Easy Holiday Event Planning

As Thanksgiving passes, we find ourselves moving into the next stage of holiday parties. Everyone is having one and we usually always find ourselves having to plan one.

So why not make your holiday party planning stress-free by properly preparing yourself with our simple and practical tips.

Making a List (And Checking It Twice)

Party planning is all about lists galore. From guests lists to shopping lists, writing everything down is imperative to prevent accidents and mishaps.

If you haven’t already, send out your guests lists now so you know how many party-goers to plan for…Once you have your RSVP’s written down, now is the time to estimate how much food you’ll need.

First, create an efficient, but tasty, menu. If you have a small group, it is far easier to create a complex menu. But as the guest list grows, you’ll find that some recipes take way too much time to have to double or even quadruple your recipe. So if you’re planning for a large crowd, stick with simplicity by minimize variety but maximizing taste.

Appetizers like our Potstickers or Tuna Tartare Stacks are time consuming but are perfect for smaller crowds and elegant dinner parties. Whereas our Truffle Popcorn and Spicy Edamame recipes are signature dishes that are both easy to make and sure to knock the socks off of all your guests.

Once you’ve established your menu and how much you’ll need, it’s time to create the shopping list. Double check what you already have so you’re not having to break the bank by going over budget. This is also a good time to make sure that you actually have enough of an ingredient -you never want to have to make another trip to the hectic aisles of your local grocery store during the holiday season, especially if you can avoid it!

*One thing I’ve noticed is that some people are still sticking with those pesky paper lists. Stop wasting paper by utilizing the notepad and checklists apps in your phone! Most phones offer voice command now so you don’t even have to take the extra time to jot it all down! Such a time saver…trust me.

One of my most important and most referenced tools is my schedule. I will create a schedule for what I need to do and when…Whether it’s for errands or for cooking, I can see a organized layout of my week to come.

Planning Ahead

Some recipes, or portions of recipes, can be made in advance. Double check the recipe and prepare whatever you can ahead of time. Whether it’s a week or the day before, anything you don’t have to do the day of will really cut back the stress.

Reduce your cook/preparation time by getting your prep-work done in advance: chop vegetables, de-stem herbs, make pie-dough, create homemade sauces etc…

*Add these make-ahead recipes to your schedule or create a cooking schedule to keep track.