Ideas for Food Giveaways at a Conference

Locally sourced chocolates are one conference food giveaway idea.

Food giveaways can be a popular prize at any conference. If your conference is food-themed, stick with that theme, giving away items donated by sponsoring or attending vendors. If not, you are limited only by your imagination -- and some logistics -- as to what to give away. Be aware, for example, that many out-of-town attendees won't be able to refrigerate foods immediately and that bulky items may be difficult to take on a plane.

Locally Sourced Chocolates

They don't require refrigeration in a cool hotel room and they're compact enough to travel with, so chocolates from a company local to the city where the conference is held make an ideal gift idea. Most chocolate vendors have standard bars and milk and dark truffles; for the giveaway, however, find out if there's a special chocolate unique to that company, such as chili chocolates, rare tea truffles or animal shapes. Because good chocolate goes a long way, a small basket or ribbon-tied sample of bars is enough for smaller giveaways; a basket of chocolate would be an appropriate grand prize.

Regional Delicacies

If people are traveling from other regions to attend your conference, treat them to a taste of your region. Cajun spice rubs from Louisiana, smoked king salmon from Seattle or maple syrup from Vermont are food gifts that store well, travel easily and will remind your guests about the good times they had in your region. Contact local producers to learn more about which of their products would fit your conference giveaway needs.

Tea and Coffee

Since many hotel guest rooms are equipped with coffee and tea makers, give your conference guests the chance to enjoy an exceptional morning brew before a day of classes and seminars. Look for artisanal teas and coffees sourced from single origin or specially blended leaves and beans rather than supermarket varieties. Most independent cafes can tell you about where their teas and coffees come from and how they stand out from other products on the market. Look for shade-grown and fair-trade coffees and teas, as these indicate artisanal quality.

Salts and Spices

A selection of exotic sea salts and spices in tins, plastic gift bags or plastic bottles makes an attractive conference giveaway. Go beyond the typical with Hawaiian, Himalayan or black sea salts, and then add a rainbow mix of peppercorns in a second jar. Fill three to four more jars with theme spices. For an Indian theme, try whole cardamom pods, cumin seed, coriander seeds and fenugreek leaves. A Mexican theme might include ground chili pepper, cumin seed, oregano leaves and cinnamon sticks. If you don't have a local spice store, look for unusual spices through an online grocer.

References

• Country Living: Artisan Food and Drink

Resources

• Foodzie
• Penzeys Spices
• Foods Across America