A stressful time of year for many seasoned event pros, and amateur hosts alike.
The Christmas period, and Christmas day in particular, offers a chance to entertain family and friends, and show off the cooking and planning skills you're famous (or perhaps infamous) for. Below are a few tips you may find useful, through prepping and planning stages, to cleaning up Boxing Day.
With a waiter-hire twist, the points below follow our matra to keep things simple, and keep things tidy. That is to collate similar tasks, prep as early as possible, and keep a cool head through the process.
1. Write a menu and prep list. Divide the tasks to food safety priority, and anything that can be prepped, cooked or frozen before hand can be crossed off early. Do as little as possible on the day, with the help of the remaining list items.
2. When shopping, an online order (such as Coles Online) and a pre-order with the butcher will ensure unnecessary spending is avoided, or food eaten early by the visiting relatives.
3. Collate your equipment early, and hire/borrow any missing items (chairs/tables/glasses/etc). Remember you may need extra bins/bottle containers, linen, garden maintenance, wet weather plans, BBQ gas/fuel organised.
4. Have enough of everything! One wine glass and one water glass per person, plus 0.5 champagne, and plastic cups for back up later. Somewhere for ice and drinks your guests can access, yet sits out of the way, such as esky 'out the back'!
5. When budgeting to feed a crowd, a total of 400 grams of meat per person should be plenty, especially with the sides and dessert to follow. Everyone loves a few leftovers, but waste should be avoided.
6. Assess the leftovers while your guests are picking at something for supper. Keep everything covered and refrigerated. Hold a Masterchef-style "mystery box" challenge for recipe ideas, and create a Boxing Day feast!
7. Most importantly, keep it simple, and keep it tidy! Don't attempt grand dishes or recipes you haven't tried before. Use quality salt, oils and fresh herbs and citrus for big flavour improvement. Do the dishes as you go. Both in prepping and after eating. On the day, ask an uncle/sister/mum in law to wash a few glasses or unpack the dishwasher. Use the help when it's offered, smile, be patient- it will be over soon!!
The Christmas period, and Christmas day in particular, offers a chance to entertain family and friends, and show off the cooking and planning skills you're famous (or perhaps infamous) for. Below are a few tips you may find useful, through prepping and planning stages, to cleaning up Boxing Day.
With a waiter-hire twist, the points below follow our matra to keep things simple, and keep things tidy. That is to collate similar tasks, prep as early as possible, and keep a cool head through the process.
1. Write a menu and prep list. Divide the tasks to food safety priority, and anything that can be prepped, cooked or frozen before hand can be crossed off early. Do as little as possible on the day, with the help of the remaining list items.
2. When shopping, an online order (such as Coles Online) and a pre-order with the butcher will ensure unnecessary spending is avoided, or food eaten early by the visiting relatives.
3. Collate your equipment early, and hire/borrow any missing items (chairs/tables/glasses/etc). Remember you may need extra bins/bottle containers, linen, garden maintenance, wet weather plans, BBQ gas/fuel organised.
4. Have enough of everything! One wine glass and one water glass per person, plus 0.5 champagne, and plastic cups for back up later. Somewhere for ice and drinks your guests can access, yet sits out of the way, such as esky 'out the back'!
5. When budgeting to feed a crowd, a total of 400 grams of meat per person should be plenty, especially with the sides and dessert to follow. Everyone loves a few leftovers, but waste should be avoided.
6. Assess the leftovers while your guests are picking at something for supper. Keep everything covered and refrigerated. Hold a Masterchef-style "mystery box" challenge for recipe ideas, and create a Boxing Day feast!
7. Most importantly, keep it simple, and keep it tidy! Don't attempt grand dishes or recipes you haven't tried before. Use quality salt, oils and fresh herbs and citrus for big flavour improvement. Do the dishes as you go. Both in prepping and after eating. On the day, ask an uncle/sister/mum in law to wash a few glasses or unpack the dishwasher. Use the help when it's offered, smile, be patient- it will be over soon!!
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