Quick Tip
Categories vs Menu Headers: Understanding the Difference
By Andrew Hemphill · 12 January 2026
Understanding the difference between categories and menu headers is key to creating well-organised quotes in Puree. While categories help you organise your items in your inventory, menu headers help you present those items to customers in a logical way.
The Key Difference
Categories
Categories are how you organise your items in your inventory. Think of them as your internal filing system. For example:
- Baking — Contains scones, sweets, and baked goods
- Hot Food — Contains main dishes and hot items
- Platters — Contains cheese platters, fruit platters, etc.
Menu Headers
Menu headers are how you present items to your customers on quotes. They group items by the meal or service they're for. For example:
- Morning Tea — Groups items being served at morning tea
- Lunch — Groups items being served at lunch
- Afternoon Tea — Groups items being served at afternoon tea
A Practical Example
Let's say you have a cheese scone in your inventory. It lives in the Baking category. But when you create a quote, you might use that same scone for different meals:
- One order might have it grouped under Morning Tea
- Another order might have it grouped under Afternoon Tea
- A third order might have it grouped under Lunch
The category stays the same (Baking), but the menu header changes based on when it's being served.
How to Use Menu Headers
When Creating a Quote
When adding items to a quote, you'll see a Menu Header dropdown for each item. Simply select the appropriate menu header for that item based on when it will be served.
When Editing an Existing Quote
You can update menu headers at any time by editing the quote. Each item row has a menu header dropdown where you can:
- Select from your pre-configured menu headers
- Create a new menu header inline (just for this order)
- Leave it blank to group by category instead
Setting Up Menu Headers
You can configure your standard menu headers in your settings. Once set up, they'll be available in the dropdown for all quotes, making it quick and easy to organise items consistently.
The Result
When you use menu headers, your quotes will be much more organised and easier for customers to understand. Instead of seeing items grouped by their category (Baking, Hot Food, etc.), customers will see items grouped by when they'll be served (Morning Tea, Lunch, Afternoon Tea).
This is especially useful for events with multiple delivery times or meal services, as it clearly shows what's being delivered when.
Tip: It's much quicker to assign menu headers when you're first creating the quote, rather than going back to edit them later. Make it part of your workflow as you add items.
If you have any questions about using categories or menu headers, please don't hesitate to reach out.