The holiday is nearly here and you've decided to host the gathering at your place this year. If you're new at this, you'll find out that if you don't plan ahead, you'll end up like many have, scrambling just hours before the meal, frazzled. And your kitchen will look like it too. That's when you might also find yourself wondering just how your grandmother or aunt was able to do it and make it look simple. Don't worry, you can do it too with a few simple planning tips no host or hostess could do without.
That's right, surviving your holiday dinner has everything to do with planning. And you'll not just be planning the cooking, but the hosting as well. You'll want to consider where you're guests will be sitting. Go ahead and take a check of your dinnerware supplies including glasses, silverware, and serving sets. Once you have a handle on your serveware, you also want to take into account who the guest will be. Will it be your picky aunt and cousins who analyze everything or will it be a more casual gathering with a few friends.
Then you can start mulling over the menu. Will you need to make someone's sentimental favorite, like a homemade apple pie? Is your friend yearning for her favorite green bean casserole? You can't be all things to all people, so don't pressure yourself to cook everything to please everybody. And hopefully you've kept the guest list a manageable size too.
If this is your first holiday hosting, you might not want to take on too many dishes at once, so take a good look at your list and think about editing it down to something comfortably manageable. While you'll surely want to take into account some of the sentimental favorites, and maybe a new favorite of your own, plan on keeping it rather simple. You'd be surprised at how people will still enjoy a scaled down dinner. Concentrate on the quality rather than the quantity of the dishes. Gather your recipes and prepare your shopping list. Take one last review of your kitchenware to make sure you have all of the tools you need.
Now that your kitchen is in order, let's move onto the food list. Make a list of the items you'll need for all of the dishes and double-check it so you can avoid running out to the store on the holiday for last minute items. If the meal is based on a ham, turkey, or roast as a main dish, be sure that you've got it or ordered it a couple of days ahead of time. You can then move forward to buying the rest of your needs for your drinks and sides, holding off until the day or two before for the most perishable foods.
Another good idea is to tackle the big housecleaning a week ahead of time, including a good thorough cleaning and shining of the kitchen. If you're at all tight on space, try to eat the items you have in stock rather than buying too many groceries unrelated to the holiday. You'll be glad you did, as it will give you more room in your cabinets and fridge. The day before the holiday, it's also a good idea to lay out your supplies and tools in easy reach of your cooking area so you can get the morning off to the right start.
Now the best way to ensure a stress free day is to get out your recipes the night before and review them so you can schedule the prep and cook times. Try and prepare any dishes you can the night before if possible. These simple steps in advance will really pay off and make your whole day go much smoother. Put your list in a convenient spot and check of the tasks as you go. Take a deep breath, and try to remember to enjoy the day!
That's right, surviving your holiday dinner has everything to do with planning. And you'll not just be planning the cooking, but the hosting as well. You'll want to consider where you're guests will be sitting. Go ahead and take a check of your dinnerware supplies including glasses, silverware, and serving sets. Once you have a handle on your serveware, you also want to take into account who the guest will be. Will it be your picky aunt and cousins who analyze everything or will it be a more casual gathering with a few friends.
Then you can start mulling over the menu. Will you need to make someone's sentimental favorite, like a homemade apple pie? Is your friend yearning for her favorite green bean casserole? You can't be all things to all people, so don't pressure yourself to cook everything to please everybody. And hopefully you've kept the guest list a manageable size too.
If this is your first holiday hosting, you might not want to take on too many dishes at once, so take a good look at your list and think about editing it down to something comfortably manageable. While you'll surely want to take into account some of the sentimental favorites, and maybe a new favorite of your own, plan on keeping it rather simple. You'd be surprised at how people will still enjoy a scaled down dinner. Concentrate on the quality rather than the quantity of the dishes. Gather your recipes and prepare your shopping list. Take one last review of your kitchenware to make sure you have all of the tools you need.
Now that your kitchen is in order, let's move onto the food list. Make a list of the items you'll need for all of the dishes and double-check it so you can avoid running out to the store on the holiday for last minute items. If the meal is based on a ham, turkey, or roast as a main dish, be sure that you've got it or ordered it a couple of days ahead of time. You can then move forward to buying the rest of your needs for your drinks and sides, holding off until the day or two before for the most perishable foods.
Another good idea is to tackle the big housecleaning a week ahead of time, including a good thorough cleaning and shining of the kitchen. If you're at all tight on space, try to eat the items you have in stock rather than buying too many groceries unrelated to the holiday. You'll be glad you did, as it will give you more room in your cabinets and fridge. The day before the holiday, it's also a good idea to lay out your supplies and tools in easy reach of your cooking area so you can get the morning off to the right start.
Now the best way to ensure a stress free day is to get out your recipes the night before and review them so you can schedule the prep and cook times. Try and prepare any dishes you can the night before if possible. These simple steps in advance will really pay off and make your whole day go much smoother. Put your list in a convenient spot and check of the tasks as you go. Take a deep breath, and try to remember to enjoy the day!
About the Author:
You can prepare your holiday meals in a lot less time by having qualitykitchenware in your home. Need more storage containers? Check out these great Glasslock containers from Kinetic for glass food storage containers to store your holiday leftovers in.
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