What you need for a Green Ideas Evening

A Green Ideas Evening usually combines short presentations, group work and informal conversation, so your shopping list needs to cover both the programme and the welcome table. Plan reusable cups, plates and cutlery, hot drinks, chilled drinks and easy-to-serve snacks. You will also need materials for registration, name badges and worksheets, plus reliable presentation equipment. Check what the venue already provides before buying furniture, cables or kitchen equipment.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Tablesqty 10
Chairsqty 70
Coat racksqty 2
Buffet tablesqty 3
Stoolsqty 12

Tableware

Reusable cupsqty 80
Reusable platesqty 80
Reusable cutleryqty 80
Coffee cupsqty 70
Tea glassesqty 70
Pouring jugsqty 8
Serving plattersqty 12

Kitchen

Hot water urnqty 2
Coffee makerqty 2
Coolersqty 4
Cutting boardsqty 4
Chef's knivesqty 4
Serving spoonsqty 8

Equipment

Projector
Projection screen
Portable speaker
Wireless microphone
Extension cordsqty 4
Power stripsqty 4
HDMI cablesqty 2

Lighting

LED lightsqty 6

Decorations

Houseplantsqty 8
Reusable buntingqty 4
Tableclothsqty 10
Name card holdersqty 10

Office

Flip chartsqty 6
Markersqty 24
Sticky notesqty 20
Ballpoint pensqty 40
Name badgesqty 80
Voting stickersqty 400
Rolls of tapeqty 4
Scissorsqty 4

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 6
Bucketsqty 3
Mopsqty 3
Broom and dustpanqty 2
Reusable cleaning clothsqty 12

Catering

Groceries
- Coffee beans - 2 kilograms
- Black tea - 4 boxes
- Herbal tea - 3 boxes
- Cane sugar - 2 kilograms
- Semi-skimmed milk - 8 liters
- Oat milk - 6 liters
- Lemons - 12 pieces
- Still mineral water - 36 bottles
- Sparkling mineral water - 24 bottles
- Apple juice - 8 liters
- Organic apples - 8 kilograms
- Bananas - 5 kilograms
- Grapes - 4 kilograms
- Carrots - 5 kilograms
- Cucumbers - 8 pieces
- Cherry tomatoes - 4 kilograms
- Peppers - 3 kilograms
- Hummus - 3 kilograms
- Cream cheese - 2 kilograms
- Peanut butter - 1 kilogram
- Strawberry jam - 1 kilogram
- Whole wheat bread - 10 loaves
- Wholegrain crackers - 8 packs
- Paprika chips - 8 bags
- Plain chips - 8 bags
- Unsalted nuts - 3 kilogram
- Olives - 2 kilograms
- Dried apricots - 2 kilograms
- Vegetable soup - 12 liters
- Lentil soup kit - 6 liters
- Onions - 3 kilograms
- Garlic - 4 bulbs
- Vegetable stock - 2 boxes
- Olive oil - 2 bottles
- Balsamic vinegar - 1 bottle
- Salt - 1 pack
- Black pepper - 1 jar
- Paprika powder - 1 jar
- Cinnamon - 1 jar
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Mayonnaise - 2 jars
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Residual waste bags - 2 rolls
- Compostable waste bags - 2 rolls
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Hand soap - 4 bottles
- Sponges - 12 pieces

Tips

Plan drinks by time: allow two to three drinks per person for the first hour, then one drink per person for each additional hour. Include water as well as coffee, tea and chilled options.
Use reusable tableware for the reception and catering tables, with at least one cup, plate and set of cutlery per guest if washing up during the evening is not possible. Add a 10% buffer for replacements.
Check the presentation setup at least 48 hours before the event. Test the projector, screen, HDMI cables, wireless microphone, portable speaker, extension cords and power strips together, not separately.
Prepare name badges, name card holders and worksheets before opening the venue. Printing these on the day leaves little time to fix registration changes or missing dietary information.
Buy or collect snacks no later than the day before, then chill drinks several hours before guests arrive. Keep serving platters, pouring jugs, serving spoons, cutting boards and chef’s knives together at the catering table.

Frequently asked questions

What drinks do I need for a Green Ideas Evening?: Allow two to three drinks per person for the first hour and one drink per person for every hour after that. Provide water, chilled drinks, coffee and tea, and prepare extra hot water if the programme includes a break.
How many reusable cups, plates and cutlery do I need?: Use one cup, one plate and one set of cutlery per guest as a minimum. Add around 10% extra, so a group of 40 needs about 44 of each item if there is no washing-up during the event.
When should I test the presentation equipment?: Test the projector, screen, HDMI cables, microphone and speaker at least 48 hours beforehand. Do a second check when the venue opens, including extension cords, power strips and the position of the presentation table.
When should I buy snacks and chill the drinks?: Buy snacks by the day before the evening so you can check quantities and dietary requirements. Chill drinks at least four hours before guests arrive, using coolers if the venue has limited refrigerator space.

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