Hosting an event with a large crowd and preparing a meal for numerous individuals requires planning. Recruit your closest friends and family to give you help in the kitchen so that you don’t have to worry about every minor detail yourself. Don’t let this job intimidate you; planning a meal can be a breeze with these steps.
Buy Pre-Cut Vegetables & Fruit
Time is a sensitive subject with meal planning because if you don’t prepare early, you might not have enough food ready by the time the event starts. Buying pre-cut vegetables and fruit will save you time on the tedious task—instead, you can dump these ready-made ingredients right into the recipe.
Choose Recipes You Can Easily Double
Do not try to attempt a recipe that is difficult to prepare. Find meals that you can easily double as a way to make enough food for many people. Try making meals with minimal ingredients for less work, like tacos, pulled pork sandwiches, or pasta.
Make a Rough Estimate of Food Quantities
A major mistake you could be making is not taking a head count of the individuals attending this event. Without this, you may not prepare enough food, or you could have an abundance of leftovers. Allow yourself enough time by calculating food quantities a week or so in advance.
Try Foods That Are Not Temperature Sensitive
When you’re preparing a meal for an event with a large crowd, it can become tricky to keep foods within the correct temperature ranges if you’re not careful. Choose a few side dishes that don’t concern the item’s temperature too much. Pasta salads are great because most of them can be served warm or cold.
Save Space by Elevating Items at Various Heights
After you finish cooking the food, you now have the task of finding space on tables to house the items. A great way to save on counter or table space is to place these dishes at various heights. When you elevate small appetizers, you leave room underneath for other items and foods.
Take your time throughout the planning process to ensure you have enough food for a large crowd. You must be creative with your ideas and solutions when catering to a large number of people. Remember to recruit friends and family to help you prepare the meal—attempting this job alone could mean setting yourself up for failure.