Fundraiser Food

Gathering for a meal has always brought people together, and a fundraiser dinner elevates that to gathering for a purpose — uniting people to support a common goal makes for a powerful and uplifting occasion.

Fundraiser food ideas run the gamut from casual cocktails with passed hor d'oeuvres or a beautiful buffet spread to a full-service sit-down meal. First, you need to determine the expected flow of your event. Do you want your guests to be free to roam, perhaps through a lengthy silent auction area? Or do you have an inspiring speaker you’d like guests seated for? How formal is the event — in both décor and dress? Your budget and fundraising goals will help determine the formality of the event and, generally, the more formal the event, the more formal the fundraiser dinner.

Gala catering has gotten more creative and, regardless of the type of meal you've settled on, there are opportunities to delight your guests and offer a memorable experience. For a mixer, roaming servers can wow with fresh oyster shucking. At a buffet, action stations have risen in popularity; for example, a chef custom-mixing pasta dishes in a Parmesan wheel. Even a formal sit-down meal offers the opportunity for surprise, with an activity like a tabletop s'mores station. Find inspiration and fundraiser food ideas here.