10 Virtual Lunch Ideas for Your Team

It’s no secret many employees prefer to work from home. In fact, according to a study by Stanford University, working from home has also helped increase productivity by 13%. But how do you show your team you care and their hard work doesn’t go unnoticed when you don’t see them in person? 

Meet the work-from-home alternative to pizza parties in the break room or a meal credit. Virtual lunches can be an easy and interactive way to show your appreciation and get your team to make thoughtful connections with their colleagues.

When planned correctly, virtual lunches can be an exciting team-building exercise that gives your team the recognition they deserve for all their hard work.

What is a virtual lunch?

A virtual lunch can be a hands-on cooking experience or a fresh lunch delivered to your team members’ doors. It can be a Friday happy hour or a touch-base on Wednesday afternoon. Maybe you reserve a time on everyone’s calendar once a quarter to meet new members of the team and catch up. Virtual lunches are an easy way to help drive a connection between your employees, increase morale, and help them feel appreciated during hectic workweeks. Most importantly, a virtual lunch is a time for your team to sit down and virtually meet face to face. Because let’s face it, working from home can be lonely and it's nice to know you aren’t alone.

How to host a successful virtual lunch?

To host the perfect virtual lunch, all you need to know is what your team likes, the date and time on the calendar that works for everyone, and an easy solution to invite, plan, and organize. It may seem like there are a lot of moving parts that go into hosting the perfect virtual lunch for your team, but it doesn’t have to be challenging.

We make it easy to find fun virtual lunch ideas that work with your budget and handle all the preparations to help make your virtual lunch successful. Our selection of cooking classes provides an interactive and high-quality experience for your team that is completely structured, organized, and ready to go.

Whether you're planning a new employee mixer or an event for top performers, these virtual lunch ideas are sure to add a bit more excitement to the workweek.

Inspire Ease with Deep Breathing Baking

Take a deep breath, sit back, and get ready for some mindful baking. If you didn’t try baking bread during the pandemic, this is your time to give it a try with your whole team. This bread-baking experience is a great virtual lunch that can help your team let go of some of the stress of the workweek and find peace in baking bread with colleagues. This is an all-day experience that requires your team to take “deep breath dough breaks” to check on their bread throughout the day and remind them to slow down, take a breath, and relax. This class provides moments of reflection and relaxation, making it the perfect experience to show you care.

Learn to Twist Authentic Soft Filled Pretzels

It’s always fun to try new things, especially when it involves savory cheese dips, sweet creamy dips, and a dozen soft-filled pretzels. This virtual lunch provides your team with a unique experience that allows them to learn a new skill they probably would never have been able to conquer on their own. Your team members will then finish their workday with the delicious taste of perfect homemade pretzels. This is an experience that your whole team won’t stop talking about!

NY-Style Pizza

Who doesn’t love pizza? This New York–style pizza cooking class takes pizza party Fridays to the next level. Provide your team with a hands-on learning experience that is sure to give them a new love for pizza and a skill they can use in their kitchen someday. Your team will also learn all the hows and whys of New York–style pizza that will leave them craving more!

Learn How to Decorate Cupcakes

Celebrate your employees with a hands-on decorating experience! This experience is a relaxing, fun, and tasty way to put your team’s creativity to the test. Everyone who participates will receive six premade cupcakes and all of the tools they will need to decorate. During the virtual lunch, they will learn new tips and tricks that will help enhance their decorating skills for future baking. Take this virtual experience to the next level by having a contest for the best-decorated cupcakes!

Ravioli Workshop

Have you ever wanted to learn how to make homemade ravioli but didn’t know how to start or do it? This ravioli workshop will give you and your team a hands-on experience designed to make homemade pasta fun and easy for everyone. Not only will your team be happy with a belly full of ravioli, but they will also acquire a new skill they can use in the kitchen!

Boba Milk Tea and Popcorn Chicken

Get your team together to learn how to make boba milk tea and popcorn chicken — the perfect snack combo for that midweek snack break! No matter the occasion, this is a fun and unique way to allow your team to unwind and learn how to make a tasty boba milk tea of their choice. So everyone feels included, there are also vegetarian options they can choose from to pair with their boba tea.

Dark Chocolate Apple Crumble Class & Kit

Who wouldn’t love to learn how to make a decadent, dark chocolate apple crumble during work? Your team will receive all the ingredients needed to make and indulge in this satisfying dessert with their coworkers. The best part is they will even have some leftovers to share with their family and friends at home. This mouth-watering recipe is a delicious way to treat your team.

Polish Dumplings Cooking Class

Provide your team with the opportunity to learn how to make a savory Polish dish that will leave their mouths watering for more. Polish dumplings are easy to make and simply delicious. This cooking class is a hands-on experience designed to teach your team how to knead and roll dough, learn the best folding techniques, and leave with all the hacks and tricks to make the perfect Polish dumplings. Your team gets to choose what they want for the filling and have a meal to share with their whole family after.

Paint & Sip: Decorating Macarons

This paint-and-sip virtual class is a two-in-one experience. To start, your team will learn how to make two craft cocktails they can sip while they master the art of filling and painting macarons. This is a great happy hour activity that will let your team unwind, relax, and have fun. What could be a better way to celebrate all the hard work your team has done throughout the year?

Pasta Making

Gather your team for the perfect pasta-making virtual class they didn’t know they needed. There will be laughs, entertainment, and tons of fun! The interactive cooking lesson is hosted by a talented chef instructor who is ready to show your team the tricks and trade of making a delicious bowl of fresh fettuccine alfredo! This class comes with a comprehensive shopping list and well-designed recipe to help your team learn how to make fresh, beautiful pasta in the comfort of their home. You can always take this lesson to the next step by sending your team members a bottle of wine to pair with their homemade pasta dish.

A virtual lunch is an experience like no other, especially when it’s provided by an employer. It gives your team members an opportunity to enjoy themselves during the busy workweek and feel valued for everything they do. A virtual lunch doesn’t have to be hard to organize or pay off. There are ways to successfully executive a virtual lunch that is delicious and fun for your whole team.

We can help you find an exciting, high-quality experience that your employees would never purchase for themselves. With our selection of virtual lunches, you’ll be hosting more than just an event; you'll be providing a memorable experience they will cherish for years to come.

Check out our full list of virtual lunch ideas for your team.

Originally published at Jan 21 2022, 2:26:00 PM. Updated on May 4 2024.