We are in that season that of the year where everyone is in a celebratory mood. It is that season of the year that families come together, interact, and have a good time. You may have a lot to celebrate and coming to the end of the year healthy is just one of the reasons.
Cooking for your loved ones or even a meal for yourself is a wonderful way to celebrate if you are like many people. How do you ensure that you prepare a meal that befits the season? The following are some tips on preparing the festive meals that you will always remember.
Make A Plan
All the good meals that you see out there take time to plan. It gets trickier when you expect to serve a handful of people. Your plan should indicate what you will cook, how long it will take, and the number of people you will serve. The plan can also highlight the utensils and appliances that you will use during food preparation.
You do not want to prepare your meals so early such that they will be cold when you want to serve your guests (some meals should be served while still hot). On the other hand, you do not want to serve uncooked food simply because you did not have enough time to prepare your meals. If you have someone who will help you during the food preparation, then involve them in planning. Your plan should be somehow flexible to allow you to sneak some meals on-demand.
Get Your Supplies Early
How does it feel when you are just about to prepare your favorite meal only to note that some ingredients are missing? You may even be forced to switch to another meal against your will. The festive season is always busy, and some deliveries may take longer than expected. Some stores remain closed during the festive season, and you do not want to miss some crucial ingredients. The cooking plan will highlight what you need on the material day.
Ensure that you have enough storage space for the supplies you get. The choice of the supplies will depend on their shelf-life and their ease of storage. Some suppliers will also hike the prices of their products during the festive season. Shopping early, thus, means that you will get some good bargains. You are also likely to get some discounts when you shop in bulk during the festive season. You can start shopping in bits such that you won’t feel the heat of buying all the supplies at a go.
Get Ahead Of Time
Many people end up overwhelmed by duties during the material day as preparing a meal for more than 4 people is a challenge for many people. The good news is that you can prepare some ingredients in advance and make it easier during the final day. However, not everything can be prepared in advance as some of the ingredients might go bad.
For instance, you can prepare sauces such as gravy a day before the material day. Other things that you can do in advance include peeling sprouts, chopping carrots, and partially roasting potatoes and other vegetables. The ideal foods are those that will not lose their taste when stored overnight and those that you can heat and serve without any complications on the material day.
Learn How To Use Different Appliances
You can have a test run to ensure that you are not inconvenienced during the final day. This is not the day to learn that your stove is leaking simply because you have not used it in ages. You need to ensure that everything you need is functional before you start the cooking process for the holidays. An instant pot is one of the appliances that will come in handy during such a process. There is no need to worry because you can learn how to use the instant pot as a slow cooker and make the best use of it.
Get out all those appliances you have saved for special occasions and learn how they work. Ensure that you familiarize yourself with different cooking styles and appliances if you want to try something different for the first time.
Keep Cooking Creatively And Consistently
The above are some of the tips to ensure that you prepare some amazing holiday meals. Do not worry much about what you do not have, as you can use the available resources and make the best out of them.
