Thanksgiving is Almost Here!

Five Keys to Stress-free Entertaining by Marc Dean

Regardless of which category you find yourself in, entertaining people in your home can cause a certain amount of stress and anxiety. To help keep the anxious moments to a minimum, here are some tips:

Study Your Guest List: Take the time to thoroughly review your guest list to see if there is anyone who might have special dietary needs or preferences. For example, if you are inviting a friend who is a devout vegetarian to your annual pig roast, you will probably want to also serve a meat-less dish for that person to enjoy.

Who's Cooking?: Deciding to have all or part of the meal catered can do wonders for reducing your stress level. After you have determined what you would like to serve, meet with a caterer to discuss your options. Even if you opt to have the entire meal catered, you can add your own personal touch by adding one or two of your favorite dishes.

Make a List, Check it Twice: If you do decide to cook all or part of the meal, make your shopping list a few days before you intend to go to the store. This will give you time to think about items you may have otherwise forgotten. Be sure to also check your list against the recipes you will be using to ensure you will have all of the ingredients when you do begin the cooking process.

Put it in Writing: To help prevent the chance that you might forget something, make a list of everything you plan to serve. If you plan to serve appetizers before your meal, list each appetizer. Keep the list in a handy place so that you can refer to it while you are in the process of serving the food.

Start Early: Ideally, you should begin your final preparations one week before the event. Make a list of everything that needs to be done and then do one or two things from that list each day. By the time the day of the party arrives, you will likely have almost everything ready to go.

Marc Dean is a freelance writer who writes for Preferred Consumer. He has done significant research online on homes, home & garden, financing strategies and apartment information.

Article Source: Five Keys to Stress-free Entertaining