What to buy for a course day
A course day needs more than printed materials and a projector. Plan supplies for registration, teaching, breaks, lunch and the room itself, including name badge holders, clipboards, pens and serving equipment. Food and drinks are easy to underestimate when the programme runs all day, especially if coffee and tea are available throughout. Check the venue’s furniture, kitchen equipment and presentation setup before you shop so you only buy or bring what is missing.
What to bring
Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.
Furniture
- Tablesqty 8
- Chairsqty 36
- Reception desk
- Presentation table
- Coat racksqty 2
Equipment
- Laptop
- Projector
- Projection screen
- HDMI cableqty 2
- Extension cordsqty 3
- Power stripsqty 3
- Portable speaker
- Microphone
Catering
- Coffee machinesqty 2
- Kettlesqty 2
- Thermos flasksqty 4
- Coolersqty 3
- Groceries
- Coffee - 1.5 kilos
- Tea bags - 100 pieces
- Decaf coffee - 250 grams
- Sugar - 1 kilo
- Mints - 1 box
- Semi-skimmed milk - 6 liters
- Oat milk - 3 liters
- Lemons - 6 pieces
- Still water - 12 liters
- Sparkling water - 12 liter
- Cola - 6 liters
- Cola Zero - 6 liters
- Orange soda - 4 liters
- Apple juice - 4 liter
- Orange juice - 4 liters
- Butter - 500 grams
- Whole grain bread - 8 loaves
- White bread - 4 loaves
- Wholemeal rolls - 36 pieces
- Gluten-free rolls - 6 pieces
- Young cheese - 2 kilos
- Aged cheese - 1 kilo
- Ham - 1,5 kilo
- Chicken breast topping - 1 kilo
- Hummus - 1.5 kilos
- Cream cheese - 1 kilo
- Peanut butter - 1 jar
- Jam - 2 jars
- Mayonnaise - 1 bottle
- Mustard - 1 bottle
- Cucumbers - 8 pieces
- Tomatoes - 2 kilos
- Lettuce - 4 heads
- Bell peppers - 8 pieces
- Carrots - 2 kilo
- Cherry tomatoes - 1 kilo
- Apples - 40 pieces
- Bananas - 30 pieces
- Grapes - 2 kilos
- Yogurt - 4 kilos
- Muesli - 1 kilo
- Paprika chips - 6 bags
- Plain chips - 6 bags
- Mixed nuts - 1 kilo
- Cookies - 1.5 kilos
- Muesli bars - 40 pieces
- Gluten-free cookies - 2 packs
- Vegetarian sandwiches - 12 pieces
- Vegan sandwiches - 6 pieces
- Herb salt - 1 jar
- Paper napkins - 200 pieces
- Paper towels - 4 rolls
- Trash bags - 2 rolls
- Dish soap - 1 bottle
- All-purpose cleaner - 1 bottle
- Toilet paper - 12 rolls
- Hand soap - 2 dispensers
Tableware
- Coffee cupsqty 36
- Drinking glassesqty 36
- Platesqty 36
- Cutlery setsqty 36
- Serving spoonsqty 6
Kitchen
- Cutting boardsqty 3
- Kitchen and bread knivesqty 4
- Serving plattersqty 8
- Serving tongsqty 4
Decorations
- Name badge holdersqty 36
- Welcome sign
Office
- Registration clipboardsqty 2
- Pen holdersqty 6
- Flip chart
- Flipchart markersqty 12
- Course foldersqty 36
- Notepadsqty 36
- Ballpoint pensqty 40
- Participation certificatesqty 36
Cleaning
- Waste binsqty 4
- Broom and dustpan
- Mop and bucket
Tips
- Plan two to three drinks per person for the first hour, then about one drink per person for each additional hour. Include water, coffee and tea, and chill drinks before participants arrive.
- Allow one plate, one cup or glass and one cutlery set per participant, plus 10% extra. For a group of 30, that means preparing at least 33 of each reusable item.
- Buy or bring one pen and one set of printed course materials per participant, with 10% extra for late registrations or replacements. Keep spare pens in a pen holder at the reception desk.
- Check presentation connections at least one day before the course. Confirm that the laptop, projector, screen, HDMI cable, extension cords and power strips work together in the actual room.
- Prepare registration supplies before opening the reception desk: one clipboard per registration point, a welcome sign, name badge holders and a current participant list. Put dietary requirements next to the lunch plan, not in a separate folder.
Frequently asked questions
- What supplies do I need for a full-day course?
- Plan for registration, course materials, writing supplies, presentation equipment, drinks, lunch service and room setup. For each participant, allow one worksheet pack, one pen, one plate, one cup or glass and one cutlery set, plus 10% spare items.
- How many cups and glasses do I need for a course day?
- Prepare at least one coffee cup and one drinking glass per participant, plus 10% extra. For 30 participants, that is 33 cups and 33 glasses if you are not washing items during the day.
- How much coffee and tea should I buy for a course?
- Use the planned break schedule and allow roughly two to three drinks per person during the first hour, followed by one drink per person per hour. Add extra coffee and tea for teachers and supervisors, and keep hot drinks available during the main break.
- When should I check the equipment for a course day?
- Check the laptop, projector, screen, HDMI cable, speakers, microphone and power connections at least one day beforehand. Test them again during room setup, ideally 60 to 90 minutes before registration opens.
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