Here’s How to Host a Big Crowd

Prep Ahead of Time

When planning a party, don’t leave anything until the last minute. Advance meal prep is key to enjoying a stress-free event:

Plan the event in detail and write everything down
Choose your recipes and note all the ingredients
Ensure that as many dishes as possible can be made in advance
Prepare a shopping list and purchase everything as early as you can
Clean out your refrigerator to make room for prepped party dishes
Organize the groceries in recipe groups to save time
Chop vegetables and fruits in advance and store in plastic bags
Mix dry ingredients for each recipe then label and store each bag clearly
Decide which serving platters/bowls and utensils you’ll use for each dish

Cook Ahead of Time

If you plan on freezing prepped dishes, you can cook them several days in advance. Make sure you allow enough time before the party to defrost and warm the food. Other dishes can be done the day before your event and stored in the refrigerator. Here are a few easy dishes that work extremely well for a crowd:

Roast chicken and veggies: chicken thighs and drums will save on prep time and make serving easier
Grilled pork tenderloin with pineapple salsa: cook several tenderloins at once
Classic beef stew: look for a boeuf bourguignon recipe to fancy things up a bit
Classic meat loaf: make several loaves and vary the ingredients
Lasagna: a classic party dish that can be made to fit your crowd size

Go Buffet Style

A buffet is often the easiest way to serve a large crowd. A well-designed buffet table can look beautiful with plates set at different heights and various serving platters showing colourful dishes. Things to consider:

Make the beginning and end of your buffet table obvious to prevent traffic jams
If you have room, place the table away from a wall so service can move around both sides
Stack plates at the front end of the table and napkin-wrapped cutlery at the other
Add name cards to each dish to help anyone with diet restrictions (be sure to identify any nut-bearing dishes)
Add small plates around the table for resting serving spoons
Place a drip catcher under beverage dispenser spouts

One Pot Cooking

When you’re cooking for many, there are several large kitchen appliances that can help you out. These need little attention after you’ve loaded the contents and set the appropriate operations. Some can also be used to keep food warm:

Dutch Oven: Allows you to brown meats on the stovetop then transfer to the oven all in one pot
Air Fryer: Great for quick, healthy cooking as it uses hardly any oil
Slow Cooker: Lets you set-it-and-forget-it while attending to other party prep
Pressure Cooker: Cooks foods in less time than other appliances

Make Vegan Optional Dishes

When you know that vegans or vegetarians are among your invitees, you’ll need to cater to them as well as the omnivores. Try to plan some vegan recipes or vegetarian recipes without offering totally separate meals. You can save time and satisfy everyone by preparing a vegetarian recipe to which meat can be added. Here are some to consider:

Tortellini with butternut squash and mushrooms (add cheese or sausage)
Ravioli casserole (vegetable or meat filling) Tacos with tofu, avocados and other veggies (add shrimp or fish)
Pasta salad (you can sub in more veggies or add chicken, or any other meat)
Chili with white beans (option to add ground beef or turkey)
Roasted vegetables with tomato sauce (good option for everyone)
Green bean casserole or sweet potato casserole (good option for everyone)