Fall Farmers Market School Appreciation Lunch

Celebrate the season and all its beauty with a Fall Farmers Market Lunch. I’ve been loving the beauty of fall and the school year is in full swing. As part of the Hospitality Committee for our elementary school PTO, my co-chair and I planned a “pop-up lunch” for the staff.

As alway, a theme makes menu planning and party styling simple. Since autumn is the season of the harvest, we thought a Farmers Market Lunch that gathered fresh crops, the colors of fall, and pumpkin spiced treats would be festive and welcoming. Pumpkins and mums were ideal decorations. Produce baskets, egg cartons, and rustic elements completed the look. 

Simple and delicious food, like a salad bar, allowed the staff to customize their own lunch. Salad toppings were placed in mason jars, remininscent of the canning and preserving of fall’s bounty for the winter ahead. Small cups of quinoa could be added to the salad too, providing a little more sustenance to the light greens. My easy Autumn Acorn Squash Pasta Salad that is crowned with beautifully roasted acorn squash was a popular dish at the lunch. An interactive “Pick Your Own” veggie station complete with produce baskets and dips gave the staff a “fresh-off-the-farm” snack. 

And of course, no celebration would be complete without some sweets. Pumpkin spiced goodies, apple pies, chocolates and candy corn were tasty desserts. 

I think we may be on to something with these “pop-up lunches.” I wonder what we’ll do next…