choosing the right salad is much simpler when you have plenty of restaurant menus at your disposal… just one of the reasons why Waiter.com is your greatest ally when it comes to ordering healthy food delivery!

When busy  administrative assistants are tasked with ordering business lunches or meals for meetings, it’s easy to fall into a comfortable routine: deli meats, turkey clubs, tuna salad. And while sandwiches are the perfect meeting food — crowd-pleasing and portable — these “classics” can quickly become ho-hum.

Make sure your clients or coworkers are actually looking forward to their lunch breaks during a busy day — after all, taking a genuine break is key to maintaining energy levels and productivity for the rest of the afternoon. Give business lunch attendees a meal that will break up the monotony of the day, and orchestrate a twist on the usual sandwich standards by ordering one of these unexpected options:

Tortas

These mouthwatering Mexican sandwiches have never quite reached the popularity of tacos or burritos in the States, but they deserve to. Imagine taking your favorite taco fillings (charred meats, melty cheese, avocados, salsa) and stuffing them between a sliced, crusty roll, called a bolillo. Most Mexican restaurants will have a few tortas on their menus, including vegetarian varieties, which makes them perfect for big business lunches!

Banh mi

If you weren’t aware that French colonists exerted quite an influence on Vietnamese cuisine, you will be after tasting a delicious banh mi. In the most common variation of this unique sandwich, a crusty baguette is slathered with mayo and holds minced pork meatballs, sliced jalapeños, cilantro, and shredded carrots. Vietnamese restaurants and bakeries usually carry a few varieties, and even mainstream sandwich shops are jumping onto the banh mi bandwagon these days.

Muffuletta

Is New Orleans’ signature sandwich a muffuletta or an oyster po’ boy? It’s a toss-up, but when it comes to pleasing the crowd at business lunches, we’ll go with a muffuletta. A giant round of Sicilian bread, stuffed full of cured meats and cheeses that are topped with a lavish spread of spicy olive salad; cut into quarters, this is one sandwich that has earned its standing in New Orleans’ crowded culinary scene.

Cuban sandwiches

Possibly the world’s best variation of good old ham and cheese. Here, the cheese is Swiss, the ham is sliced (and occasionally supplemented with marinated pork), and both are topped with pickles and mustard… then, the whole thing is flattened by a hot press. The result is a gooey and delicious sandwich that puts cold cuts to shame, and can be found on many respectable menus far from Miami.

Gyros

First of all, they’re pronounced “YEE-ros”. Secondly, they are not technically a sandwich, but since gyros involve meat that’s contained within bread and eaten by hand — and are delicious — we’re including them nonetheless! The traditional Greek gyro is roasted meat (usually made from ground lamb) served in a rolled pita along with tomato, onion, and tzatziki (a yogurt and cucumber sauce). Packed full of flavor and not too exotic to alienate picky eaters, gyros are a surefire way to spice up the lunch table — and easy to find, as they’re a staple on Greek restaurant menus.

Whatever you want to serve between two slices of bread, the food delivery experts at Waiter.com can make it happen. Business lunches, office meetings, and even overtime meals are made easy with online ordering and prompt delivery… so you have no excuse to settle for boring old deli sandwiches ever again!

A lot of office break rooms will be green today, from cardboard shamrocks to garishly frosted cupcakes. And while we heartily endorse an office-friendly St. Patrick’s Day party, it brings up a good opportunity to contemplate the other way your office can “go green” at lunch time — every day of the year.

Sustainability and eco-friendly practices aren’t just buzzwords anymore. Companies across the globe are going green with the aim of reducing costs, improving their images, and, yes, benefitting the environment. Giant companies may get the most press — Starbucks’ recycled coffee cup sleeves, Wal-Mart’s increasing investment in renewable energy — but small offices are also joining in by emphasizing eco-friendly habits, like producing less waste and encouraging recycling.

Of course, it’s easy to tack a phrase like “Consider the environment before printing this email” onto your signature; it’s a little harder to bring sustainability into all corners of the workplace — particularly the office lunch room. It’s easy for harried employees to forget to recycle when they’re in a rush to grab their lunch and return to their desks, or to simply reach for a paper cup next to the coffeepot instead of retrieving a mug from the cabinet.

It’s worth the effort, though: going green can build teamwork and improve employee morale, even when it takes a little while to put the earth-friendly practices into place. To start, consider implementing these six straightforward strategies to increase your eco-friendliness during office meals:

1) Cut down on waste by stocking bottled condiments in the fridge and simple seasonings in the cupboard. Soy sauce, mustard, hot sauce, ketchup, chili flakes, salt, pepper… any office with a regular takeout habit can quickly accumulate a giant pile of these single-serving accompaniments. And while each item is small, it adds up to a lot of wasted paper and plastic packaging. Buy a few bottles of the usual suspects, and start telling restaurants you don’t need any of their individual packets included with your order.

2) Supply real plates and silverware. Just like with condiments, plastic plates and cutlery can really add up when it comes to unnecessary waste. Plus, grabbing a real plate and fork will encourage employees to take the time to savor their lunch, instead of the detrimental mindless eating that often occurs at the office.

3) Recycling is a no-brainer, but also consider a compost bin. Office refrigerators can become a hotbed of forgotten leftovers or discarded food, and that waste can really add up. Instead of tossing it in the garbage, set up a compost bin. If your building doesn’t accommodate compost waste, find a gardening coworker willing to take it home on a weekly basis and chuck it in their pile.

4) Put a friendly ban on  paper cups. Stack mugs next to the coffeepot, supply reusable bottles for water, and even keep pint glasses on hand — not the ubiquitous red plastic cups — for the occasional Friday evening office happy hour.

5) If your office break room has a sunny window, set up an herb garden! Whether employees sprinkle freshly plucked parsley and basil on their lunch or take a few sprigs home for cooking dinner, they’ll be put to good use and improve the air quality at the same time. As an extra bonus, plants in the office might just make workers more attentive and productive!

6) Make eco-friendly dining choices. This might mean working with a corporate catering company that specializes in organic or locally-sourced foods, buying shade-grown coffee, or simply participating in Meatless Monday each week — plant-based food is much more energy-efficient to produce than meat. And if a lot of employees tend to order in, consider coordinating a group food order instead: that way, only one vehicle will be burning gas delivering lunch to the office.

Going green in the office break room is easy, and you have a wonderful ally in the food delivery experts at Waiter.com! From cutting down on paper products to recurring group takeout orders for office meals, we’re here to help your eco-friendly efforts make a big impact.

Eating healthy at the office can be tricky, especially when your coworkers get together to order lunch from a favorite delivery place. While it’s almost always better for your health to have an actual meal than skipping lunch (or raiding the vending machine at 2 pm), it can be challenging to know what the healthiest options are when you’re talking take-out.

This is especially true when it comes to Thai food: while most entrees are packed with vegetables and lean meats, and may read as healthy options on the menu, they often come swimming creamy curries or sweet sauces that quickly undermine your good intentions. Choosing a healthy option requires a little bit of knowledge, a few rules of thumb, and, in some cases, careful modifications to what arrives in the delivery bag.

While everyone’s health goals are different — a coworker set on reducing calories may want to order a different office lunch than someone watching their sodium intake — here are four tips that will set you up for success on Thai takeout day at the office. These suggestions are based on dishes you’re likely to find on any Thai restaurant menu, but of course preparation methods and ingredient choices can vary widely!

Tip #1: Steer clear of coconut milk-based curries.

Thai curries are delicious: a zing of spice mellowed by the coolness of coconut milk. Unfortunately, that coconut milk also comes loaded with saturated fat and calories. Avoid curries altogether (sad, we know!) in favor of stir-fried dishes with lots of vegetables. For entrees, this includes items like Gai Pad Mamuang Him Ma Pahn (cashew chicken) — the cashews, like most nuts, offer healthy fats that lend this dish a more nutrient-packed punch. Another option to look for is a simple shrimp, tofu, or chicken in basil sauce stir-fry.

Tip #2: Build a meal of starters.

The healthiest options on a Thai menu are in the appetizer section, so consider building your own meal by ordering a few starters. Seafood summer rolls are a no-brainer: delicate rice paper filled with fresh vegetables like carrots, broccoli, and cabbage, along with a serving of diced shrimp. Tom Yum soup is another winner: this hot and sour soup is broth-based and studded with lean meat or shrimp and mushrooms. Finally, the spicy green papaya salad known as “Som Tam” is full of fresh vegetables and fruits, and a refreshing companion to the earthy Tom Yum soup. Bottom line: all three are packed with flavor and texture, so you won’t feel like you’re missing out on anything despite skipping the entree section!

Tip #3: Satay it up.

Sometimes served as an appetizer, sometimes as an entree, satays are meat skewers, usually grilled (one of the healthiest preparations), and coated with spicy peanut sauce. Opt for chicken to get the leanest choice, and don’t go overboard with the sugary sauce, but overall this meal is a protein powerhouse perfect for low-carb diets. It may be found in the appetizer section as well, but since it’s just straight-up meat, it’s generally quite filling as a main dish!

Tip #4: Split whatever you order.

Thai restaurants in America are no exception to the rule of huge portions, even at lunchtime. Arrange with a like-minded coworker to share a meal, or dish half of your order out onto a real plate and save the rest for the next day. Especially if you eat lunch at your desk, you’re likely to continue mindlessly eating after you’re full… but you can avoid that trap if the remainder of your oversized office lunch is safely tucked away in the fridge!

Crafting a healthy Thai lunch may require a little legwork, but getting it to your office is easy with help from Waiter.com. With an extensive selection of restaurants, easy online ordering, and prompt delivery, you’ll be chowing down — healthily — in no time!

One of the simplest ways to feel better all day at the office — more energized, happier, and more productive — is to eat whole grains. Study after study has shown that including whole grains at meals can help prevent the dreaded afternoon energy slump.

What makes a whole grain whole? Essentially, its most nutritious parts — the germ, endosperm, and bran — haven’t been removed in processing (unlike what happens to the flour in white bread). Whole grain sources deliver more fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients, but their real attraction for the typical office worker is that they release energy more slowly than their highly-processed cousins. That means less of a blood sugar spike right after lunch, and less of a crash at 3pm. Whole grains are also easy to sneak into your office lunches. Here are a few easy ways to swap in whole grains and do your afternoon energy levels a big favor:

Brown rice — Not only is brown rice rich in nutrients like selenium and niacin, but it has more fiber than white rice. Since fiber slows the rush of glucose into the bloodstream after eating, that means you’ll get a slower release of energy throughout the day — the whole basis for the argument that whole grains promote better energy levels. So in your Chinese takeout box or sushi order, always opt for brown rice. This is probably the easiest swap you can make!

Quinoa — There’s a reason this grain-like seed (pronounced “keen-wah”) is at the top of many whole-grain lists! Not only is quinoa full of fiber: it’s also high in protein, giving your body a long-lasting source of energy to get through slow-moving afternoons. If you always go for pasta salad or mac & cheese as a side dish, look for a quinoa salad instead.

Bulgur — Its name might not sound as elegant as “quinoa”, but bulgur is a nutritional powerhouse nonetheless. A kind of dried wheat kernel, bulgur is rich in fiber (are you sensing a pattern here?) and also has fairly high levels of B vitamins. If you like Middle Eastern or healthy Mediterranean food, chances are you’ve eaten bulgur: it’s the nutty grain found in tabbouleh, which is delicious and should work its way into your regular lunch rotation!

Whole wheat — Whether part of your deli sandwich, burrito wrapper, or in your pasta bowl, opting for 100-percent whole wheat items is one of the kindest moves you can make for your energy levels. The only trick is asking if the bread, tortilla, or pasta is actually made from 100-percent whole grains: many offerings touted as “made with whole grains” only have a portion of the good stuff, and the rest is made up with the same kind of refined flour in white bread. Remember: just because it’s brown doesn’t mean it’s actually whole wheat.

Popcorn — Yes, it’s true! Popcorn is a whole grain, and when it’s not coated in butter, makes a smart alternative to chips or pretzels as a crunchy side or energy-boosting snack.

The bottom line is that those afternoon energy slumps aren’t inevitable. Smart office lunches can leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, and Waiter.com is the smart choice to bring wholesome meals into your workplace!

A new survey of American office workers, commissioned by California-based staffing firm OfficeTeam, reveals a troubling trend when it comes to happiness and efficiency in the workplace: the office lunch hour is quickly becoming a thing of the past.

Out of the 413 office workers surveyed, about half (48%) reported their usual lunch break is 30 minutes or less; 14% of all workers take 15 minutes or less. And when workers do take lunch breaks, many of them don’t even leave their desks! Almost 30% continue to work straight through their “break”, while another 27% just surf the web or catch up on Facebook and other social media.

Why is this trend disturbing? Because taking a legitimate break in the middle of the day — one where employees leave their desks, stop working, and eat a wholesome meal — can make a potentially huge impact on their overall health and productivity. Studies continue to reveal that sitting all day can lead to a myriad of health problems and fatigue, and yet more and more of us aren’t even taking half an hour to get up and walk around a little bit.

As University of Toronto Organizational Behavior professor John Trougakos tells Entrepeneur points out, “Fatigue is related to decrements in efficiency, productivity, and accuracy of work… once [our psychological] energy source is depleted, we become less effective at everything we do.” Instead of boosting productivity by taking a real office lunch break, it seems that more of us are staying put in front of our computers.

How can an office create a culture that values breaks? Here are a few key methods:

1) The boss has to take a break, too. Just like with employee wellness programs and other corporate culture initiatives, leadership has to come from the top. When nobody in management takes a lunch break, it might be sending a message to the rest of the staff that successful employees don’t take lunch breaks.

2) Invest in an inviting break room where employees actually want to congregate during the lunch hour — if they don’t feel comfortable, they’ll just stay at their desks.

3) Make it a habit to offer catered lunches on busy days. When a deadline is looming or a big project is wrapping up, employees really may not have time to leave the office for a good meal. At the very least, discourage vending machine meals by providing a healthy, wholesome lunch — not only will staffers feel like their hard work is appreciated, but after eating a balanced meal, they’ll likely be more productive and less prone to burnout for the rest of the day.

4) Encourage socialization among employees during office lunch breaks. Companies like Google go for communal tables because they recognize that cross-departmental conversations can lead to innovation, and friendships at work can lead to increased job satisfaction. This is one area where the OfficeTeam survey is encouraging: 42% of workers do spend time socializing with coworkers on their lunch breaks.

5) If your office can’t afford regular catered lunches, plan a group food order for healthy takeout meals and invite employees to share their meal together in an empty conference room for a lunch-and-learn.

When it comes to creating a positive lunch break culture, you can count on the experts at Waiter.com! With easy online ordering, Virtual Cafeteria Service, and prompt delivery, no one in your office needs to skip a mid-day meal again.

If you’re an administrative assistant or office manager responsible for ordering lunches, handling catering orders, and planning staff parties, then you know how tricky it can be to please all the palates in a modern office! Between dietary restrictions and picky eaters, in fact, being in charge of company catering can seem like a Herculean task. Make your life easier by compiling a short questionnaire (voluntary and confidential, of course) and keeping a basic spreadsheet of your coworkers’ likes, dislikes, health-focused dietary goals, and special occasions.

After all, the goal of office meals is to show appreciation, promote teamwork and social bonds, and create a positive workplace culture. While you may not be able to meet all needs at all times, making the effort will go a long way — and at least you’ll avoid ordering a chocolate ice cream cake for a party, only to discover the birthday girl doesn’t eat dairy. Here are the essential questions to ask your coworkers:

Do you have any allergies? 

Allergies in the office are more common than most of us probably suspect, with research showing that as many as 15 million Americans suffer from food allergies. Luckily, only eight foods are deemed responsible for the vast majority (up to 90%) of allergic reactions: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish. Find out if any of your coworkers suffer from allergies, and you can plan celebratory meals accordingly so that every staff member can participate.

Do you experience any sensitivity to gluten or dairy?

Many of your coworkers may have dietary sensitivities that cause upset stomachs or digestive issues, but aren’t necessarily allergic reactions; two of the most commonly cited sensitivities are gluten and dairy, both which can be difficult to digest for many adults. Gluten-free diets are on the rise, with almost a third of Americans reporting they’re interested in trying to avoid gluten; meanwhile, lactose intolerance leaves many adults feeling unwell after eating ice cream or drinking milk.

Are you trying to meet any diet goals?

Between the rise of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses, serving primarily healthy food to employees should be on the forefront of every company catering plan. Still, if your colleagues are trying to cut back on sugar or avoid highly processed carbohydrates, you can make sure to provide diet-friendly alternatives at every occasion (yes, even birthdays).

Do you practice a vegetarian or vegan diet? Would you like to see vegetarian options at staff meals?

These are two very different questions. While only five to six percent of Americans describe themselves as vegetarians (and less than one percent are vegans), many more are actively trying to cut back on meat consumption, especially on Mondays. Find out if your officemates would appreciate meat-free options at staff meals, and take a cue from plant-based, pescetarian-friendly diets like the Mediterranean diet or the heart-healthy DASH diet to serve tasty, meatless office lunches.

What’s your favorite kind of cuisine (Italian, Mexican, Indian, etc.)? What’s your favorite dessert?

Don’t just find out what your coworkers don’t like to eat — find out what they love! When you’re celebrating success in their department or an individual milestone, it will be even more meaningful if your coworkers find their favorite dishes waiting for them on the catering table.

When’s your birthday?

Because whether you celebrate individually or with a monthly group party, birthdays are a great excuse to break up the office routine!

When it comes to office lunches and special celebrations, Waiter.com can help ensure every employee can participate with a delicious, diet-friendly meal! And with easy online ordering and Virtual Cafeteria Service, we make life easier for the busy admin assistants in charge of the company catering plan.

We all know the feeling: about an hour and a half after a filling, delicious catered office lunch, you start getting tired. Your concentration wanes, and even though you’re staring right at your work on your computer screen — no Facebook or anything! — you just aren’t getting anything done. Welcome to a well-known office phenomenon: the mid-afternoon energy slump.

What’s the culprit behind this all-too-common daily fatigue? It could be that you didn’t get enough sleep last night, or you’re dealing with stress. But it could also be something as simple as what was on your plate at lunch.

All foods supply energy, but not in the same way. Foods that are high in simple carbohydrates, like white-flour bread or pasta, candy, and cookies, can give an instant boost to your energy levels, followed by a similarly quick crash, all because your body kicks into overdrive to digest them quickly. On the other hand, foods that are high in fat, such as a double-bacon cheeseburger with French fries, can leave you feeling drained because they take too much work to digest.

What should you be eating? Plenty of protein and complex carbohydrates (like those found in whole grains and starchy vegetables) that digest slowly over time, releasing a steady stream of energy.

If you want to improve your energy levels at work, you don’t have to make a radical overhaul to your office lunch routine all at once (and research shows radical diet changes won’t last for most people, anyway). At work, lunch isn’t just a meal: it’s your break, and a time for you to relax and enjoy yourself. So don’t swear off your favorite deli or Chinese place, and only eat dressing-free salads with tasteless chicken breast. Instead, focus on making a few small, energy-boosting swaps to the meals you’re already eating. As you get accustomed to the changes (and notice the positive impact on your energy levels), then you can layer in even more healthy habits.

Before you know it, you’ll be bright-eyed through the afternoon — and sharing your energy-boosting secrets with your coworker who can’t stop nodding off in the afternoon meeting.

1) Lose the refined flour. Cutting back on those white-flour breads is definitely at the top of the priority list when it comes to increasing your afternoon energy. This might mean switching from sourdough to whole wheat bread at the deli, swapping white rice for brown at the Chinese place, or switching your burrito to a tortilla-less bowl.

2) Choose a significant side. By significant, we’re talking something with fiber or nutrients that will help sustain energy and fullness — not just empty calories. Instead of potato chips with your sandwich, opt for cottage cheese or nuts, both good sources of protein. Choose sweet potato fries instead of regular ones for more slowly-digested carbohydrates. And if you have pizza, get a hearty side salad instead of breadsticks.

3) Cut out unnecessary fats. Not all fats are bad fats, but having too much fat at lunch will leave you instantly sluggish. Go for spring rolls instead of crispy egg rolls, choose leaner chicken instead of carnitas for your tacos, get mustard instead of mayo, and opt for grilled meat or shrimp instead of fried or “crispy” in any cuisine!

4) Choose dessert wisely. If you have a sweet tooth, don’t ignore it, but be smart about how you end your meal. Berries are one of the best energy-boosting foods, and pair nicely with a small piece of dark chocolate; switching to frozen Greek yogurt topped with fresh berries, a dessert loaded with protein and fiber, is even better!

5) Cut out a quarter. Literally: take one-quarter of your office lunch and save it in the office fridge for an afternoon snack. Even when you eat a smart, balanced lunch, you can manage your energy levels best when you have a few healthy snacks throughout the day.

However you cut it, your office lunch has a direct impact on your energy levels and productivity throughout the workday. That’s why getting wholesome, healthy meals into the office is key — and Waiter.com is here to help. Use our easy online ordering or Virtual Cafeteria Service to ensure everyone in the office has the fuel they need to be at their best!

From Google’s famous cafeterias to startups’ weekly office happy hours, smart employers know that providing free food is a easy and highly welcomed perk in the workplace – and makes you look like a better boss. But when your employees come to expect a few boxes of pizza or the same Chinese takeout boxes every Friday, your staff lunches may be selling your message of appreciation short.

Surveys show that “unexpected treats and rewards” like office meals or snacks are the second most popular form of employer appreciation (monetary bonuses ranked highest); however, don’t neglect the importance of the “unexpected” element. After all, treating your staff to a catered or delivered lunch isn’t just about sustenance; it’s about creating excitement and building social connections without ever leaving the office. There should be a buzz around the building when a surprise meal delivery shows up, and a feeling that something special is happening. When a few boxes of pizza show up every Friday, that excitement easily becomes muddled into part of the daily routine.

With the goal of creating a special occasion in mind, here are a few ways to think outside the pizza box during your next office lunch!

Host a traditional Indian buffet in the break room! This is easy to pull off and, for most offices, represents a big step outside the normal routine. Order a wide assortment of entrees and side dishes, and serve them family-style. Choose both easily approachable dishes like samosas and tandoori chicken, as well as some more unusual options, such as baingan bharta and rogan josh.

If your employees are not particularly adventurous eaters, then go for a sure bet with a spread of Southern comfort food. Think big platters of barbecued pork, mac & cheese, collard greens, and a pecan pie for dessert. For most of us, this kind of meal is an indulgent treat… which is exactly what you’re going for.

You will really take your employees by surprise when you stage a dim sum brunch late in the morning instead of a traditional lunch! Sharing dim sum with a large group is a Cantonese tradition, and the food itself is composed of many individual servings of dishes like pork dumplings, egg rolls, and spare ribs. There are few meals more social, and a dim sum meal is the perfect opportunity to encourage cross-departmental conversation as employees try a plethora of new foods. Just make sure to order plenty: dim sum is addictive.

For a more festive occasion, stage an elaborate Hawaiian luau complete with grilled pork and shrimp, rice pilafs, papaya salad, and a pineapple upside-down cake for dessert. If you’d really like to make it a celebration, greet employees with leis and play Hawaiian music to foster a festive mood throughout the meal.

And finally, especially around Mardi Gras time, nothing will up the celebratory ante like a big table full of New Orleans cuisine. From chicken-andouille gumbo to jambalaya to muffalettas, there will certainly be an item for everyone on the buffet. 

Essentially, as long as you keep the meal routine varied and unpredictable, you’ll achieve your goal of creating buzz and excitement around the office when it’s time for a workplace lunch! With online ordering and a huge selection from Waiter.com, it’s never been easier to keep your employees well-fed, feeling appreciated, and looking forward to the next office meal.

Here’s a scenario many administrative assistants will instantly recognize: it’s ten o’clock, and you’re in the middle of a project when you get an email from your boss. “Having the marketing department get together for an office lunch meeting at noon today in the conference room. Can you take care of it?”

One simple question and your morning has taken a totally new direction. Two hours and counting, and you have an office lunch to organize. Here are a few simple steps to streamline your new schedule:

Gather all the information

Send an email with follow-up questions immediately. Confirm with your boss the number of people attending, if she needs any special equipment set up in the conference room, and if she has a preference on the food you’ll order.

Order food with input

Etiquette varies by office when it comes to gathering input. If you’re expected to coordinate lunch with all the participants, don’t simply ask: “What would you like for lunch?”. Head off any indecision, and instead send an email with a specific plan: “I was planning on ordering Chinese delivery for your lunch meeting. Please let me know if there are any objections by 10:30.” This will save you a lot of time and potential back-and-forth!

Ordering food without input

If you aren’t expected to ask for input on the food being served, plan on including a few vegetarian-friendly options unless you know for certain everyone eats meat or fish. Make sure you schedule the food to arrive around 15 minutes prior to the meeting’s start time so you can lay it out before the participants start to arrive.

Set up the “dining” room

Arrange the conference room’s furniture for the meeting. If someone is making a presentation, arrange all the tables and chairs to face the front of the room, and leave plenty of room at each seat for laptops or papers (providing a few pens wouldn’t be a bad idea, either). Place the food table (that will hold either buffet-style dishes or individual takeout meals) on the opposite side from the presenter so that they won’t be disturbed when participants go for seconds or refills on beverages.

Set the table(s)

If you’ve ordered individual meals for all participants, set places with plates, napkins, and silverware to make it easier for people to simply come in, grab their lunch, and take a seat. Alternatively, set up a successful buffet table by placing plates at the beginning, food in the middle, and napkins and cutlery at the end. In either case, set a small table to the side with beverages, ice, and drinking glasses so participants don’t have to juggle food and drinks at the same time.

Provide a few thoughtful extras

Since an office lunch meeting can function as both a social and a work engagement, make it easy for participants to transition between the two. Provide wet-naps or small bottles of hand sanitizer to avoid sticky fingers on keyboards, scatter extra pens around the dining tables, and leave a small dish of mints by the door.

Overall, remember that lunch meetings are about more than just food. Studies have shown that spontaneous meals can show appreciation and increase employee satisfaction, and your role as an administrative assistant helps make that possible. You take care of the details, and your boss can take care of running an efficient meeting!

Make your job even easier by using Waiter.com to execute last-minute office lunches! Our online ordering and delivery service make feeding a group a breeze, and if you regularly organize office meals, consider our Virtual Cafeteria Service.

It’s busy season. If you work for an accounting firm, or are married to an accountant, or are friends with an accountant, you know what “busy season” means. It means working early in the morning, through the lunch hour, into the evening, and on Saturdays (and possibly Sundays). Busy season, which begins in January and runs up to the April 15 federal deadline for tax filings, means work. Lots of work.

Of course, a tax firm office full of employees working long hours (and potentially spending more time with their colleagues than their spouses) can also mean stress and burnout. As John Shank of Birmingham-based accounting firm Barfield, Murphy, Shank, & Smith tells Business Alabama, “So much work is compressed into such a short amount of time, and stress with employees is inevitable.”

Luckily, as the accounting industry has come to terms with the reality of busy season, they’ve also found strategies to offset the stress and tension. In-office massages, group Wii tournaments, acupuncture treatments, and gift certificate giveaways are all popular methods of providing relief from the daily (and nightly) grind.

But most important of all the busy-season coping strategies? Food. As administrative assistants in accounting firms can attest, busy season means food! From staff lunches to late-night dinners, keeping hardworking accountants fed and energized is key to a successful busy season.

In fact, when AccountingToday.com polled LinkedIn’s Accounting group on their favored busy season activities, the most popular perk was free meals. The article reports that “Free team lunches and dinners ranked highest… but our favorite culinary response came from trainee Rebecca Granthan: ‘An unexpected round of bacon sandwiches at 10 am :-).’”

Indeed, while stocking the break room with box lunches, soda, and healthy snacks will get the job done, smart accounting firms know that there’s a strategy to treating their team to busy season meals. Provide accountants food when they need it most, and when they expect it the least… and make eating a team-building exercise.

When it’s late on Thursday afternoon and everyone realizes they’ll be working until 10 pm, that’s the perfect time to order up a round of pizzas or Chinese takeout to keep everyone well-fed and able to focus for a few more hours. On Saturdays, when the office will be full of employees who might be missing out on their kids’ dance recitals or soccer games, treat them to a fully-catered lunch to communicate an extra dose of appreciation and teamwork. However, be aware that some accountants prioritize busy season health, and try to provide healthy alternatives to more indulgent meals when possible.

Don’t just offer food at dinnertime or the lunch hour. Surprise the team and bring a boost of energy to the office by turning an empty conference room into a sundae bar, or take a cue from West Coast startups by hosting a Friday afternoon happy hour in the break room (although when accounting’s involved, a one-beer limit may be wise!).

Another strategy is to encourage workplace camaraderie by taking advantage of every opportunity for a team celebration. Throw a chocolate-themed office party on Valentine’s Day, order in gumbo and jambalaya for Mardi Gras, and serve shepherd’s pie or corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day. Not only will employees be well-fed, but taking a break from their desks and gathering together to celebrate will reinforce team cohesion and the sense that “we’re all in this busy season together!”

When you have a hungry staff of hard-working accountants to feed, Waiter.com might just become your greatest ally. Our Virtual Cafeteria Service and recurring catering orders make the busy season a little less stressful for the entire office.

Looking for a way to increase engagement, build relationships, and keep your employees well-fed and happy? Take a lesson from Bitly and consider implementing a regular “lunch and learn” for the entire office.

Bitly recently used their company blog to describe their weekly lunch and learn routine: “Every Wednesday, all of us (regardless of team, meetings, or schedule that day) will sit together over lunch to learn about —anything!” While the company is best known for something relatively simple (a link-shortening service), it’s clear that they have put a lot of thought and effort into the complex task of building a positive corporate culture.

On the surface, lunch and learns are nothing new. The midday meetings have been around for quite a while, and they have been criticized for being a waste of time — especially when the “learning” portion is actually a sales pitch in disguise. That’s why we love Bitly’s twist on the old formula: “One person presents about a subject they’re interested in, a cause they care about, or a side project they’re working on while the rest of us listen and learn over a catered lunch from a nearby restaurant.” At Bitly, it isn’t just a manager or outside “expert” coming in to lecture a staff. A different member from within their own team shares their passion with their coworkers, regardless of how it’s connected to the actual work of the office.

This eclectic approach keeps the lunch and learn from feeling like just another meeting — one that employees have to give up their lunch break to attend! The practice of taking time out from busy schedules to learn about each other provides a real break in the workday while building a sense of teamwork and camaraderie in the office. Bitly’s approach of employee-led lunches gives employees a chance to get to know one another in a genuine way and sharpen public speaking skills. As an added bonus, bringing staff members from different teams and departments together is often a fantastic way to spark innovation, and could potentially create lasting connections that may not have been forged in the daily flow of office life.

Lunch and learn topics can be as varied and diverse as your employees themselves. Bitly’s previous topic list includes subjects ranging from how to build an award-winning app to customer communication to Pictionary showdowns! Incorporating interactive activities, games, or a Q&A portion into each lunch and learn can help keep all the attendees engaged. Keep in mind that it’s important to keep the atmosphere casual and fun: this is your employees’ lunch break, after all, and should be a time to relax and recharge for the rest of the day.

And of course, employees always appreciate a good office lunch! Providing a quality catered meal sends the message that the company believes the lunch and learn is a worthy investment of resources. Waiter.com makes it easy to manage meal planning and maintain a regular lunch delivery schedule, preventing a weekly lunch and learn from becoming a burden on the office manager or administrator in charge of the “lunch” portion of the meeting.

Need more convincing that a lunch and learn is worth your time? Three words: Martha does it.

When confronted with a lengthy to-do list and packed calendar at work, people often make a potentially disastrous choice: they’ll just work through lunch. Grabbing a quick “meal” from a vending machine or the closest fast-food chain and absent-mindedly shoveling it down while you work may seem like a time-saver, but most industrial-organizational psychologists (that is, psychologists specializing in the workplace) maintain that lunch breaks actually boost productivity.

The experts may agree, but Americans aren’t listening. According to some estimates, only one-third of American workers take a real  lunch break most days of the week.  The other two-thirds either eat at their desk, or even skip lunch altogether. But why is the typical working lunch bad for us? And how can we change the unhealthy habit without adding hours to the workday?

Psychologists like Chris Cunningham, professor of Industrial-Organizational and Occupational Health Psychology at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, warns that we all have a limited amount of psychological resources to draw from throughout the day. By remaining at our desks and working through lunch, we can drain that reserve. As Cunningham tells the Wall Street Journal, “Taking a lunch break away from the desk lets people separate themselves from the source of that drain. And that offers the opportunity to build back some of those resources in the middle of the day—rather than just at the end when work is over.”

Aside from psychological stresses, there are physical tolls to the habit of eating at your desk. A recent British poll found that workers who dine at their desks consume more than 1,200 calories at work each day — approximately two-thirds of the average recommended intake for women, and more than half for men. Participants who ate while working reported a higher tendency to dine on chips, snacks, and sodas rather than wholesome meals; of course, excessive calorie consumption can lead to obesity, which leads in turn to very costly declines in productivity.

The research is clear, but it’s hard to argue with employees who would rather save time and be able to leave the office at a decent hour than head out to a restaurant for a leisurely, and often expensive, lunch in the middle of the day. One possible solution is to provide an on-site lunch for employees.

A well-designed break room can become the office’s own personal restaurant for the lunch hour. Invite everyone to leave their desks behind and dine together, providing a break from their desks and the lively socialization that psychologists deem necessary for productivity and mental wellbeing in the office. Providing a catered lunch will not only bolster productivity, but employee satisfaction and their sense of appreciation.

With lunch delivery and customizable menu options from Waiter.com, it’s easy to honor employees’ personal tastes and preferences, and recurring online ordering makes it simple for busy administrative staff to manage the task of regularly accommodating a large group order. Providing a catered meal lets employees know their time is valuable, their contributions appreciated, and that their workplace culture encourages taking breaks and taking care of each other.

And, best of all, no one will have an excuse to eat chips for lunch!