THE JEFFERSON HOTEL, RICHMOND, VIRGINIA—At this historic grande dame, Southern hospitality is a long-standing tradition, dating back to the hotel’s opening in 1895. Inside the Beaux Arts hotel, a lifesized Carrara marble statue of Thomas Jefferson stands in the lobby, flanked by faux marble columns, a Tiffany stained-glass skylight, and a grand staircase rumored to have inspired the staircase in Gone with the Wind. If the surroundings aren’t enough to make travelers feel they’ve arrived in the South, menus, particularly those for meetings, will bring Southern hospitality to attendees’ taste buds.

Rick Butts, who oversees catering, says morning meeting break menus at the Jefferson tend to be more substantial than a typical continental offering. “We’ve found that meeting planners are looking for more filling options at morning breaks, so our breaks are more like mini-breakfasts,” Butts says. “Plus, our clients want to give their meeting attendees a taste of the South while they’re here, and Southern cooking doesn’t leave you with an empty stomach.”

According to Butts, one of the most popular morning breaks is the Monticello, named after Thomas Jefferson’s plantation home. It includes soft breakfast rolls with hard-fried eggs and cheddar cheese, choice of pepper bacon or Virginia ham, lemon ricotta Madelines, and sliced fresh fruit. The All About Eggs Break allows guests to choose between fluffy scrambled eggs with a choice of three toppings (bacon bits, diced ham, shredded cheese, chives, diced tomato, or salsa) or the Jefferson Frittata (an egg casserole with diced Virginia ham, bacon, spinach, mushrooms, and asparagus). Another crowd favorite, the Virginian Break, is simple but hearty, offering Virginia ham biscuits, country sausage biscuits, and sliced fruit. “You’re not truly in the South until you’ve had biscuits for breakfast,” Butts adds.

Afternoon meetings at the Jefferson bring Southern comfort in the form of the Very Virginia Theme Break, featuring Virginia ham on sweet potato biscuits with poppy seed mustard, Shenandoah apples, Virginia peanuts, and Route 11 chips. The Tea Time Break is a tribute to the hotel’s renowned afternoon teas and features a host of confections, including key lime tartlets, chocolate ganache tarts, strawberry and mango tartlets, assorted cheesecakes (25 varieties), miniature Linzer tarts, and three-nut tarts. The break also features petite country ham biscuits and finger sandwiches such as tarragon chicken salad and cucumber, tomato, and arugula.

With these ample Southern spreads, whether you’re a Yankee or a Southerner attending a meeting at the Jefferson, it won’t be difficult to channel your inner Scarlett O’Hara: you’ll never go hungry again.

MAYFLOWER INN & SPA, WASHINGTON, CONNECTICUT—Its location, just a two-hour drive from Manhattan, as well as its Five-Star, Five-Diamond ratings, make this country house respite a preferred meeting spot for the upper echelon of New York executives. Christine Afiouni, director of sales, says that since stress in the corporate world has been compounded by the economic crisis, the inn’s Holistic Business Retreats have seen tremendous success. “Our retreats feature signature wellness programs and breakout sessions such as guided stretch breaks, mini-massages, healthy cooking demonstrations, chair yoga, and nutrition and stress management workshops,” Afiouni explains.

The stress management workshops, especially useful in today’s climate, have participants identifying their personality types, personal stressors, and/or eating habits. They are then given tools and strategies to minimize the causes and symptoms of stress and stress-related eating.

“To accompany these break activities, our spa chef, Jana Butler, works with the client to customize menus with foods that taste decadent but are actually light and healthy,” adds Afiouni. “We want the foods to be nutritious and comforting at the same time.”

Meetings are hosted at the inn’s separate meeting space, the Teahouse, which features a wraparound porch overlooking a stream, creating a serene setting for breaks. Menus accompanying the naturalist ambiance include items such as tofu spring rolls with julienned onions and red peppers, salmon on honey whole-wheat flatbread (with low-fat herb cream cheese, capers, and reduced balsamic vinegar), pear towers (alternating pear slices with fig jam and a blue cheese watercress salad topping), and spa tonics made with clover honey, ginger, cayenne pepper, water, and lemon. “The tonics are a great pick-me-up,” says Afiouni. “The honey and lemon are soothing, but the ginger and cayenne pepper give the drinks some zip.”

Sweet-but-sinless treats on the menus include spa muffins (whole-wheat muffins filled with blueberries, raw organic walnuts, and fresh orange zest or dried organic cranberries and sliced almonds), low-fat meringue cookies, fresh fruit smoothies, and house-made granola (with quinoa, oats, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, almonds, pecans, molasses, and dried fruits).

“Another favorite is our warm chocolate banana bread pudding with walnuts, served with a side of frozen vanilla yogurt,” says Afiouni. “It’s delicious, and believe it or not, only 240 calories.”

Whether meeting clients want to reduce their waistlines or simply escape the chaos of the city, Mayflower serves up healthy portions for the body and mind.

Ashley Brown Allen, based in Arlington, Virginia, is a professional freelance writer covering topics related to food and beverage, travel, and corporate event planning.