Event Flavor

Menu planning

Menu planning by event type

The time of day, the length of the event and how guests will eat decide most of the menu. Start there, then fill in dishes your kitchen can make ahead.

Long wooden table set with platters of roasted vegetables, grain salad, sliced bread and a bowl of fruit
A spread built around make-ahead salads, bread and one main dish.

Four questions before any recipe

  1. Is it a meal? An event that runs over a usual mealtime needs filling food. A mid-afternoon party can get by on lighter bites and something sweet.
  2. How will people eat? Standing guests need food that works in one hand. Seated guests can manage a knife and fork, and children need small, plain pieces.
  3. How long will it run? Food for a two-hour lunch is eaten fast. An open house that runs all afternoon needs dishes that stay good at room temperature for a safe window, plus a plan to swap them out.
  4. What can your kitchen do on the day? One oven and four burners limit you to a couple of hot dishes. Plan the rest to be cold or room-temperature food made the day before.

A balanced plate for each event

Each plate splits the food table into five groups. The percentages are a rough guide to how much of the spread each group takes up, by number of dishes and table space. They come from common hosting practice and are meant as a starting idea for your own menu.

Late-morning brunchEgg bakes and pastries carry the table. Fruit keeps it light.
  • Mains and proteins30%
  • Sides and salads15%
  • Bread and grains20%
  • Fruit and vegetables20%
  • Sweets15%
Backyard cookoutGrilled mains first, then plenty of cold salads that hold up outside.
  • Mains and proteins35%
  • Sides and salads25%
  • Bread and grains15%
  • Fruit and vegetables15%
  • Sweets10%
Drinks and small bitesNo main plate, so the hearty bites do the work of dinner.
  • Mains and proteins35%
  • Sides and salads20%
  • Bread and grains15%
  • Fruit and vegetables20%
  • Sweets10%
Seated dinnerOne main, two sides, a salad and a simple dessert.
  • Mains and proteins35%
  • Sides and salads30%
  • Bread and grains10%
  • Fruit and vegetables15%
  • Sweets10%
Children's birthdayPlain food kids recognize, cut small, with the cake as the event.
  • Mains and proteins30%
  • Sides and salads10%
  • Bread and grains15%
  • Fruit and vegetables25%
  • Sweets20%
Holiday open houseGuests drift in for hours, so lean on food that sits well and sweets.
  • Mains and proteins25%
  • Sides and salads20%
  • Bread and grains15%
  • Fruit and vegetables15%
  • Sweets25%
Graduation buffetA crowd of mixed ages. Build it around one main and generous sides.
  • Mains and proteins30%
  • Sides and salads25%
  • Bread and grains20%
  • Fruit and vegetables15%
  • Sweets10%
Afternoon showerFinger sandwiches, salads and fruit, with sweets in a supporting role.
  • Mains and proteins25%
  • Sides and salads25%
  • Bread and grains20%
  • Fruit and vegetables20%
  • Sweets10%

Menu ideas that travel well

EventMainsSides and fresh foodMake ahead
BrunchBaked egg dish, cold sliced ham or smoked fishFruit salad, green salad, yogurt barEgg bakes assembled the night before; pastries baked or bought
CookoutGrilled chicken, burgers, vegetable skewersPasta salad, slaw, corn, sliced tomatoesSalads and marinades a day ahead
Drinks and bitesMeatballs, skewers, filled pastriesCrudites and dips, cheese board, olivesDips, skewers and pastries frozen or chilled ahead
Seated dinnerRoast, braise or baked pastaRoasted vegetables, potatoes or rice, saladBraises improve after a night in the fridge
Children's birthdayMini sandwiches, pasta, pizzaCut fruit, carrot sticks, crackersCut fruit the morning of; sandwiches a few hours ahead
Shower or teaFinger sandwiches, quicheGrain salad, fruit, cucumber saladQuiche a day ahead; sandwiches on the day

Keep the menu balanced

A good small-event menu has one dish people will remember and several that are easy. Choose a single centerpiece, such as a slow-cooked pork shoulder or a big tray of lasagna, and support it with simple sides. Two or three salads with different textures, one starch and one green dish cover most tables.

Think about color and temperature as well. A table of beige food looks heavy, so add something green and something bright. Mix hot and cold dishes so the oven isn't doing everything at the last minute.

Include at least one filling dish that suits vegetarian guests and one that is free of the most common allergens. That single step takes care of a lot of questions. The dietary needs guide has more on this.

Next steps

Once the menu is set, work out the quantities with the food amounts guide and spread the cooking over several days using the prep schedule.