Planning Tips for a Successful Outdoor Event

• Invite guests, asking everyone to RSVP before the event so you know how much food to prepare.

• Find out if your guests have special dietary requirements.

• Make sure you have enough tables, chairs, glassware and dinnerware or make arrangements to borrow or purchase what you need.

• Decide on the menu and collect all recipes. To avoid an overloaded grill, oven or range top, select a few recipes that serve well at room temperature. Calculate the cooking time and temperatures (plus cooking order) for your menu.

• Prepare three shopping lists: one for food prep safety items, one for perishable food and one for non-perishables. Check the tools and ingredients you have on-hand. Verify that dried herbs and spices are not expired.

• If you plan to use the grill, check to make sure it is in working order. Plan an alternative cooking method just in case there is inclement weather on the day of the event.

• Plan decorations that are suitable for your setting.

• Check to make sure your food thermometer is in working order and calibrated.

• Check your inventory for platters (one for raw meat, one for serving). Clean the platters and other serving dishes and utensils.

• Hardy vegetables such as onions, carrots and potatoes can be purchased one week ahead, while, salad greens and perishable vegetables should not be purchased until the day before.  .

• Enlist the kids to help with baking, or have the kids make leftovers labels.

• When setting the table, be sure to remember the salt and pepper shakers, butter plate and all the serving utensils.

• Wash, trim and cut fresh vegetables on a clean cutting board. Wash leafy greens, spin, dry, and store by packing in paper towels in a sealable plastic bag in the refrigerator for no longer than one day.

• Set up the beverage bar with glasses, napkins and bottle/wine opener.

• Make sure you have room in your refrigerator for all the food, so if you don’t have enough space, chill the beverages in a cooler filled with ice.

• On the day of your event, prepare the cleaned vegetables for cooking - peel and chop using clean utensils and a clean cutting board. Cover the ready-to-cook vegetables and put them in the refrigerator. Remove cold desserts from the refrigerator to allow them to come to room temperature.

• Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of meat.

• After your event, divide all leftovers into smaller portions and store in shallow containers in the refrigerator within two hours.  Let your kids use their leftover labels to mark a “use by” date on the containers.

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