Eating at a Meeting

Global Perspectives on Creating Safe, Inclusive, and Sustainable Dining

Eating at a Meeting explores how food and beverage impact our lives, focusing on safety, inclusivity, and sustainability. Host Tracy Stuckrath talks with global experts to share practical insights on creating dining experiences that are thoughtful and transformative. Ideal for meeting planners, caterers, and anyone interested in the intersection of food, culture, and community.

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Recent Episodes

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Zero Proof Choice Awards: What Makes an Alcohol-Free Drink Worth Serving
383
Oct. 5, 2026

Zero Proof Choice Awards: What Makes an Alcohol-Free Drink Worth Serving

Picture your opening reception. One guest is pregnant. Another is in recovery, another is training for a race, and another just doesn't want to drink tonight. What are you handing them? Too often it's still a soda, a bottle of water, or a sugary "mocktail" nobody planned, and nobody wants to drink (yuck!) That's why I'm so glad Derek Brown and Laura Silverman are joining me on this week's Eating at a Meeting Podcast LIVE. They just judged The Daily Pour's 2026 Zero Proof Choice Awards, blind-t
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Can Events Serve Food That Is Truly Good Clean and Fair?
382
Sept. 28, 2026

Can Events Serve Food That Is Truly Good Clean and Fair?

We ask a lot of the food at our events. We want it sustainable, inclusive, local, good for the planet and fair to the people who grew it — and then we hand the caterer a headcount and a budget and hope it all shows up on the plate. So what would it take to build an event where the experience itself actually lives out those values, instead of just claiming them on the website? One event has been answering that for almost 40 years — and every two years it shows the whole world how, at Terra Madr
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Food Safety at Events: How to Balance Prevention, Compliance and Guest Trust
382
Sept. 21, 2026

Food Safety at Events: How to Balance Prevention, Compliance and Guest Trust

Event food safety is more than keeping up with recalls—it's a daily, strategic practice tied to compliance, prevention, and guest trust. I sat down with Doug Davis, who spent 17 years leading food safety for Marriott globally, to break down what planners can (and should) be asking for, how recalls get managed behind the scenes, what laws affect allergens, and why transparency and standards really do move the needle for guest safety.
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Zero-Waste Game Days to Green Meetings: How to Cut Event Food Waste
380
Sept. 14, 2026

Zero-Waste Game Days to Green Meetings: How to Cut Event Food Waste

When was the last time your event menu was sized for how much people actually eat? Overproduction and mismatched expectations between planners and venues quietly create thousands of dollars in waste—and missed opportunities to wow guests. Discover why salad dressing is the secret weapon for immediate change, the real reason food waste isn’t just a “kitchen problem,” and what happens when you finally empower culinary teams with the right benchmarks. In advance of Stop Food Waste Day in April, Tr
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Sustainable Event Catering: How to Balance Food Waste, Flavor & Bottom Line
379
Sept. 7, 2026

Sustainable Event Catering: How to Balance Food Waste, Flavor & Bottom Line

Here's an event F&B stat that dumbfounds me: on average, 42% of the food we prepare for a buffet goes uneaten — and at one event, 72% of the special-dietary meals got thrown straight in the trash. Ever wonder how you can cut food waste without sacrificing flavor in sustainable event catering? On this episode, I dive in with Chef Nettie Frank, a kitchen pro who’s turned her passion for rescue-worthy produce into game-changing freeze-dried garnishes and snacks. Learn how these shelf-stable solutio
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Wine Sourcing: How to Balance Story, Sustainability and the Bottom Line
378
Aug. 31, 2026

Wine Sourcing: How to Balance Story, Sustainability and the Bottom Line

Searching for practical ideas on sustainable wine sourcing for events? In this episode, I unpack how to balance sourcing wines with a great story, a commitment to sustainability, and a mindful approach to budgets. With real examples from expert curators, you’ll discover how choosing the right bottles can elevate your attendee experience and support responsible producers.
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About the Host

Tracy Stuckrath Profile Photo
Tracy Stuckrath

Founder and Host

Dietary Needs Expert. Meetings Industry Changemaker. Certified Special Events Professional. Tracy Stuckrath works with organizations and meeting planners worldwide to create safe, sustainable, and inclusive F&B events that deliver experiences where everyone feels valued. Every guest matters. Every meal matters.

Founder of thrive! meetings & events, and the Eating at a Meeting podcast, Tracy has had a 30+year career as an event professional. After being diagnosed with a food allergy, she changed the trajectory of her career in 2009 to help clients establish best practices, mitigate risk, improve experiences, and increase profit with the food and beverage they serve.

She has co-authored two books, published over 100 articles, and is recognized as a meeting and event industry leader, including Top 25 Women in the Meetings Industry and a Top 500 Event Professionals in North America.