Out-of-the-Box Boxed Meals

We've all had one: a box lunch where the sandwich was soggy and reeked of onion, the cookie was rock-hard and the chips were ho-hum. But there are caterers and markets out there who think beyond the norm when it comes to take-along lunches. We’re talking turkey…with cranberry aioli. Roast beef…with caramelized onions and blue cheese. Is your mouth watering yet?

“We like to think out-of-the-box,” says William Cowley, executive chef for Centerplate, a catering company that’s affiliated with specific venues, including the Colorado Convention Center and Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver, and the Colorado Springs World Arena and Pikes Peak Center in Colorado Springs. Cowley has created box lunches for groups as small as 20 and as large as 1,000.

Go Fresh
“It’s definitely a challenge,” he says, to create a meal that can be packed in advance and still feel and taste fresh when opened. “You have to take each ingredient, evaluate it and decide how to make it the best it can be—good bread, no processed meats or cheeses. Fresh sides. Interesting condiments. We do a vegetarian sandwich with fresh grilled vegetables and a balsamic reduction,” he says, “or a Boursin cheese spread on a roast beef sandwich. We might do wraps with roasted chicken and Southwestern flavors.”

But they’re not tied to sandwiches. How about an Asian salad with grilled chicken, fresh Thai herbs and a soy-ginger dressing? 

Although Biscuits & Berries in Golden stays pretty close to the sandwich, fruit, chips and cookie regimen, they put a twist on it by baking their own bread and making fresh cookies every day. They also make their own pasta salads and other sides. After 20 years in the business, Biscuits & Berries focuses intently on the quality of what goes into the lunch, says Corporate Meetings Manager Ashleigh Suftko.

Cook’s Fresh Market in downtown Denver delivers lunches for two to 2,000 people on a daily basis and is proud of its fresh breads, cakes, cookies and muffins—all baked in-house. They also have their own butcher, roast the beef for sandwiches and smoke their own salmon.

Because they have their own meat and seafood cases as well as fresh produce, just about anything is possible for a box lunch with enough notice, Catering Manager Tessa Denker emphasizes.

Fun Presentation
Presentation was a big part of the second annual “Out of the Box” boxed lunch contest held at the 2011 Catersource and Event Solutions Trade Show and Conference in Las Vegas. One entry packaged a hot dog in a repurposed Pringles canister (with hand-warmers to keep the dogs warm). A tackle box, small wood crate, garden tool holder and Cuties box that holds mini oranges were transformed into holders of tasty treats and sometimes small gifts.

“There were great ideas,” confirms Vice President of Marketing Nan Hildebrandt. “Clearly, caterers need and enjoy getting new ideas.” There were 19 entries, including one from Bliss Caterers of Commerce City. “We replicated an iPhone [box], just for fun,” says Co-owner Julie Westfield.

“The presentation with everything we do is so important, even with a boxed/bag lunch, so we make sure everything looks great since when the client opens the box, we’re not there to make any changes as we would with a buffet or plated meal,” she says. As for boxes, many customers don’t want them. So Biscuits & Berries often puts their lunches in a recyclable lunch sack.

Packaging is Key
The key is not just in the ingredients, they say, but also in the packaging. “We try to separate vegetables, like lettuce and tomato, so the sandwich doesn’t get soggy. We put the dressing on the side so the salad doesn’t wilt,” Cowley says. Suftko agrees, adding, “The meat and cheese go on the bread, but everything else is separate, so when you assemble your sandwich, it is fresh.”

How you assemble the meal is important, too. “You have to think about what you put in, and in what order. Don’t plop an apple on top of the sandwich,” Cowley cautions. “All your hard work has just gone to waste.”