Food is usually at the center of every party. Without it, the party would not be the same. Think about it for a moment. You arrive at your friends house for an all night event of conversation, poker, games and fun, but there isn’t a morsel of food to be had. The host smiles and your stomach grumbles with displeasure. If this was to happen more than just your stomach would be grumbling. The party itself would turn sour and people would leave. To be considered a party, food must be present.
There are so many different types of parties I dare not mention them all. However, they all have one thing in common and that is the presence of food. When all the other major decisions concerning your party have been made, including the type, venue, budget and guest list, your food party planning must take place. The key is to take the other decisions into consideration and make the right choice of food.
The type of party can play a key role in deciding what type of food should be served. If you are having a pool party, then hamburgers and hot dogs should suffice, but if you are planning a more elegant affair, the bologna should be left in the refrigerator. The holidays are usually reserved for certain types of entrees, even so, there is no rule against adding a fine twist to the dinner menu. So if you are having problems deciding what types of food to prepare, look to the parties theme for answers.
Once your choice is made for the main dish everything else will get easier. You now can decide whether or not it will be served buffet style or be a more formal, sit-down dinner. The venue will play a key role in this decision. If you are having the party at a large hall, a buffet dinner would make much more sense. An at home affair could be served either way, but the type of party you plan on having should determine its presence.
The number of people you invite also plays a key role into the type of food you want to serve, because this is a matter of budget. Don’t over invite, if you can’t supply the food and beverages for everyone, you might as well stay at home. Make sure there is plenty for everyone, including yourself.
Now that you know what you will be eating, and where and for how many, you can now begin the preparations. Make sure you have everything you need at least the day before the party. Prepare as much as you can in advance. You don’t want to be spending too much time in the kitchen if it can be avoided. So do your prep work the day before or morning of and any baking at least a day earlier.
Food party planning is not a work of science. It should be done according to your means. It should be a taste testing experience and if possible, a way to show off your great new recipes. If you remember the golden rule about parties you should be fine no matter what you serve. Never, I repeat, never forget the food!
James Craven is a party planning expert. For more information on food party planning, visit http://www.planningparty.net.
Tags: food party planning