Serving a crowd? Here are 10 hosting solutions for large groups

These tips will make serving a crowd easier!

It’s one of the best ways to show love! If you’re planning to host family and friends over the next few months, serve them food that nourishes the body and warms the heart! Thoughtful hospitality really is an expression of love.

Whether you are hosting a wedding shower, an Easter dinner, or a simple get-together, Becky Higgins shared 10 ideas to help you bring intention to your table.

10 Ideas for Meal-Based Hosting

by Becky Higgins

1. Welcome Sign: Often overlooked, but I find it super helpful, particularly when a lot of people are coming over, to put a sign by the door that says “come on in” so I’m not constantly going back and forth to the door when I’m in the kitchen putting final touches on food. Could be a cute sign like a free-standing chalkboard that’s sits on the ground, but even a sticky note can do the trick.
2. Stick With What You Know: Having a big crowd over? That’s not usually the best time to experiment with new recipes, simply because there is more unpredictability, and the last thing you need while hosting is fires to put out. Stick with your tried and true favorites for less stress.
3. Table Runners: I’m not talking about the decorative kind that’s just for looks; I’m talking about something to spread across your bar as a backdrop for the entire spread of food. Small touch; big impact! You can use fabric (machine washable is a must), disposable/decorative, kraft paper (which you can write on to label food – so fun!), and even wrapping paper.
4. Buffet Serving Tip: Push everything back at least 10” from the edge so there’s room for people to set their plate on the counter as they move through the line. This is so often an oversight and it’s tricky to hold a plate with one hand and dish up everything with the other!
5. Labeling Food: Not necessary for obvious stuff, but labeling each of the food items in the buffet can be super helpful most of the time. You could do anything from quick, handwritten tent cards, standup clipboards, little chalkboards, or place card holders.
6. Be Well Stocked: Nothing’s worse than putting all your effort into food prep, only to realize at the last minute you forgot to think about plates and stuff. I use real dishes with smaller dinner parties, but if it’s a crowd, disposable is inevitable… so I always have paper plates, cups, napkins, and plastic flatware ready to go.
7. The Runny Stuff: Think about your salsa, dips, and other things you don’t want to run into the rest of the food on the plate — even for snack-y things like mixed nuts. Have single serving sized cups available to use. Even cute disposable muffin cups are great!
8. Early Set-Up: This is a life saver when there are a LOT of food items that you’re putting out for a buffet. Set up the night before, or well in advance, by putting all the serving dishes/platters/etc. out. Get it all positioned and use sticky notes to label every single piece of the puzzle — what goes in what serving dish and where does it go in the buffet? This eliminates chaos when it’s time to actually put all the food out for guests.
9. Involve Your Guests: A lot of people, when they show up at someone’s house, want to help in some way. I used to feel flustered with this scenario because I was so busy getting all the last-minute stuff together. As a guest I feel bad just “watching” the host do all the work and I have nothing to do. As a host, I try to intentionally save a few tasks for my earliest arrivals and when they ask, I’m HAPPY to give them a job — and they love it too!
10. Presentation: For special occasions and holidays, create a focal point sign for a fun addition to the food presentation. I like to use a frame and a free-standing towel rack. I also love having layering pieces handy (multi-tier platters/riser to lift things) because they not only add interest and dimension to the presentation, but it helps with space!

Find more from Becky on Instagram @realbeckyhiggins.