Holiday Meal Planning
For first-timers or seasoned pros, putting an elaborate holiday meal on the table for family and friends can be daunting, to say the least. Not to worry — here are some of our favorite tips for serving a wonderful meal while staying calm, cool and collected.
Make Lists
Santa's not the only one who makes lists. It can be challenging to keep all the details of your holiday meal in your head, so we suggest that you get into the habit of creating lists and checking them twice. Write your lists at least two weeks ahead of time, allowing you to add more items as they pop up. Here are a few quick suggestions:
- Guest List: Write down your guest list so you have an accurate idea of how many servings you need to prepare — then add a few extra servings for last-minute guests and leftovers. As you select your recipes, review for serving size and double or triple the recipes as needed.
- Menu: One of the most fun lists to create! Write down all of your traditional favorites and any new twists you want to try. After the meal, you can come back and write notes to yourself about what worked and what you would change for next year.
- Shopping List: With menu and recipes in hand, making up your shopping list is a breeze. Remember to check your spice drawer for any holiday favorites you need such as sage, thyme, cinnamon and nutmeg. Dried spices lose their potency and freshness within six months to a year from the date they are first opened, so spices you used last year may need to be replaced.
- To-Do List: This one should include items such as "create a centerpiece" and "polish the silver" and "vacuum the house." Write this one up in time to get a couple of things crossed off every day for the week or two leading up to the big day.
- Cooking Plan: Looking at your menu, put together a two or three day cooking plan. What items can be prepared ahead without a loss of quality? Be sure to put things like "bake cornbread" the day before you are preparing your cornbread stuffing. Cooking a turkey? Make sure to plan time for thawing and brining. Dinner on the night before your big meal is a great time for takeout or leftovers so you can focus all of your cooking energy on preparing holiday dishes.
Make Ahead
Cooking ahead is a lifesaver. Desserts are often perfect for making ahead and anything you serve chilled, such as cranberry sauce or chutney, can be prepared ahead too. Winter vegetables are hardy and much of the prep work can be accomplished before cooking time. Store peeled sweet potatoes, white potatoes, parsnips and celery root in cool water to maintain crispness and color. Refrigerate all other prepped root vegetables in airtight containers.
A Pinch of Good Health
Holiday meals are usually feasts, which can lead to overindulging. As part of the meal, consider adding some fresh, raw foods to the menu. For example, provide an appetizer tray of freshly cut fruits and vegetables to help curb appetites before the big meal. Along with the main dishes, serve a delicious fall greens salad or a fresh fruit salad. Many pre-cut fruits and vegetables are available to reduce prep time, making this a time-saving choice too.
Accept Help
There seems to be a false perception that if you host the big meal, you have to prepare everything yourself. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Big holiday dinners are all about sharing good food with family and friends and the stress of constant cooking need not be a side effect. Here are a few ways to ease the cooking burden.
The Fresher, the Better
From natural meats raised without antibiotics to fresh cut herbs, guests will taste the difference. Always buy the freshest, best-quality ingredients you can find.
Welcome Guest Offers
If your guests ask if they can bring something, by all means say yes! If they have a specialty dish they want to bring, that's perfect. If they offer to pick up a pie or a bottle of wine, that's great too. Remember that your guests want to contribute to the meal and you don't want to cut them out of the event.
Purchase Part of the Meal
Another way to accept help is to cook some of the meal from scratch and then purchase a few dishes to complement your menu. Some people choose to purchase the main entree and then make the sides themselves and others pick up a few sides or appetizers or desserts. Focus on your strong suit, and pick up the rest.
Cater The Whole Meal
Yes, it is perfectly acceptable to purchase the entire meal. Not everyone is a cook. We believe it is much wiser for non-cooks to enjoy time with family and friends than to stress themselves in the kitchen.
Practice Makes Perfect
This adage couldn't ring truer than when it comes to planning a big holiday meal. If you are planning to prepare new dishes, a practice run may be in order. A stressful time is never a good time to try out a new recipe. Depending on your level of confidence in the kitchen, you may not need to test out every new recipe. If you've made mashed potatoes a jillion times, preparing a new version with garlic and cheese shouldn't throw you for a loop on the big day. It's those new recipes that have a multitude of ingredients, cooking steps or both, such as a fancy dessert, that should be approached with appropriate diligence.
Guest with Special Diets
Chances are your guest list may include someone with a special diet need. From vegetarian to dairy-free to low sodium, people have a variety of special dietary needs, some even life-threatening. Not to worry though, big holiday meals are actually perfect — since there are so many dishes, there is bound to be something for everyone. Check with your guests to make sure you are aware of their needs, and review our tips on Entertaining Guests with Special Diets.
Festive Beverages
Wine and champagne are wonderfully festive, but be sure to offer nonalcoholic beverages to your guests as well. Sparkling apple ciders and fruit juices make good alternatives and can be served in wine glasses to facilitate toasting. Organic fruit juices mixed with sparkling water make festive punches and iced herbal, black or green teas are always nice.