How to score big with the Women’s Euros

Can the Lionesses be victorious once more? Get ready for the big games with our new snack, ice cream and drink ideas

The Women’s Euros typically attracts more families than the men’s game. So, with that in mind, shoot for success with a hat-trick of potato sharers, kid-friendly finger food and crowd-pleasing dips. To maximise customer spend, put on a special ice cream menu for the tournament and match the competing countries to drinks.

Bend it like Beckham

Channel perhaps the most iconic women’s football film and bend the rules by creating snacks with a twist. Add bold flavours to your staple sausage roll like an English mustard glaze, spread chutney onto the pastry or mix harissa into your pork. Make nachos and tacos for the whole family with vegan alternatives using clever plant meats and dairy. For the little ones, try ciabatta pizza bites such as tuna and sweetcorn. Max taste and more choice will help you stand out when the fans pick their prime spot to watch the games.

Click here to get recipes for mustard sausage rolls, vegan tacos and tuna ciabatta pizza.

Pass the potatoes

Everyone loves a starchy snack when watching the game. And there’s nothing more versatile than the humble potato. It’s low-cost and comforting, and bulks out meals. Start with a batch of crispy tater tots. Then turn them into a plate customers can’t resist by adding toppings like sliced hot dogs, streaky bacon and spring onions. Did you know you could shortcut to savoury churros using instant mash? Serve with one of the dips below and you’re onto a winner. To bump up the nutrition, try sweet potato wedges piled high with protein-rich beans, avocados with their healthy fats and veg garnishes.

Click here to get recipes for loaded sweet potato wedges, tater tots and savoury churros.

A dipping finish

Premade or make-your-own. Either way, dips take dishes from simple to sublime. Save time by drizzling Frank’s Red Hot Spicy Mayo over sides that need spice. Cater for plant-based with a ‘creamy’ chive dip and serve with a healthy kids’ crudités platter of veg sticks (or Doritos for dunking). Don’t want to whip up your own concoction? Zhuzh up basic hummus with crispy onions, paprika and chunky chickpeas.

Click here to get recipes for spicy hummus, creamy chive and cheeseburger dips.

Don't miss out in cost sector

Celebrating the Euros isn’t just for On Trade. In school dinner halls, get in the spirit with football bunting and the Euros’ country flags. You could tailor your menus for the England and Welsh matchdays with national specialities – bangers and mash or Welsh rarebit, anyone? In care homes, make sure you put the big games on in communal areas and encourage residents to try some themed dishes from the competing countries – paella, mini Dutch pancakes (poffertjes) and French onion soup would all be delicious.

Fixtures

05 July 5pm: Wales vs Netherlands

05 July 8pm: France vs England

09 July 5pm: England vs Netherlands

09 July 8pm: France vs Wales

13 July 8pm: England vs Wales

Eyes on ice cream

More and more dessert-themed cafés are popping up, serving a variety of ice cream flavours, waffles and milkshakes. These opportunities are not just for special venues, though – a big event such as the Women’s Euros is perfect for showcasing what you can do to compete in this space. Behind cheesecake, ice cream is the second favourite dessert in the UK when eating out. And the appetite is there to upgrade from a simple scoop – 30% of people would pay more for something they can’t create at home and 29% are happy to fork out extra for something that looks amazing.

Mixing it up

When creating your menu, you need a mix of classics and unusual. According to Nestlé Professional’s research, the top flavours in the UK are vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, mint choc chip and salted caramel, so these are definite must-haves. Chocolate bar-flavoured ice cream is also popular. And don’t forget to have a vegan option – Flora Professional’s Ice Cream Mix is amazing.

Make it your own

For the Euros, appeal to the family audience with a choose-your-own ice cream menu. Customers can select a couple of flavours, then make it their own with a selection of toppings. Research shows that 89% of people like to embellish their ice cream with sauces, sprinkles, nuts and similar. We love KitKat Sauce,^® Macphie o.t.t^® Belgian Chocolate Dessert Topping, and the Smarties^® and KitKat Mix Ins.^® Nestlé Professional’s Desserts Category Lead Danielle Griffiths says: “Toppings provide a great opportunity to delight consumers and charge a premium. It allows for personalisation without adding too much complexity in the kitchen.”

Sources: Nestlé Professional Branded Dessert Ingredients research, Ice Cream report, 1,007 consumers, February 2024; Human8 | Bespoke project for Nestlé Professional UK | n= 400 UK QSR dessert consumers | 25-31 July 2023

Go here for caramel and Irish cream liqueur ice cream recipe.

Top scoring drinks

Take your tastebuds on a European tour with these match-winning drinks

Carling

Football’s best mate. One in six pints of lager sold* are this crisp and casual British beer.

Wrexham Lager

Let customers cheer on Cymru with an easy-to-drink and lightly hoppy pint – from 1882.

Fruitage

A perfectly balanced fruit beer from the iconic sour’s brewery, Rodenbach. Fruitage offers pure refreshment with a cherry kick.

Licor 43

A smooth, golden liqueur.
It’s amazing with coffee so shake into an espresso martini, or use in a cava sangria.

St Germain Elderflower Liqueur

Try this liqueur, full of hand-picked flowers, in a prosecco spritz, modern mojito or jazzed-up G&T.

Rekorderlig Strawberry and Lime

Fruity fusion cider that signals summer here. Make sure
you serve it ice-cold.

For customers who prefer a non-alcoholic drink, Madrí Excepcional 0.0% is the new beer on the block that’s bound to catch customers’ eyes with its bold look.

For the families and kids, get stocked up on the classics such as Coca-Cola and Tango. And try the new Innocent Kids Juicy Water which contains one of their five-a-day.