When you hear the phrase “box lunches,” how does it make you feel?

You might feel nostalgic for the lunch mom packed you back in your elementary school days. Or, perhaps, you’ve had lackluster box lunches in the past and are a little turned off by the concept. At Catering By Michaels, we take every food item that leaves our facility very seriously – even if it’s not an elaborate action station or catering set up for VIPs at a big festival like Lollapalooza.

That’s why we think that no matter your past experiences, you’ll love our box lunches. Trust us, you’ve never seen anything quite like them before.

Here’s how we think “out of the box” to bring you the best in boxed lunches.

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Leading Caterers of America is an exclusive group of caterers, considered to be at the highest level of service and knowledge in North America. Catersource magazine, a catering industry professional’s leading B2B publication, is in charge of the selection process to become a part of this group. Besides being a leader in their respective market, a member of the Leading Caterers of America must also be a trendsetter. They contribute, in some way, useful knowledge gained by following industry best practices and pioneering new trends to the rest of the catering industry.  Catering by Michaels is honored to be a member of the Leading Caterers of America.

Here’s exactly what it means to be a member of this truly prestigious group.

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We’re sad to see it go, but the summer is almost over. Now, it’s time for beautiful fall which will shortly lead to what’s sure to be another cold winter in Chicago. But we’re not letting inevitability get us down! Instead, we choose to focus on the fun side of fall and winter — holiday parties. But we get a lot of customers who come to us hoping to really spice things up. The fact is, most holiday parties suck. But yours doesn’t have to. Be the office hero, and give this list to your boss or whoever’s in charge of your holiday work party.

Here are 5 holiday work party ideas that don’t suck.

White Elephant Gift Exchange

The best part about white elephant gift exchanges are that nobody knows what to expect. Instead of picking something out for a specific person (who you may not know well enough to adequately gift), everyone who wants to participate brings something fun. It’s easy for anyone to participate – the budget is set at a low monetary amount across the board (usually $10-20). Brit.co put together a massive list of white elephant ideas if you’re running low and need inspiration.

Costume or Fancy Theme Party

If you work in a casual environment, it can be nice to dress up. One of our favorite tips on the holiday work party ideas that don’t suck list is encouraging people to dress up nice. Or wear costumes! Either way, it gives everyone the chance to see their coworkers in a new light. Bonus points if you get a photobooth – those pictures will get shared all over social media and hold a special place on people’s desks.

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Did you know that Catering by Michaels handles a wide scope of events for many prestigious schools in the Chicago area? Some of these schools include Northwestern, Columbia, Roosevelt, University of Chicago, and also K-12 schools like Niles West and Glenbrook North.

Our catering services include full service and delivery for homecoming, reunions, departmental meetings, and more.

We chatted with Shannon Sherwood and Meredyth Brook, who both work with our educational partners at Catering by Michaels, to get their insights on catering for Chicago area schools.

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Chicago and it’s neighboring areas provide many exciting opportunities for companies looking for different ways to bring employees together – specifically, team outings. While the standard go-to may point to a White Sox outing or group day at Six Flags Great America, we challenge you to consider something a little more low key. Catering By Michaels is helping Chicagoland companies bring employees together with corporate picnics.

Here’s why corporate picnics are so much better than the aforementioned alternatives.

Food brings people together

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