Casual Catering Ideas For An Office Party That Includes Vegetarian Employees

If you have the responsibility to order the food for an office party, then you're probably wondering about what to get. And if you know that there are employees who are vegetarian, then you know you have to get something that they will feel comfortable eating. So, ordering from the local burger joint or the chicken spot is out. And while you're going for a casual mood, burger and chicken might be a bit too casual, not to mention messy. With that in mind, here are a few ideas to help you get started. All of them are casual, but not too casual, and they are also vegetarian friendly.

Sushi

If you're not a sushi fan you might think that this isn't appropriate for vegetarians, but that's not true. There are vegetarian sushi rolls. The most popular is called a version of the California roll. This is made with avocado, and the crab is left out. You can order the regular sushi for the non-vegetarian employees. In addition to the sushi, you might want to also order tempura from the restaurant. Vegetable tempura is often on the menu at Japanese sushi restaurants. Tempura consists of battered and deep fried vegetables. The great thing about sushi and tempura is that it's not a big, messy meal, so it works great for a casual office party where you want to serve food on small plates.

Artisanal Pizza

Pizza delivery is a classic choice for office parties, but if you want to serve something a bit more sophisticated, you might want to order artisanal style pizza from your local pizzeria. The most popular variation is the margherita pizza. This is made with a simple tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil. It's smaller than the big Neapolitan style pies (which, ironically, are based off of the classic margherita). You can also get a small pizza blanca (a white pizza made with same small crust, two types of cheese, no tomatoes, and olive oil). The great thing about these artisanal pizzas is that they are small, so people can have a small slice on a little plate. Plus, they are a bit "cooler" than your typical pizza.

Selection Of Small Italian Sandwiches

Another cool idea to consider is a selection of small Italian sandwiches. Pizzerias will often make some really nice sandwiches and you can special order a bunch of small versions, instead of the large hero styles. You could order eggplant parmesan for the vegetarians, as well as meatball or chicken parmesan for the rest of the people. There are also cold sandwiches such as Italian style cheese sandwiches (provolone) or meat sandwiches such as salami with giardiniera.  

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