Embracing seasonal produce and flavours is one way to freshen up your menus, but also considering what key food and drink industry events are happening in the foodie world can provide some inspiration for your menus and you can do this in different scales.
Go big and put on an event, or it could be a simple small nod to the occasion such as adding event inspired dishes to your menu or highlighting what you already have on your menus that tie in with these events. Below are just some of the events happening throughout September, October and November that you might want to consider when planning your menus.
Halloween – 31st October
There are plenty of ways you could add a little Halloween onto your menus using just one ingredient. The iconic pumpkin. And I promise I’m not going to suggest making a pumpkin soup. We have so many great options for you covering hot drinks, starters, mains and desserts.
For a starter you could add a pumpkin ravioli (12048); for mains, our KK Fine Foods mushroom, brie and cranberry wellington (81016) which is topped with pumpkin seeds; and for dessert why not try our pumpkin spice latte cake (15424). And last but not least the new pumpkin spice flavour coffee syrup (16022) would be a great addition to your coffee menus and will be popular throughout autumn and winter.
Bonfire night – 5th November
Ok, so I‘m not suggesting to light a bonfire in your outdoor space and put on a fireworks display, but Bonfire night could be a great opportunity to add some bonfire night inspired dishes to your menus such as burgers, hot dogs and loaded fries.
We challenged Chef Martin to create some bonfire night loaded dishes that could work as on the go options but also will be winners on sit down menus.
Try our loaded corn dog, nachos and fries recipes here alongside all of our other seasonal recipes.
National vegetarian week – 1st-7th October
National vegetarian week aims to promote and highlight the benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle and we think this is a great time to review your existing vegetarian options on your menu and give them a re-fresh and maybe add some additional dishes.
A really autumnal option could be our butternut squash and halloumi tray bake or if you looking for easy to cook and serve options we have plenty for you to choose from in our range like our cauliflower cheese tart (19530), or wild mushroom and caramelised onion tart (41552).
For more vegetarian recipes, check out our previous blog: Our top 5 vibrant veggie recipes.
National curry week – 9th-15th October
Established in 1998 to promote the cuisine and culture of curry in the UK, this annual event is now a staple in the foodie calendar – and let’s be honest, who doesn’t like a curry? Celebrate national curry week with a curry night or by adding a curry dish or two to your menus. Our new Bang! curry spice mixes make it easy for you to create your own, or if you want ready-made solutions we have so many options covering all the popular flavours as well as vegetarian and vegan options too.
If you want to read more about why ready-made solutions might be the way forward for you, read our previous blog here: 5 reasons to purchase ready made meal solutions.
British food Fortnight – 20th September – 6th October
British Food Fortnight celebrates the diverse and delicious food produced in the UK and aims to promote and support local food producers, traditional recipes and regional specialities. It’s a great opportunity to appreciate the richness of British food heritage and the importance of supporting local food producers.
To find out even more food and drink industry events happening over the new few months or to explore our full seasonal autumn range click here: Autumn seasonal produce & events.
