Brian and Mick's blog

Spring is in the air, and graduation season is upon us! As your graduate is busy finishing up the school year to prepare for their big day, it’s time for you to do some prep of your own: by planning their graduation party.

Here are 5 simple tips for hosting an unforgettable graduation party, and some of our favorite menu options! 

1. Keep it Simple with a Backyard Bash 

Stressed about choosing a venue? Consider hosting the graduation party in your own backyard for a simple, budget-friendly option! 

 Luckily, spring and summer months are ideal for outdoor events in New England, and you can always rent a tent if you’re concerned about the weather. This way, your party will be a hit – rain or shine!  

2. Create a Crowd-Pleasing Menu 

While you’re busy planning out the party details, take the weight off your shoulders by hiring a caterer to handle the food. Who wants to be busy prepping and reheating food in the kitchen on their child’s big day, anyway? 

B & M Catering specializes in Clambakes, Pig Roasts, and BBQs, which are particularly fitting for backyard bashes! Our New England Clambake, Backyard Barbecue, and Chicken & Pig menus are all surefire crowd pleasers for graduation parties. 

Looking to customize your menu further? We’ve got hundreds of delicious a la carte items as well to accommodate your needs and dietary preferences!  

3. Choose a Fun Theme 

Choosing a theme can be a great way to keep the party-planning organized and flowing! Once you land on a theme, you can have fun with your graduate picking out matching décor, games, and favors. Feel free to get as creative as you’d like with your graduation party theme, sending out matching party invites to prepare your guests for a good time! 

Stumped on a theme? You may want to consider a classic summertime favorite – a Hawaiian-style Luau – complete with colorful leis for guests, a Tiki Bar, Reggae music and our Hawaiian Luau menu (featuring pulled pork, teriyaki chicken with pineapple, a tropical fruit medley and Tahitian punch).   

4. Turn Up the Beats! 

Keep the party going strong with lively music! Have your graduate send over a list of their favorite bands and artists, so you can create a playlist that suits their personality. Depending on your budget, you may want to consider hiring a local band to play live music to really wow your guests!  

5. Be Sure to Have Party Games for Your Guests!

Game on! What’s a party without some good ol’ fashioned games? Corn hole, KanJam, bocce, croquet, and volleyball are some of our favorite outdoor party games for all ages. A little healthy competition never hurt anyone, after all! 

Here’s what people are saying about B & M Catering…

“It has been almost two weeks since your company catered a clambake for my son's graduation party and the compliments have not stopped coming our way.  The staff, Jim, Matt, and Chris were very organized professional and hardworking. Their unwavering efforts that met our guest every need were a perfect match for the delicious food that was served that afternoon.  My wife and I look forward to having your company serve us at a future event.”

-George K.

“I worked with this business from out of state to arrange a backyard BBQ graduation party.  In every respect, they were easy to work with, helpful, and friendly.  By the time I got to the house after graduation, food was set up and guests being served.  At the end of the party, leftovers were wrapped up and stored in the fridge, and everything was left clean.  No problem substituting a vegetarian option in one of their standard packages.  The food was simple, well prepared, and nicely presented.  A nice business may use them again for graduation number 2 next year.”

-Gena M. 

“We decided to cater our daughter's College Graduation party and had to find a caterer.  We found great reviews online for B&M and also heard from others that they used them with success.  We decided to give them a try and I'm so glad we did.  They were extremely helpful in selecting a menu and defining how much of what I would need.  We ordered from their a la carte menu and everything was delivered hot and on time.  The delivery driver was very professional, friendly and eager to help.  The food was exceptional and we received rave reviews from our guests.  Give them a shot, you won't regret it and when you do, make sure to order the Corn Bread, it's amazing! I give B&M an A+ all around!”

-Karen K.

“B & M Catering made our graduation party absolutely seamless! They were great in early planning, answering our many questions, working around our changing menu and needs. Once on site yesterday, their team was efficient, professional and fun to work with. The best part was the food!  Everything was delicious, and the cornbread was the best I have ever tasted.  Highly recommend!”

-Cara M. 

Congratulations to Brittany R. from Middletown, RI.

She is this month's lucky winner of the Facebook Fan-of-the-Month Beach Blanket!

Our days are longer.  The birds are singing. The forsythia and crocuses are blooming.

It's SPRING! 

And that can only mean that summer won't be far behind here in New England.

We know that Brittany will have plenty of opportunities to use her oversized "The Fresh Lobster" terry beach blanket for her summer fun! 

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We sure do appreciate our Facebook fans!

We randomly select a new Facebook fan each month to win our blanket.  

 us on Facebook

Congratulations to Elaine M.!

She is this month's lucky winner of our Free Clambake drawing. Elaine will be invited to pick up her Clambake-to-Travel at our kitchen in Pawtucket, RI. She can expect to bring home a traditional New England Clambake in its very own pot. 

We are quite certain that Elaine and her family or friends will enjoy digging into this DIY clambake dinner.

The take-home pot holds a full meal of lobster, steamers, mussels, chourico, corn on the cob, red bliss potatoes & onions. 

Every month we hold a "Win-A-Clambake" drawing.  Elaine's name was chosen this month from all the entries we received.

We think she will be quite pleased to find out how easy it is to prepare our clambakes to travel!

You might be really surprised to find out that it is super easy to prepare a Do-It-Yourself Clambake in your home, backyard, tailgate event, or at your campsite:

The first thing you do is add water to the pot we provide.

Then, you will place it on your stove top. 

 That's it!

In less than one hour, you and your guests can enjoy their own Traditional Old-Fashioned Clambake.

You could become next month's winner.  
Simply visit the "Win a Clambake" page to register.
Please, feel free to enter every month.  The more the merrier.    

Good Luck!

Hurray, you’ve been given the honor to coordinate your office meeting!

As you’re checking off all the boxes, first things first – have you nailed down a menu?

There’s nothing worse than being stuck in a meeting with no food, and frankly, donuts and coffee aren’t going to cut it this time.

Whether you’re organizing a “Lunch and Learn” or morning coffee hour, become everyone’s office BFF with these simple tips for catering at the workplace!  

1.  Confirm the RSVPs

There’s nothing worse than running out of food, or on the flipside ordering way too much and having it go to waste! Be sure to check in with your coworkers to confirm the headcount before placing your order.  

This will help you plan accordingly, and save some money depending on how many people you’re expecting! For instance, at B & M Catering, we offer reduced pricing for larger quantities of people. Alternatively, our Baby Buffets are a great choice for a smaller staff meeting of 12-15.  

2.  Be Mindful of Food Allergies & Dietary Restrictions 

Go the extra mile to ask your coworkers about food allergies and dietary restrictions! This will help you craft the perfect menu, and ensure there’s something for everyone – including your vegetarian boss and pregnant colleague. 

We’re happy to help answer any questions regarding food allergies, and come up with a custom menu that works best for your group!  

3.  Consider the Time of Day 

When planning your menu, you’ll want to consider the time of day! Spruce up your morning coffee hour with a surprise Breakfast Buffet like the “Hot Shot Breakfast” which includes favorites like scrambled eggs, bacon, home fries, fresh fruit, and of course coffee.  

If you’re planning a lunch meeting, our Box Lunch & Sandwich Menus are surefire crowd-pleasers. With four different menus to choose from, options range from classic sandwiches (like roast beef and tuna salad) to unique varieties (like the Caprese Wrap and Chicken Cordon Bleu). Accompaniments include fresh fruit, homemade cookies, coleslaw, salad, and chips. 

4.  Don’t Forget the Beverages (and Dessert)  

Don’t forget beverages…and no we’re not talking alcohol! Meetings can take a while, so make sure everyone stays hydrated. Our Box Lunch & Sandwich Menus all include soda or bottled water, and individually bottled juice – orange, cranberry or apple – is part of our Brunch ‘n’ Munch Buffet. Keep your coworkers caffeinated (and happy) with some hot coffee, and don’t forget dessert to win everyone over! Our homemade cookies should do the trick if we do say so ourselves. 

5.  Make Setup a Breeze

To make your life simpler, all of our buffet menus include sturdy disposable plates and utensils, a plastic covering for the buffet table, disposable serving utensils and condiments for an easy-breezy setup. After all, you work hard enough and don’t need yet another thing to add to your to-do list! 

Reach out to us today to request a quote and start planning your office meeting! 

Weddings are the “meat and potatoes” of our business (no pun intended), and that’s why we’re thrilled to have earned WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards® for 2019, making it the sixth year in a row! 

Each year, WeddingWire recognizes local wedding vendors – from caterers and venues to photographers and bands – who fit the bill of excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism.

The best part? The winners are determined by real-life reviews from local WeddingWire couples, like you!

If you’re a newly engaged couple planning your dream wedding, here are some FAQs to keep in mind as you nail down your caterer! 

Q. What type of cuisine do you specialize in?
A: We love working with our couples to design a menu that suits your unique taste and budget! We specialize in Clambakes, Pig Roasts & Luaus, Barbecues, and more. Other cuisines include Italian, Mexican, Seafood and Southwestern! 

Q. Does B&M offer bar services?
A: We offer a variety of bar services professionally trained bartenders with professionally trained bartenders ranging from open bars to cash bars and a BYOB package that allows you to supply exactly what you would like.

Q: Do you have any recommended venues?
A: Absolutely! Whether you’re planning an Oceanside affair or a rustic fall wedding, here are some local New England event venues we work with frequently. We are so grateful for the working relationships we have with our trusted friends! 

Q: Can you cut the cake for us at our wedding, and is there a fee?
A: We would be happy to cut your wedding cake and there is no fee!

Q: Do you have menu options for guests with dietary restrictions, like gluten free or vegetarian?
A: We can design the menu to accommodate your needs! For example, you may substitute any of our vegetarian entrees for the entree items on your menu, and we offer an extensive list of naturally gluten free menu items as well. 

What WeddingWire Couples Are Saying…

“I had B&M cater my wedding this past weekend. We are still getting raves from guests about it! Since our initial emails, tastings, final decision-making, and the big day, B&M were incredibly professional, patient, and just perfect. They happily answered all of my questions, no matter how silly. I even had many picky guests and dietary restrictions and they were so gracious and helpful to accommodate everyone. On the day of, they were so helpful (even with setting up things for the wedding that weren't their responsibility). They really showed just how much they care for their clients. They actively made sure my husband and I were eating and having a great time. They even brought our food to us so we wouldn't miss out. You have no idea how many times I've heard friends who said that they barely ate at their wedding. B&M made sure we were taken care of. Now, for the food. It was absolutely delicious. Everyone was overwhelmingly satisfied. Most of our guests would stop me just to tell me how great the food was, and it really was. The crew even packed up all the leftovers and personally spoke to me about what was there, where it was, etc. They were just really the best. I couldn't have asked for more. They went above and beyond.” 

-Jessica, WeddingWire Bride 

“B&M catered our daughters wedding recently and they were amazing! The food was as good for 130 people as it was for 4 people on the day of our tasting! Everyone was raving about how delicious it was. People in our family love to eat and several went up multiple times for more food. The staff was wonderful and very attentive. Everything was exactly as we had discussed right down to the last detail! I highly recommend this company for any function that you are having!”

-Pauline, Mother of the Bride 

“Amazing food cooked onsite, our guests raved about quantity and quality! Grilled veggies, grilled chicken BBQ steak tips and shrimp skewers with roasted potatoes. Fruit and veggies as appetizers, drink and coffee station. Staff was cheerful, efficient and even packed up the left overs for us to take home!”

-Pam, WeddingWire Bride