[2023-08-29] Organizing for stress-free food prep

Today, I created a document to capture my plans for an upcoming brunch to celebrate my mom's birthday. This is my first time hosting a meal since before the pandemic, and I didn't want to simply wing it.

My document includes these sections:
  • Menu
  • Things to do...
    • The week before the brunch
    • The day before the brunch
    • The day of the brunch
  • Recipes
In a separate app, I noted all the ingredients I needed to buy for the meal.

I took this approach for Father's Day—aka Family Foodie Day—to tremendous success. It greatly reduced my stress in planning and preparing our family brunch. It also made it easier for me to enlist the help of my kids, who could look at the items on the to-do list and pick something they were comfortable tackling.

Here is what I would recommend to others who want to organize for stress-free food prep based on my experience.

Menu and recipes
  • Consider any food allergies, intolerances or preferences when crafting your menu, such as allergies to nuts, intolerances to gluten or preferences for decaffeinated beverages.
  • Favour recipes that you've made before and that you know are both tasty and manageable.
  • Choose some items that can be made in advance, such as scones that can be frozen and baked on the day of the event, leaving last-minute preparations to a minimum.
  • Include options that guests can help themselves to, such as a fruit or veggie tray and a coffee and tea bar, during the period between their arrival and mealtime.
  • For items that will be baked or cooked just before the meal, think about whether you have the space on your stove or in your oven to cook or bake everything. You may need to stagger your cooking or baking times to accommodate everything on your menu.
Things to do the week before the brunch
  • Create a document that will gather all your plans in one place.
  • Settle on the menu.
  • Make a list of ingredients you need and buy groceries.
  • Clean your house.
  • Make food that can be prepared in advance and frozen.
Things to do the day before the brunch
  • Make food that can be prepared up to 24 hours before serving (such as a dessert that needs to be refrigerated overnight).
  • Buy fresh fruit or vegetables.
  • Take any food items out of the freezer that need to thaw in your fridge overnight.
  • Set the table.
Things to do the day of the meal
  • Cut up fresh fruit or vegetables.
  • Prepare and cook or bake any foods that need to be made just before serving, following your minute-by-minute plan.
  • Make coffee and tea (or hot water with an assortment of tea options) and set out for your guests, along with cold beverages, to serve themselves while you finish your meal prep.
In writing this post, I thought of things that were missing from my planning document. You probably have your own tricks for entertaining; if so, please feel free to share.

As an added bonus, I now feel well healed from my recent surgeries, able to plan, prepare and host a meal—something I wouldn't have been able to do with ease just one week ago.