Sort the menu by when it can be made
Go through the menu and mark each dish with the earliest day it can be made without losing quality. Some dishes freeze well, some keep a few days in the fridge, and some need to be made on the day. That sorting is the whole plan.
| When | Good candidates |
|---|---|
| Weeks ahead (freezer) | Meatballs, filled pastries, soups, cookie dough, plain cakes, casseroles that freeze well |
| Two or three days ahead | Dips, dressings, marinades, braises, chili, baked bars, pickled vegetables |
| The day before | Grain and pasta salads, egg bakes assembled for baking, washed and dried greens, cut vegetables |
| On the day | Green salads, cut fruit, sandwiches, anything fried or crisp, final reheating |
Freezer and fridge times vary with the recipe. Follow your recipe and official storage guidance, and label everything with the dish name and date.
A sample week
- A week or more before. Finalize the menu and guest count. Write a shopping list split into long-lasting items and fresh items. Check that you have enough serving dishes, utensils and fridge space.
- Five to six days before. Buy the long-lasting items. Cook and freeze anything that freezes well.
- Two to three days before. Buy fresh items. Make dips, dressings, marinades and any braise. Move frozen food to the fridge to thaw safely.
- The day before. Make salads that hold, cut vegetables, set out serving dishes with a sticky note naming the dish for each, and print labels.
- The day of. Make the last few fresh dishes, reheat hot food to a safe temperature, and set out cold food last.
Fridge and freezer space
Fridge space runs out before oven space for most home events. Clear the fridge a few days ahead. Use coolers with ice for drinks, so the fridge holds food only. Keep the fridge at 40°F or below and don't pack it so tightly that cold air can't move.
Thaw frozen dishes in the fridge, not on the counter. Large items can take a day or more, so plan for it.
Running the day
Write a timed list for the day of the event and tape it inside a cabinet door. Include oven times and temperatures, when each dish goes out, and who is refilling the buffet. Set a timer for two hours after each dish goes out, so you know when to replace it.
Leave a gap of at least half an hour before guests arrive. Something always takes longer than expected, and that gap is what lets you greet people at the door instead of from the stove.
For the safety side of this schedule, see the buffet food safety guide. For the quantities to shop for, use the food amounts guide.