Easter is still a few weeks away, but it’s not too early to start getting ready for any guests who may be arriving at your home. And with other celebrations like Mother’s Day, graduations, and Memorial Day right around the corner, now is a great time to think about how to plan a menu that will feed those hungry folks, entertain your guests, and make sleeping arrangements for the overnighters. By starting now, you can stay within your budget and cause yourself a minimum amount of stress.
This past Fall, in preparation for Christmas, I downloaded FlyLady’s Holiday Control Journal, which you can find here: www.flylady.net/i/pdf/hoj_coj.pdf . It helped me to think ahead about all of the things I would need to do to prepare for guests – not just gifts and decorations, but the little things like tape and toilet paper that can send you on a last minute buying spree.
With prices on everything from produce to gas rising – not to mention limits on some items at the grocery store – this year it is especially important to know ahead of time how much you can spend. While trying to get an accurate head count of how many people you will be feeding is helpful, I like to focus on meals that can be “stretched” to accommodate last minute guests – and growing kids with big appetites.
Today, I am going to give you a series of questions to answer that will help you plan how much shopping you will need to do. Once you have answered these questions, you should also have a better idea of how much to budget for the meals you will be serving. It would be nice to know sooner rather than later if you are having a fancy steak dinner for four people or a giant roaster of stew for 40.
- List the guests you will be inviting by family size. Ex: sister – 4; aunt – 2; etc. Keep a running tally as guests confirm.
- What meals will you be serving? Is it just Easter dinner or are you having overnight guests? Think about supper or snacks for late night arrivals, who will be around for breakfast, etc. Do any of your guests have special diet requirements or food allergies that you will need to work around?
- Out of the guests you are inviting, which ones might you ask to bring an item to contribute to the meal? Does someone in your family make a special dessert that everyone always looks forward to? Do you have guests driving in that might not be able to bring a dish but could contribute by purchasing paper goods? Generally, I find that people like to help with the meal. Do not feel shy about asking.
- Who, if anyone, will you be providing an Easter basket for? Do you already have the baskets? Are there food allergies that you need to consider for any treats you will include?
- Are you having an Easter egg hunt? Do you already have the plastic eggs? How much candy do you really need to buy? Note: save the chocolate for Easter baskets. If you hide it in plastic eggs it can make a melted mess. Do you have any extra baskets on hand for egg hunters who may have forgotten theirs?
- Let’s not forget drinks. Will you be serving coffee with dessert? What about creamer to go with it? How about iced tea with lunch? If you have a guest who wants to help but isn’t much of a cook, asking that person to pick up a bag of ice on the way takes a task off of your list.
- When you are having guests, there are a few things you don’t want to run out of. The first one that comes to mind is toilet paper. Other items to consider are hand soap, toiletries and napkins. If you have little travel sized shampoos, etc., this is a great time to set them out for anyone who may have forgotten theirs. I also like to keep a few extra toothbrushes on hand.
- Let’s talk furniture. I don’t mean you should go out an redecorate the whole house – although that might be fun. Do you have enough places for your overnight guests to sleep? Do you need to check your air mattresses for holes? How about pillows – should guests be reminded to bring their own? Where will people sit for the meal(s)? Do you have folding tables or chairs that need to be dusted off? Does someone in your family usually bring folding chairs? If this is an outdoor event, should your guests bring their own lawn chairs?
- Finally, let’s consider clothing. I know this is not something you will be providing for your guests. But if you are trying to outfit your entire family in new Easter finery, you should take that into account when you are budgeting for the weekend. This is a good time to make note of who needs new clothes for church, new shoes, or a spring outfit for the gathering. Try to include the size you thing each person needs so you are prepared if you come across a sale. Pro Tip: I love to shop resale. Going to a thrift store for some or all of these clothing items can be a huge budget stretcher. But you need to start soon. If you wait too late, it will be slim pickings. I find that resale shops tend to sell out of their seasonal items rather quickly. Go armed with your list of clothing items and sizes. While you are taking inventory in your family’s closets, this is a great time to gift friends or family members with outgrown and gently used items for their children to wear. Might as well spread the love!
- Last but not least, consider traditional activities that your family does together. Do you need food coloring to dye eggs? Extra eggs for dying and baking? What about colored sprinkles for cookies? Will you have cascarones or a piñata? Remember that many baking ingredients are shelf stable and can be purchased ahead which makes it easier to spread the expenses out over several weeks. And if these are items that you would normally buy online, by all means, make haste before they go on backorder.
I can see how this list of questions might seem daunting, but when you break it down into small steps it is going to save you time, money, and craziness. With a little preparation, you will be able to host a gathering that everyone will enjoy – including yourself!