Whether it is for 20 or 50 people, cooking for a large number can
be fun! Careful planning and preparations are the secret to
successfully hosting of family or friends get-together. Somehow, it may
seem overwhelming and difficult but it can be done without subjecting
yourself to all the tension and stress. Here are some tips that can
help.
Establishing the number of invitees who have accepted
First and foremost, like anything you plan out to do, the most important part is the preparation. How many people are coming? It is very important that in your invitation there should be an RSVP. What is RSVP? The term RSVP comes from the French expression "répondez s'il vous plaît", meaning "please respond". It means that the invited guest should inform the host whether they are coming or not for the purpose of head count for the planned event. If this is just a simple family get together and you don't see the need for a written invitation, you could always call up your guests and ask if they are coming or not. Once you have an idea how much number of people you are cooking for, it is time to plan out your menu.
Planning your menu
When cooking for a big crowd, it is best to cook simple and easy recipes. You don't need to slave too much in the kitchen cooking and look haggard when your friends come. List down the menu you have planned and the ingredients you need to buy days beforehand. Measuring how much you need to purchase, it would be good to buy extra ingredients. For example, if half a kilo of ground beef will make 5-8 patties and you have 20 guests coming, buy at least 2 kilos of beef to make at least 30 pieces of beef patties. That way, you can be sure that what you cook is more than enough. Go for easy to do recipes especially ones that you can marinate days before. Examples of these would be Fried Chicken or Grilled Barbecue. Marinating it beforehand would allow the marinade to seep through and make the meat tastier. If you are planning to make strew or casserole, you can also cook this day before and keep it in the freezer. Side dishes like potato salad or any dessert can also be done ahead of time. If you are cooking fish or any seafood dishes, as well as vegetables, it is best to do it on the day of the event itself. Seafood should be fresh when bought and cooked immediately. Same goes with the vegetables.
Final preparations
Prepare plenty of drinks for the party. You can always stock up days before. The utensils that you will need for the party as well as the trays you will serve the food from should be ready on the day itself. It would be good if you have family members that can help with the cleaning and setting of the main table while you are busy with the food. It would be best if you are done an hour or two before your guests arrive so that you will have time to relax, prepare and look your best.
Cooking
for a large number of people can be fun. With careful planning and
preparation, it could even be one of the best parties you ever had.
Establishing the number of invitees who have acceptedFirst and foremost, like anything you plan out to do, the most important part is the preparation. How many people are coming? It is very important that in your invitation there should be an RSVP. What is RSVP? The term RSVP comes from the French expression "répondez s'il vous plaît", meaning "please respond". It means that the invited guest should inform the host whether they are coming or not for the purpose of head count for the planned event. If this is just a simple family get together and you don't see the need for a written invitation, you could always call up your guests and ask if they are coming or not. Once you have an idea how much number of people you are cooking for, it is time to plan out your menu.
Planning your menuWhen cooking for a big crowd, it is best to cook simple and easy recipes. You don't need to slave too much in the kitchen cooking and look haggard when your friends come. List down the menu you have planned and the ingredients you need to buy days beforehand. Measuring how much you need to purchase, it would be good to buy extra ingredients. For example, if half a kilo of ground beef will make 5-8 patties and you have 20 guests coming, buy at least 2 kilos of beef to make at least 30 pieces of beef patties. That way, you can be sure that what you cook is more than enough. Go for easy to do recipes especially ones that you can marinate days before. Examples of these would be Fried Chicken or Grilled Barbecue. Marinating it beforehand would allow the marinade to seep through and make the meat tastier. If you are planning to make strew or casserole, you can also cook this day before and keep it in the freezer. Side dishes like potato salad or any dessert can also be done ahead of time. If you are cooking fish or any seafood dishes, as well as vegetables, it is best to do it on the day of the event itself. Seafood should be fresh when bought and cooked immediately. Same goes with the vegetables.
Final preparationsPrepare plenty of drinks for the party. You can always stock up days before. The utensils that you will need for the party as well as the trays you will serve the food from should be ready on the day itself. It would be good if you have family members that can help with the cleaning and setting of the main table while you are busy with the food. It would be best if you are done an hour or two before your guests arrive so that you will have time to relax, prepare and look your best.
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