Having your meals catered may seem like a luxury. After all, you may associate catered foods with fancy events like weddings and holidays- times when people spend a little more to get a fancy result. However, catered meals can actually fit into your everyday budget. That means you can have catered food any day you’d like! Random Tuesday when you don’t want to make dinner? Get it catered! A weekend date night where you’d rather stay in? Plan a catered meal! You really can afford this “luxury” and we will show you how.
Stick to the Basics
While you may think catered food is over the top, extravagant and expensive, that just isn’t the case. While many catered events do tend to be fancy (like weddings) and have higher end food choices, you don’t need to pick the most expensive dishes when having your meals catered in everyday life. Skip that lobster pasta dish and opt for a more economical chicken pasta choice. Pass on the raw oyster bar and try baked clams instead. There are plenty less expensive catered meal options that will fit into your budget enabling you to have your meal catered without going overboard.
Two’s a Crowd
When thinking about getting your meals catered, you may automatically think or serving numerous people. While many people do choose catering when they need a meal for a large group, planning a catered meal for just two is much cheaper. In fact, a catered meal for two will likely cost less than going out to dinner at a restaurant! Don’t associate a catered meal with a large number of people (which, yes, can get pricey), think of it as a nice dinner, in your home for just two. A cheaper, more budget friendly way to enjoy catered food for sure!
Scheduling
If you plan to have one or two meals catered every week, you may be able to work with your caterer on getting a better price. When you guarantee your caterer the business and your caterer knows far in advance what meals they will be preparing for you, they may be willing to discount some of the meals. When the caterer can plan and prepare ahead of time, it is better for their schedule and their budget. They can pass these savings on to you!
Be Flexible
Let your caterer choose while meals they deliver to you and you will surely have a more budget friendly outcome. If you allow your caterer the freedom to create your meals, they can choose produce and meats that are fresher, in season and therefore more economical. On the other hand, if you request a strawberry tart in the middle of the winter when strawberries are at their peak cost, well, your bill is going to be high! Let your caterer know that you want delicious food on a budget and let them have free reign from there. You won’t be disappointed in the food or the cost.
Pick Up
Having a catered meal doesn’t have to mean having the food delivered to your door. While this is, of course, a nicety when having a catered meal. You can save a lot of money by opting to pick up the food yourself. Your caterer will have your meal ready and waiting for you at your specified time and you will save money on delivery and set up fees. However, you still get to eat that delicious catered food- no cooking required! This is certainly an option you should consider when trying to incorporate catered meals into your everyday budget.
As you can see, daily catered meals are not just for the super wealthy. There are many ways to make catered meals fit into your everyday budget. No need to sacrifice flavor or convenience, just order smartly and work with your caterer to get the best options available while on a budget.
