Ask your attendees to bring their own food

This section covers three main areas:

Should we ask attendees to bring their own meal?

What are the benefits?

Attendees can bring what they choose/what is familiar and tailored to their preferences and needs without risk of being served something they can’t/don’t want to/won’t eat
Eating packed lunch/’finger food’ together is an opportunity for socialisation, interaction and enjoyment (potentially easier than with a large hot meal with cutlery)
Staff not tied up with cooking and serving food, so free to attend to needs of attendees/ instigate conversation etc.
Very low cost for group – keeps attendance cost down
Opportunity to notice if issues with preparing food at home
Opportunity for attendees to share what they bring with others or talk about what they bring, creating connection

What are the risks?

Cold ‘finger food’ packed lunch may be unappealing/not someone’s usual routine or a barrier for some, particularly from cultures other than White British
Potential for attendees to bring food and drink that is not safe (for them or others)
Potential for attendees to have no edible food for lunch, if no contingency plan
What someone brings could draw unwanted attention if different to the group norm (e.g. if from a different culture, background or socio-economic status)
Danger of attendees being put off attending if packed lunch is difficult for them

Packed lunches are not necessarily just a ‘second best’ option if a group does not have the resources to provide food – there are potential unique benefits
Eating packed lunches together can spark conversation, reminiscence, ‘health by stealth’ discussions and peer support, creating group cohesion and reducing loneliness and isolation – helped by the presence of staff who are not otherwise occupied with preparing and serving food
Staff and volunteers can use the time to support attendees, lead social activity during the meal or set up post-meal activities
Packed lunches are a potential means for staff to assess how well someone is managing at home (e.g. by seeing what food they bring, or if they are consistently unable to bring food)
Attendees can bring what they choose/what is familiar and tailored to their preferences and needs, without risk of being served something they can’t/don’t want to/won’t eat
Packed lunches may be more familiar and easier to eat as a midday meal for some
There is a danger packed lunches could exclude some, however – e.g. if they are not able to make and bring an appropriate packed lunch, or if the idea of a cold food packed lunch is unfamiliar or unappealing to people from their background
Access to a large refrigerator or microwave to reheat brought food may be necessary

What helps?

Access to large refrigerator for food or microwave to reheat brought food
Packed lunches collected in at start of the day, then handed out at lunch
Contingency plan if someone forgets their packed lunch (some basic lunch/snack items kept in fridge)
Staff/volunteers knowledgeable of attendees dietary requirements and support needs regarding eating
Staff/volunteers vigilant to what attendees are eating and any need for help
Staff/volunteers eating together with attendees to exercise attentiveness and instigate conversation
Staff/volunteers monitoring of food and drink brought by attendees and liaison with family/carers to resolve any issues affecting food safety, adequacy, or appropriateness
Guidance for attendees on suitable/healthy food to bring (or avoid bringing due to common allergies etc.)

What challenges might we need to think about?

Can take some organising if group numbers are large
May be an issue for some if they live alone or if they (or the person caring for them) is unable to shop for a packed lunch or prepare food for taking out
Attendees need to be organised and remember to bring own food
Appropriateness of what attendees bring in may need monitoring
Space needed to store packed lunches, and then eat them together