Cooking for a Crowd

Contributor: Julie Colvin

Something that I have always loved to do ever since I was a little girl was to be in the kitchen. I love creating and making wonderful delicious things that I know will bring a smile to someone’s face. Cooking for a crowd has always come naturally for me. Coming from a large family (I am the oldest of five kids) our family recipes were always built to feed many tummies. My mama always made the kitchen a welcoming and fun place to be. There is something very unique about food that brings special warmth to any relationship. Whenever I have people over there is ALWAYS food! I want people to feel loved, comforted and relaxed. Food does this.

Cooking for a crowd may seem a bit overwhelming. Take a deep breath. It’s not as bad as you think it is.

There are a couple of tips and tricks to remember when making food for a lot of people.

1. K.I.S. it!

·         Keep it simple! Keep reminding yourself of this. Whether you want to have something fancy or casual always keep it simple and easy. Don’t overload your plate before you even set the table. Meaning, there is no need to have 30 appetizers and the fatted calf if it is going to make you crazy and unable to enjoy your guests. Which brings me to point number two…

2. Your guests are the guests!

·         It isn’t about you and it isn’t about your dinner, it is about them. People notice when they are being labeled as important or not important. Make your guests comfortable. Think about what would make you comfortable when going over to someone’s house for dinner. Then think about your guests – what do they like? What type of person/people are they? Your goal as the host is to make them feel welcomed and like the center of the gathering. There is nothing I appreciate more than when the host had me in mind when planning a dinner. It makes me feel loved and valued.

3.  Meal – make it filling!

·         You have two options here: Have plenty of food or have filling food!

o   Plenty of Food: Running out of food is embarrassing and everyone feels a bit awkward. I have been on both sides of the table where I have miscounted and not had enough food for everyone – it isn’t a good feeling. I have also been a guest at someone’s house where my meal just wasn’t enough and awkward hunger possesses my mind. HAVE PLENTY OF FOOD! Here are some suggestions:

Ø  If you have 4 people coming over make a meal for 6. This will give you the option of having leftovers if people are still hungry. If you end up having two servings left over that no one ate, just eat it for lunch tomorrow or make a to-go bag for them.

Ø  Having “filling” types of food like pasta, rice, potatoes or bread will keep your guests full. Your whole meal doesn’t have to be based around these starchy foods but having them with your meal will help fill your guests. For example, sometimes I will make a big pot of chili, but have a side of rice or corn bread if people want to put their chili on top. Basically, you just doubled their meal without doubling the chili.

4. Don’t break the budget!

·         You can make meals that are wonderful and keep your wallet happy. Here are a few recipes that are good crowd pleasers and not costly.
Slow cooker recipes are great because you can build them and leave them. Clean up is easy too. Check some recipes out here! Be creative with your recipes. Have some on hand in the freezer too – this helps for last minute dinner parties.

5. Enjoy!

·         You’re building relationships over a meal; it doesn’t have to be boring or even perfect. In fact some of my favorite memories from dinner parties have been because of funny things that happened not because it was perfect. It doesn’t matter how old you are, people like to have fun AND play with their food. Having meals designed for fun mean that you want your guests to enjoy – and because they enjoy, you enjoy. Having meals like taco nights, pizza creations, potato bars or soups can help make these nights possible. People feel welcomed, and they feel the freedom to be a part of the dinner process – you are showing them that you want them in your home/kitchen.

No matter the size of the dinner party the most important thing to remember is that it’s not about you. There have been times when I have let me OCD/perfectionist personality get in the way of enjoying my guests. I have been very much a “Martha”. It is good to be prepared and to work hard, but once your guests arrive your hostess hat changes personalities and you are now focused on others. Be prepared enough ahead of your guests arriving so that you are not focused on the next task. We were designed to have relationships and sharing a meal is one sweet way of doing this.