Holiday Entertaining = Planning
The holidays are coming, and they are coming fast. There will be more entertaining than usual, so it is time to get out some paper and sticky notes, and start your planning! The more you plan ahead and stay organized, the more relaxed you will be, and the more you can actually enjoy the events you work so hard to put together.
We love entertaining, but on top of normal, everyday responsibilities it can easily feel overwhelming. So, in between exercising our deep breathing techniques and reminding ourselves what is really important during these holidays, we make lots and lots of lists to have a solid plan. Use the ideas and tips below for keeping it all together so you can enjoy the process as well.
Happy Planning!
A Smart Menu
- Keep your menu simple. Cook things you know and love to cook. Consider purchasing the rest, or encouraging potluck! You’ve probably heard this before, but it is definitely more stressful to try out a new recipe on your guests. If you can’t try out the recipe ahead of time, consider using something tried and true, or at least a recipe you know a friend has tried out with success.
- Use menu inspiration. If you don’t have a menu in mind already, check out your favorite cookbooks or websites for entire menu ideas. Everything from Williams Sonoma to Real Simple will have terrific holiday menu suggestions. A lot of great cookbooks will also have menu sections in the index.
- Freeze what you can ahead of time. If there are dishes you can prepare and freeze, consider how you will need to reheat them. For example, if your oven is occupied cooking the main dish, like turkey, then figure out if you will have time to reheat other dishes while the turkey rests after cooking. Maybe you can eat the dish at room temperature, or even put it in a crockpot to keep warm.
Write Out Shopping and Supply Lists
- Keep all your lists in a notebook so everything is together. Here are the lists we like to have: a list laying out the menu, including any appetizers and beverages; a detailed grocery list, divided by store if you have to shop at multiple places; a list of what gets used out of the pantry to make sure there is enough; a list for all the cookware you will need for each recipe; and a list outlining what serving ware, along with utensils, you will need.
- Read the recipes carefully and begin to write a timeline, working backwards from your end time. For example, this list should include tasks you can get done ahead of time, an approximate idea of how long it will take to measure and chop ingredients, oven start times, when to put dishes into the oven, and the time it will take for any meats to rest after cooking. From Kimberly’s kitchen: Here is an example of a timeline I did for a holiday dinner a few years ago.
Ahead of Time
- Anything you can do ahead of time will help make the day of the event that much better — for you and everyone around you. For example, wash and prep as many ingredients as you can, set the table the night before, and get ingredients you will need out of your pantry to have them readily available.
- Use sticky notes! They can be used to plan out a seating chart, if necessary. You can also place a sticky note in each serving dish that will remind you what goes in there. This is especially useful if you enlist the help of guests to get the meal served. They’ll have the handy notes to know what goes where without having to ask.
Bonus Planning
- If you like to send friends and family home with leftovers, buy some containers ahead of time that they won’t need to worry about returning, like zip top bags or the foil trays with covers you can pick up at the grocery store.
- Get a notebook, or journal, to write down the details of the event, like the guests, the menu, and any fun details from the evening. You can look back on these to get inspiration for future events or holidays, or just to remember a fabulous evening with friends or family.
- Check out our Pinterest page on entertaining for more ideas!