How do you entertain for the holidays? Is it just small gatherings for family? Do you host a neighborhood gathering? Do you do larger-scale parties? Have you ever considered an Appetizer party. How to do that is the subject of this Cooking Tip.
Planning is one of the most important, if not the most important, part of a successful party. If planning does not come naturally to you, the following guidelines should help. You may want to also consider enlisting the help of a friend or family member who is great at planning.
I will start with some general guidelines and then finish with a timeline for you.
One of the most stressful items is figuring out how much food you will need. Ideally, you want enough food to satisfy everyone without a large amount of leftovers. This dilemma has two different aspects – how many different appetizers to serve and how much of each appetizer.
There is not just one answer to this question. It depends on how many people you are serving, how long the party will be and what time it will be held. The more guests that will be attending and the longer the party, the more food you will need. People tend to eat more during the first hour. Therefore, you may want to offer more food during that time and less thereafter.
Food requirements
You will need more food if your party is meant to replace dinner. Plan on the following.
- For 40+ guests, about 8-10 different appetizers with 2-3 pieces per person of each appetizer.
- For 20+ guests, 6-8 different appetizers with 3-4 pieces per person of each appetizer.
- For smaller gatherings, 5-6 different appetizers with 4-5 pieces per person of each appetizer.
- May want to make fewer bites per person of the more complicated items and more of the easier ones.
If the party will be served outside of mealtime, you will not need as much food.
- Serve 4-6 different dishes.
- Total of 6-8 bites per person.
Now, to the timeline.
One month before the party
- Finalize the type of party and if there will be a theme.
- Create your guest list.
- Send invitations with a RSVP date of no later than a week before.
Three weeks before the party
- Select menu
- Test any new recipes. Put all recipes in a folder.
- Assess any dietary restrictions of your guests. Consider offering options that are vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, etc.
- Adopt the “make some, buy some” strategy. So many of us feel we need to make every dish ourselves. However, this is one time it is fine to purchase quality pre-made dishes or items that you can use to make your prep easier.
- Pick several dishes that can be made ahead and frozen. Pick other dishes you can make a day or two in advance and refrigerate. Other dishes may need to be made or finished just before the party.
- Serve a diverse spread from the following categories.
- Garden – veggies, raw/cooked/stuffed
- Starch – finger sandwiches, pizza, dumplings, bruschetta, breadsticks, rolls, crackers
- Protein – meatballs, skewers, savory tarts, chicken wings, egg dishes, cheese, tofu
- Snacks – nuts, chips, pretzels, popcorn
- Dips/Spreads
- Desserts – serve mini-desserts such as cheesecake, tartlets, candy, cookies
- Some experts recommend that half of the recipes should be served chilled or at room temperature, and the other half of the recipes should be served hot or warm.
- Choose 2-3 recipes that do not require cooking, such as an antipasto platter, a cheese board or a veggie plate.
- Decide on beverages
- Soft drinks: One to two 8-ounce servings per person per hour.
- Punch: One to two 4-ounce servings per person per hour.
- Tea: One to two 8-ounce servings per person per hour.
- Coffee: One to two 4-ounce servings per person per hour.
- Water: Always provide it. Two standard-serving pitchers are usually enough.
- Make sure you have enough tables, chairs, serving dishes, place settings, etc. If not, plan on buying, borrowing or renting items.
- How are you going to keep food warm? Do you need warming trays, crock pots, etc.? If you do not have them, can you borrow or rent them?
- Create a shopping list, sorting it by when you can buy the items.
One week before
- Get your final RSVP count.
- Clean out your refrigerator to make sure you have room for the party food.
- Shop for non-perishable items.
- Create a task list & timeline for preparing food. (Can do this earlier if desired.)
- Put this in your recipe folder or post it on the refrigerator.
- Write down all the tasks and organize them in the order you need to do them.
- This plan will get more detailed as the day approaches.
- On party day, it often helps to start backwards. For example, what time do you want people to eat? With that time in mind, what time must the food be done? So, when do you need to start cooking/reheating, etc.?
- Include how long it will take to cook items & at what temp. If you need more than one item in the oven, plan for this.
The week of
- Clean your house a few days before and keep it that way.
- Shop for perishable items.
- Prep any dishes or parts of dishes that can be made ahead of time.
- Set the table or party area the day before. Set out serving dishes labeled with a sticky note about what goes in each one. Place serving utensils along dishes.
Other considerations
- Plan a place for guests to put coats, if necessary.
- Do you want music?
- Do you need a seating plan? If so, do you want place cards?
- Decide on any decorations, flowers, etc.
- If you will allow guests to bring something, be very specific. It would be best if those items do not require stove or oven space. Do not feel shy about requesting a specific item.
Freezing Tips
- Be sure your freezer is 0°F or colder.
- Do not overload the freezer. Freeze no more than 2-3 pounds of food per cubic foot of freezer space in any 24-hour period.
- Cool baked appetizers quickly in the refrigerator before freezing to prevent ice crystals from forming during the freezing process.
- Freeze items that can break, crumble or be crushed in single layers on a baking sheet until firm. Then, place them in freezer containers or bags.
- Use freezer-grade wrapping or tight-lidded plastic containers.
- Clearly label each item, including the date and reheating or cooking instructions.
- Separate each layer of food with plastic wrap or wax paper if you need to stack them. Remove the wrap before defrosting.
- Always thaw food in the refrigerator if it needs to be thawed before cooking or reheating.
- Use frozen appetizers within 1-3 months.
The next time you are hosting a get-together, consider an appetizer party. So much can be done beforehand, allowing you to enjoy the party more. Just put your planning hat on and have fun!
Culinary Journeys, LLC 