5 Tips to Throwing a Stress-Free Holiday Dinner
No matter how unreal it may seem, the festive holiday season is creeping up fast. And, if you’re the primary host or hostess in the family, odds are that you have already begun planning out the next gathering in your head. But, even the most experienced hosts can admit to feeling overwhelmed right before the holidays. After all, a lot of planning, shopping, and cooking goes into creating a successful party. So, this year, we’re happy to take some of the stress off your back with a few tips to throwing a holiday dinner.
1. Assign Dishes to Guests
After you’ve assigned an accurate headcount for the party, don’t be afraid to delegate portions of the menu to your guests. Simply assign each couple or family one or two dishes for each course including appetizers, main entrees, and dessert. Needless to say, with proper planning and advanced notice, you may not have to do much of the cooking at all. Even more, you’ll have additional opportunities to spend quality time with family and friends throughout the day.
2. Skip the Extravagant Decor
Whether you’re hosting a small or large gathering, stick to simple decorations and table decor. A colorful tablecloth that fits the holiday theme is a great place to start. A clean white tablecloth will always work as well. Then, dress up the dining room table, countertops, and serving area with a few decorations, such as candles, DIY pinecone placeholders, chocolate candies, greenery, and flowers. Keep in mind, not every party has to have the fanciest decor. There’s beauty in simplicity. In fact, the majority of your decorations can be found at your local dollar store or grocery store.
3. Create a Signature Cocktail
Show off your unique taste and style without sacrificing time and energy with a signature holiday cocktail creation. To demonstrate, mix up a pitcher of rum punch, cranberry margaritas, or sangria for the group. It should only take about 10 minutes and just a few ingredients. On the other hand, homemade Eggnog is notoriously time-consuming, so it may be easier to pick up a store-bought carton instead. Also, be sure to pick up a few varieties of white wine, red wine, and beer to ensure everyone has a beverage to their liking.
4. Stick to the Classics
When it comes to the holiday party cuisine, try and resist the urge to stray from the crowdpleasers or popular dishes. While it’s fun to experiment with new recipes and flavors, it’s also a risk! After all, unfamiliar dishes tend to add stress to the cooking process. Therefore, stick to those familiar, beloved dishes and save yourself the headache. Undoubtedly, your guests will be happy no matter what you choose to whip up.
5. Pick Up Tupperware for Leftovers
As we all know, it’s nearly impossible to avoid the heaping pile of leftovers that remain after a holiday dinner. Not to mention, the leftover food has a tendency to overwhelm and crowd your refrigerator. And, some of the food always seems to go uneaten. So, how do you avoid this all-too-familiar circumstance? Simply buy a fresh pack of Tupperware containers ahead of time. After dinner, hand them all out to the guests and have everyone dish out a plate to take home. Plus, you can also request that everyone take home the dishes that they brought along. Problem solved.
Call on Garry’s Holiday Catering
It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays, but you can always leave the cooking to Garry’s! We’re known for delicious catering options, excellent service, and beautiful food displays. Not to mention, we have proudly provided catering services for events all throughout the Severna Park area and beyond. Call us today at 410-544-0499 and start arranging a custom holiday catering menu.