We’ve all been there lately—sticker shock when the supermarket cashier totals up our groceries for the week. Restaurants are feeling the same pain, as are hotel food & beverage directors and catering managers. We respond personally by trimming our expectations: out-of-season fruit? Nope. Imported canned Italian tomatoes? Not this month. House brands? Yes.

Restaurants and hotel staff are likewise making economic decisions, turning to seasonal ingredients for their price as well as their taste, eliminating an extra layer of garnish on their towering architectural presentations, using standard—rather than premium—cuts of meat, and reducing portion size.

But trimming the expectations of your meeting attendees is another proposition altogether, especially when it comes to food. Food is such an integral part of an event that your guests will often judge the success of the entire event solely on how well they think they dined.

Still, there are some ways to trim your food and beverage budget, a less-fixed cost to slash after lodging and air are locked in. Industry experts agree on a few traditional strategies, like buffets and passed hors d’oeuvres for dinners, but sometimes you’ve got to think “inside” the box—a throwback for lunch that, if done right, can provide your smaller groups with a fabulous meal that looks good, tastes good and is good for your bottom line.

THE NEW BOX LUNCH   
If “box lunch” brings back memories of a metal Barbie lunchbox with PB&J inside—or if you’re packing a slew of brown-bag lunches for your kids—it’s time to rethink the concept. Today’s box lunches offer a host of exciting and delicious options, in a convenient and affordable package.

You can work with a catering company whose core business is just that: catering. Provide lunches on the bus, if you’re traveling, or at a pretty wayside stop. Or you can contract with a local restaurant that also provides individual, packaged lunches—particularly if you’re doing a work-through-lunch meeting. (The local convention and visitors bureau is a terrific resource for recommendations.)

A good-quality box lunch will offer one of a variety of sandwiches, wraps, skewers or BBQ meats, plus a fresh zingy salad (from green to potato to pasta), fresh fruit and an informal dessert.

At The Box Lunch Company in San Francisco (boxlunch.net), for example, you can choose from a mouth-watering menu that includes sandwiches like cranberry turkey pesto, eggplant and portobello, rustic ham and creamy brie, and healthy wraps like a Thai wrap with chicken or a Florentine wrap. Or choose a fresh entrée salad, like the classic Caesar, lemon tarragon chicken salad or even shrimp and asparagus (a lot more affordable than shrimp on the plate).

Likewise, Lunch Box Catering in Buckeye, Ariz. (lunchboxcateringonline.com) uses only top-quality ingredients—such as hormone-free poultry and the freshest organic produce—packaged in 100 percent recycled paperback boxes. Attendees can choose from casual but classy fare such as a turkey sandwich with herbed farmer cheese, a grilled asparagus wrap or a cobb club sandwich. And Gourmondo (gourmondocatering.com) in Seattle takes the concept of lavish box lunches to true gourmet heights with not only panini sandwiches but elegant entrées such as shanghai salmon, chicken pasta salad and ginger steak.

In Portland, Crave Catering (portland-catering.com) is another company that goes well beyond standbys like the old tuna salad sandwich attendees might have had to settle for a few years back. In addition to their wealth of full-course catering options, Crave serves up box lunches that range from grilled chicken Caesar salad to penne Alfredo to gourmet green salad.

Desserts don’t have to be big chewy cookies or brownies (although we wouldn’t turn them down if they showed up in our box); they can be petite French pastries or dessert bars as well.

BOXY TIPS
Box lunches have the advantage of being served cold or at room temperature, but still require temperature control, especially if you’re traveling. Like always, it’s imperative to know your group—as the options once delivered are finite. Other tips to consider as you decide on a menu include:
Any known allergies (i.e., peanuts, so forget the Thai skewers)
The corporate culture (some companies are very health-and-fitness oriented, so keep the elements fresh and low-calorie)
Cultural differences (some attendees may have ethnic or religious restrictions)
Vegetarian and vegan lifestyles (an increasing requirement)

When box lunches appear, everyone’s hungry and even skeptics are salivating at the sight of crisp white (or sustainable brown) boxes. Anticipation runs high, and you can deliver the meal along with a balanced budget.