Now that holiday season is over, it’s time to step out and experience the great outdoors. It’s time to plan those trips and parties. And what better way to enjoy the sun than organizing a buffet-style gathering in your own backyard.
Follow these tips and learn how to organize a headache-free al fresco party.
- Don’t serve everything in one go – Food spoils faster when out in the sun. Serve only portions of what you prepared and keep the rest inside the house. This will keep the food fresh throughout the day. Just refill the serving plates as necessary. This is especially true for food that is served chilled or cold, which you can put in the refrigerator for the meantime.
- Keep the food logical and organized – When designing the layout of your buffet party, think about the sequence of the meal. Entrees and salads should be at the beginning of the buffet table, followed by soup, main course, and then dessert. Plates should be put before the entrees and utensils at the end of the main course. To maintain the smooth flow of traffic, separate the food from the beverages.
- Keep mosquitoes and the sun at bay – Mosquito bites and sunburn can be a downer for your party. Show your guests that you’re the best host by providing them with baskets of outdoor essentials: sunblock, mosquito repellent lotion, hand sanitizer, and a hat.
- Keep food bite-size and individually wrapped – If you cannot provide seats for everyone, make eating a easier for you guests by serving food individually in bite-size pieces. It would better for guests to mingle with other people.
- Work around the wind – It’s not actually just the sun that you need to worry over, but the wind as well. Make sure that you anchor everything. Try using heavy dinnerware ceramic and glass. You don’t want your table cloth’s edges to find its way dipping into one of the sauces or serving plates, or plastic cups that are carried by the wind.
*This article has been revised for online reading. The original article appeared on the March 2014 issue of My Home Magazine. Get the e-mag version My Home Magazines on Magzter.
