It’s that time of year. Holiday get-togethers of all shapes and sizes are upon us. Are you hosting this year? Let’s look at some tips to make your hosting duties lower stress and higher success. Listen to the episode for full tips, and check out the summary list below.
Eight Tips for Surviving Holiday Hosting
1. Know your guests and their needs.
A thoughtful and prepared host should know not only how many guests they expect (if for nothing else than a head-count), but also if any guests have special dietary needs. Check in ahead with them if you don’t already know. Your guests will appreciate being thought-of beforehand, and you will appreciate not having a last-minute panic attack trying to find gluten-free/vegan/egg-free etc., options to serve.
2. Simplify and edit.
More often than not, hosts plan for way too many recipes. This adds up to stress trying to get everything completed and served on time. You don’t need seven side dishes, three scratch-made desserts and a pile of appetizers. Instead, start with the necessities and add just enough variety to meet everyone’s needs.
3. Not everything needs to be made from scratch.
As an ambition home cook, you might think that a big holiday meal is the best time to scratch-make everything to impress. You would be wrong. It’s probably the worst time to take so much on. Do what you feel comfortable with, but know there is nothing wrong with using pre-made or store-bought alternatives to common staples. Stock, whipped cream, pie filling, I’m looking at you.
4. Ask for help.
Don’t feel like you have to do everything yourself. See if you can recruit guests to come early to help cook or prepare the table, stay behind to clean up, or bring side dishes.
5. Write down your plan.
This can be a huge lifesaver the day you are trying to make everything come together. If you write down everything you need to make and serve, and when you need to do each, you will have a handy cheat sheet to refer to throughout the day to make sure you don’t forget anything!
6. Make as much ahead as you can.
On the big day, space and time will be limited. Try to make as much ahead the days before that you can. Sauces and most sides can be made ahead and heated up the day you need it, even mashed potatoes!
7. Don’t worry too much about indulging.
If you are lucky enough to have a big holiday spread, try not to derail the joy of family and friends by worrying too much about “how healthy all this food is.” Do what you need to do for health reasons, but know one indulgent meal will not make or break a healthy-eating routine. Slow down and enjoy the food and time with family, and don’t fret if the whipped cream isn’t non-fat.
8. It’s not all about the food.
Delicious and plentiful food is a wonderful by-product of holiday gatherings. Take pride in what you cook, but remember that it means little without the appreciation of family, friends, faith, or whatever else puts meaning into your gatherings.
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