Those $500 could very well be used for something more valuable. Our PTO is less than a year old. Our school is year round (begins in July). For the first time we also set up a "Welcome Back" breakfast reception to kick off the start of the new school year. Due to the summer season, we chose to buy in season tropical fruit. It cost just under $20 and filled up a very large tray for all teachers and staff memebers. On top of that we set up a table with brown kraft paper bags (small) that had 1 bottle of water, granola bar and several exclusive coupons from local restaurants (a percentage off each visit). Each bag had a personlized label "welcome back Ms. XXX". I created invitations on tropical flower stationary to tie in the theme and we used brightly colored butcher paper to cover the tables in the staff lounge. We set up the afternoon before the 1st day. I cut the fruit at night and another parent dropped it off early the next morning. You could save the $500 for Teacher Appreciation Day instead.
We get a lot of donations from local restaurants and even local banks who will pay for the food. We've had success with Applebees (lunch) and Chick-Fil-A (lunch) as well as QT (breakfast muffins), other places like Chili's etc have a teacher discount. The 2 banks have donated money for a meal or paid for a meal that we pick up. Aso try the local grocery store for muffin or donut donations.
On our back to school night (meet the teachers) we provide pizzas, chips, cookies, and drink. They can come in as they please during the time. Some teachers eat before or after. Then the first day we do something for them. Last year it was muffins this year it's timbits (the little donuts). Plus I'm going to do coffee and hot choc. Delivered to their rooms. With a little note saying "welcome back"
We try to do something different every year. I would think a home made lunch would be better then a box lunch any day. In May we do a teacher luncheon for them and all the items are home made and the teachers just rave about all the good food.
Good Luck to you!
I have been organizing these "meals" for a few years now & I know where you are coming from !!
Our teachers seem to enjoy our "homemade" lunches more than catered affairs. We try to do a different menu/theme with each event & they all comment on what fun they have. *We try to keep the theme secret*
Also, we do not use actual "homemade" items. Alot of times it is a matter of 2 or 3 moms going through the grocery store planning the event as if they were hosting it in their homes. Who better to budget?
If we do need to make anything, we do so in the school kitchen.
We have never had a complaint- Just be sure to make sure there are enough vegetarian dishes/sides. We have several & have never had trouble with that either !!
I'm with you PTAmomma, the catering thing can be quite expensive. Having coordinated several lunches and breakfasts for teachers, I can tell you that parents love to donate items for these events. If you don't want homemade, then just state that the items need to be "store bought". We do homemade, but that's a matter of preference for people. Even if you stick with the same menu as the catered events, you can do it cheaper on your own. You may be able to find local businesses to donate items too. For example a local grocery store put together fabulous deli meat trays for one of our luncheons and charged us nothing!
It does take effort to pull it off, but I know our teachers loved the events and loved that parents took the time to make delicious things for them to enjoy.
We always do breakfast for our teachers and staff on their first day back. In fact, I spent most of yesterday shopping and cooking! We just do fruit, muffins and a couple of breakfast casseroles. They all love and appreciate it.
The actually don't want lunch, they want to be able to go out and visit and have lunch off campus for the first week, since that is such a treat for them.
