Planning a Holiday Meal

by Barbara Snyder

Many of you will be hosting meals during the holidays. Taking simple steps to plan ahead will help this meal be a relaxing and enjoyable event for you as well as your family and guests.

Start a month or two ahead of time by deciding what kind of meal you want to serve for your get-together. Are you having a Tree Decorating Party, Open House, Dessert Party, Brunch, Children's Party, Ladies' Lunch, or a multi-course family dinner? Budget may play a part in your decision. A Potluck or Round Robin dinner will make a meal more affordable and certainly a more adventurous event.

Once you have decided on the kind of event you are going to host, make a guest list. Set the date after consulting with your guests. If budget is a concern, make that decision now.

The next step is to make a menu plan. If you expect that your guests will help you by contributing a dish, your menu plan may be very general. If you will be doing all the cooking yourself, you will need to scour your recipe books, Family Recipe Notebook, and the internet for your favorite recipes. Or you may, like our family, have the same menu every year. For instance, our Christmas Eve meal has been the same for the last ten years--lasagna, salad, bread and a luscious dessert. The lasagna may be Stouffer's, or it may be homemade vegetable lasagna; the salad may be Caesar or a mixed vegetable salad; the bread may be yeast rolls or French bread; and the dessert may be chocolate pecan pie, tiramisu, or some other dessert, but the basics are still there--lasagna, salad, bread and dessert.

When the menu/date is decided, I write down the menu plan. I call everyone on the guest list to invite them and if anyone offers to help, I can write it directly on the menu plan and revise it as needed. At this time I also make an 8.5 x 5.5(half of a sheet of paper) card with the menu on it, using a pretty font and decorating it as time allows. I post one on the refrigerator and one near my computer. After calling each guest and finding out what each one will bring, I can then make a Master List. It will include all the items I will need for the event, from groceries to flowers. I have my list organized by weeks, too, for instance, what I will buy Four Weeks Ahead, Three Weeks Ahead, etc. That way I don't break my budget or my back buying everything three days before the event.

You may need to order your meat or special dessert at this time from your local/catalog company.

Once the menu has been chosen, the next step is to decide how you will decorate the house. Your holiday decorations may be in place all ready, so you may need to buy only a few things for the event, such as fresh flowers/candles. Add the items you need to purchase to your Master list. You can buy one or two items a week, as things are on sale, or as your budget allows.

At this time look at your pots/pans/serving/dishes/china/silverware/serving utensils to make sure you have adequate amounts. Wash your crystal and silver. Do you have enough chairs/ tables? Decide at this time where everyone will sit. This year we will try something new, as we have about twenty people coming for dinner. I am going to make my own paper placemats, and on each placemat I will put a number in an unobtrusive place. I plan to make corresponding numbers and place them on little bits of paper. Each person will pick a paper out of a pumpkin, and that will be their seat assignment. That way all the girls don't sit together, and all the kids don't sit away from the adults.

Up to a week before the meal, clean out the refrigerator and cook ahead as much as possible. Set aside a time period, whether it is a day, an afternoon or morning, or just an hour here and there, for cooking those items that may be frozen and reheated later. One tip that I learned from my mom is to clean as you go. Start with a clean kitchen and an empty dishwasher. Fill the sink with hot soapy water and wash as you dirty the dishes, putting them in the dishwasher, or return them to the work area to be reused.

The day before or the day of the meal, put together all the side dishes and refrigerate them if needed. Wash the dishes as you go and make sure the dishwasher is empty. Set the table. Assess your Master List, and make one last trip to pick up the last minute items such as flowers, and those items that you ordered, such as meat or a dessert.

The day of the meal you will want to have a plan for baking. I only have one stove, so baking times and temperatures have to be coordinated. Allow time and space in the oven for those dishes your guests need to have warmed. Make coffee/tea and prepare the other beverages; don't forget the ice! Put the final touches on your table. Try to allow for at least an hour of uninterrupted time to ready yourself, and the children, if you need to, so you don't have to rush. After all, this is supposed to be fun! So, do just that--go and have fun!

In a Nutshell:

One to two months before the event:

1. Decide what kind of event you will host.

2. Set a date.

3. Set a budget.

4. Make a menu. Write it out.

5. Make a guest list.

6. Call guests to invite them. If they want to contribute a dish, write it down on your menu plan.

7. Make a Master List of all the items you need to buy.

8. Order special items such as flower arrangements, meats or desserts at this time.

9. Assess need for pots/pans/serving dishes and utensils. Make sure you have enough china/silverware/chairs/tables/linens. Add needed items to the Master List.

Two weeks ahead:

1. Clean the refrigerator.

2. Cook/bake ahead the items that may be frozen and reheated later.

3. Re-assess Master List, updating it as needed.

4. Buy all non-perishables.

5. Decorate your house except for fresh flowers.

6. Wash dishes/crystal/silverware. Polish silver. Don?t forget to wash serving dishes/utensils, and linens. Iron linens if needed.

Day Before or Day of the Event:

1. Assemble dishes that need to be prepared at this time. Refrigerate if needed.

2. Set the table.

3. Make final preparations of the beverages.

4. Allow plenty of time to dress yourself and your children if needed

With just a little bit of planning, and a little bit of work each day, throwing a party this holiday season can be a fun and rewarding experience.