Do you entertain at home? If you do, or if you want to, planning the menu can be the most challenging part. Here are 10 menu planning tips that I use when coordinating an at home dinner party.
Menu Planning Tip #1- Serve Good Food
Sounds obvious right? Providing good food for your dinner party guests is always my number one priority. Good food doesn't mean elaborate. Some of the best meals are simple ones that are well prepared and displayed attractively. Its better to provide a lot of simple food than to try to serve just a little bit of something expensive.
Menu Planning Tip #2-Serve what you know.
When you are planning your first few parties, prepare food that you know will turn out well. Now is not the time to experiment. Serve something you can have confidence in.
Menu Planning Tip #3- Branch out a little.
While it is fun to experiment with recipes, make sure you try out new dishes well in advance of your dinner party. The traditional chicken bread and side salad is great, but think ahead a little and try to figure out how you can add a little variety. You don't want to turn into a one trick pony! Add some Asian flavors to that chicken breast and serve it with simple noodles and miso vinaigrette.
Menu Planning Tip #4- Cook it the day before.
If possible, prepare something that gets better as it sits in the fridge. Beef burgundy or Classic Chili are great examples. Chicken Marbella get better with age too.
Menu Planning Tip #5-Check for allergies.
I know it can be annoying, but you're better safe than sorry. A quick poll of dinner guests is all it takes to verify that your menu can be enjoyed by everyone.
Menu Planning Tip #6-Fork Food
Especially for buffets and cocktail style parties, make sure your food can be easily eaten with a fork only. Don't serve anything that requires a steak knife or any other special utensils to eat.
Menu Planning Tip #7- Use the Food as decoration.
When you are planning your menu, try to imagine how the food will look on the table. Choose menu items that allow the allow the natural colors to shine. What you don't want is a menu of turkey, cauliflower and french bread. All white and bland looking. Imagine instead Cajun turkey, green beans with browned butter and pecans, red rice and cornbread. Can you imagine the colors? With a menu like that, fancy tablecloths and colored place mats are unnecessary,
Menu Planning Tip #8- Fire and Ice.
Simple but often overlooked tip is keep hot food hot and cold food cold. Plan in advance and make sure you have enough space in your fridge to keep cold items cold. You will also want to make sure you have ample stove top and oven space to keep things hot until the last minute. Make use of chafing dishes or crock pots if needed to keep your food at the proper temperatures.
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Kalisha Blair is a chef and culinary instuctor. For more easy cook at home recipes please visit http://www.kalishablair.com
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