Simple Party Planning

Big events with friends and family can feel overwhelming for any host, whether you entertain often or are hosting for the first time. I wanted to share some simple tips for hosting so you can confidently say yes to welcoming loved ones into your home.

Choose a Menu That Benefits You

It can be tempting to come up with a fancy menu to show off for guests, and if it you have the time and energy to do that, go for it! That being said, there is no need to put more pressure on yourself than is good for you. If you are stressed by planning parties, or have time constraints because of work or children, plan a menu that can be done mostly ahead of time to spread out the work. I love crock pot recipes for parties because I can usually make the recipe the day before, or even the week before it freezing is an option. Then the morning of the party I just toss the food in the crock pot and leave it alone while I set up. One of my go-to recipes is My Favorite Meatballs. I brown the meatballs early in the week, let them cool, and freeze them. They still taste great even after being frozen! I refer these to store-bought frozen meatballs because you can control/adjust the ingredients as needed for food allergies, and you know they haven’t been frozen for months.

I also like to make pasta dishes ahead of time. Pasta can be cooked the day before- just cook, toss in a bit of olive oil so it doesn’t stick together, cool, and store in a plastic bag or container. I also make the sauce ahead of time, cool it, and store it separately. I just combine the pasta and sauce the next day and reheat. Just be sure not to dry it out! You can heat the pasta at 325 degrees. Then, once hot, serve immediately or lower the heat to 250 degrees to keep warm until you’re ready. This saves a lot of time sweating over the stove on the day of the party. My favorite pasta dish right now is Spicy Creamy Bowties.

Be Prepared

This may seem like an obvious tip- be prepared. Let’s get specific…

If I plan on baking a dessert the morning of a party, I make sure to set up the ingredients ahead of time as much as I can. I combine the dry ingredients and leave it in a covered bowl so I don’t need to clean a bunch of measuring spoons before the party. I make sure to leave butter out to soften if I need it. I measure out as much as I can ahead of time. This makes my morning much smoother and eliminates many day-of dish washing.

If I need to cook the day of, I like to measure and chop as many ingredients as possible ahead of time. Again, less dishes in the morning! I try to put all the clean dishes away and wipe down the counters the night before so I only need to clean a small area immediately before guests arrive.

I also like to set the table, if possible. This can be at night before bed so we can still use our table for dinner. Setting the table saves time and spares me some anxiety the day of the party. I also set out the crock pots and serving dishes where I want them. Same goes for decorations. Outside of helium balloons and fresh flowers, I do all decorating ahead of time. This makes setting up on the day so smooth and simple.

Make a Checklist

I usually have a checklist in my planner for the day of the party as well as the days leading up to the party. I try to put them in order of what needs to be done. General dusting/vacuuming, clean bathrooms, mop kitchen, prep food, etc. all go on the list for the days before. The day-of list includes all details for food in a timeline so I don’t forget something I made ahead and threw in the fridge. I also write things like ‘turn on all lights’ and ‘light candles’ so the house feels welcoming. It’s easy to forget those little details when rushing to get ready. Make sure to leave time to get ready and wear an apron when setting out food so you don’t spill on your outfit before people arrive. Speaking from experience on that one!

That’s it!

I hope these tips give you the confidence to invite family and friends over without anxiety over the preparations. Providing a gathering place has brought us so much joy, and I hope the same for you! Do you enjoy hosting? Let me know if you have any other tips!