August 22, 2024
What’s better than having a family get-together? Family parties create lasting memories through shared meals, camaraderie, and dedicated time to reestablish bonds. While sharing and cooking meals together is a joyous time, planning for the party can seem a little chaotic.
If you are looking to maximize family time and minimize planning and cooking time, you are in luck! We share tips from professionals on how to make your dinner party easy-peasy.
Step-by-Step Tips for Planning a Dinner Party, Get-Together, or Reunion
Hosting a stress-free family event is easy when you follow a few simple steps to keep you organized.
Create a Menu
Take notes from professional caterers and chefs and plan your menu ahead of time. When deciding on your menu, think about what themes or holidays you are celebrating. For example, if you are hosting a Father’s Day or 4th of July party or planning a family camping trip, maybe you should focus on a BBQ vibe. Maybe some brunch items or a lighter menu might be in order for Mother's Day or Easter. For the holidays, think of seasonal, traditional flavors.
No matter what your menu encompasses, you’ll want to write out all the offerings in a document and then itemize all your ingredients for each dish. Ditch the hassle of in-store shopping and opt for online grocery shopping with delivery! You'll not only save time and money but also avoid the chaos of crowded stores.
Mise en Place Like the Experts
Mise en place is a term culinary professionals use to describe having all their menu ingredients prepped, portioned, and ready for cooking. If you are planning an epic family gathering or reunion, organize your ingredients. Chop, dice, or marinate anything you can ahead of time. Then, when it’s time to get cooking, you have all the time-consuming work done and can spend more time with your loved ones.
Play with Temperatures
Offering a mix of hot and cold dishes provides a dynamic culinary experience for your guests. When menu planning, incorporate a variety of temperatures to delight your family and streamline your preparation process. Plan ahead by preparing cold dishes early, freeing up valuable counter space. Also, alternate hot and cold dishes to optimize your oven's capacity and prevent overcrowding, making your cooking process more efficient and stress-free!
Consider offering a hot appetizer for the first course, then slide into salads and chilled sides like pasta or potato salad. Then feel free to fire up the grill or oven for entrees and get cooking!
Keep Food Warm
Most home chefs don’t have warming towers, but there are plenty of ways to hold hot food and prevent it from cooling down.
- Turn your oven to 200 degrees and keep food staged there until it’s time to serve.
- Utilize your warming drawer.
- Purchase a disposable chafer set and light sterno flames to keep the food hot all party long.
Go Buffet
Offer buffet-style food service to keep it simple and let your family load their plates. It’s easier for you, and everyone can make their perfect plate and go back for leftovers.
Pro Tip: Use equal-sized disposable catering trays with lids for all of your food items to rotate items in-and-out easily and for optimal stackability when storing in the refrigerator or cooler.
Keep the Kiddos Entertained
After serving food, consider creating an arts and activity corner to entertain the little ones while the adults hang out. Coloring books, lawn games, lego stations, and cookie decorating are all great ideas for kid-friendly activities.
Planning Your Family Meals is Easy At US Foods CHEF’STORE
Make getting all your party supplies effortless when you shop at US Foods CHEF’STORE. From choice meats and seafood to fresh produce, beverages, party equipment, and more, you’ll find it all at CHEF’STORE.
Browse our selection of budget-friendly products at one of our locations near you, or get all your items delivered straight to your home.