Are You Guest Ready? | How to plan for guests?

Do guests send you jitters? Do you feel overwhelmed knowing you will be having guests? Are you clueless how to manage everything smoothly? Hosting a party and don’t know where to start? Then this post is surely for you.

We all have guests. Family, friends, relatives visiting us or staying in for a couple of days. It does create a sense of panic and anxiety inside us. Cooking for a large number of people is demanding enough.

How will I manage everything? What shall I cook? How do I plan the party? These, any many more, questions haunt us. So I decided to pen down a post on how to effortlessly manage guests with some planning and practically useful tips.

“Atithi Devo Bhava”

This is a Sanskrit phrase which means ‘The Guest is God’. The word ‘atithi‘ means guest in Sanskrit. Interestingly, ‘tithi‘ means date in Sanskrit; so an atithi is a person who arrives without any intimation.

We all have guests at our place some time or the other. Guests for get-togethers, parties, functions or stay-at-home guests. Whatever reason they might be at your place, food and meal planning is the primary area of concern for most of us. So what are the things we can do without getting overwhelmed or exhausted? Here is a checklist of do’s and don’ts, when you are expecting guests, to make your and their experience a pleasant one.

1. Planning is the key

Pen & Paper (Visual Plan)

Yes, you have to ink it. No visual mapping or planning of the event else on the ground you will be lost.

Planning is one of the most important criteria when it comes to being a good host. You may have a small get-together, lunch, dinner or guests visiting you for a few days. Planning is necessary. If you plan ahead it will give you a clarity about all things.

Clarity brings in a sense of control and having a control of the affairs will not make you feel overwhelmed or anxious. It will also free up your mind and allow you to enjoy the event or their stay.

Sit with a pen and paper. Do not mentally plan, for surely you will forget things later on. Have everything written down. Just spending 10-15 mins to jot down the small things will save you the big issues later on. Start by writing the number of people, categorize into kids, adults, senior citizens etc. Plan a loose schedule day-wise if you are going to have stay-at-home guests.

Know the preferences of your guests in advance. Eg; veg-nonveg, any allergies, likes, dislikes etc. This will help you in the most important thing i.e. planning the menu. More on that next.

2. Plan a proper menu

This is one of the most important tasks that needs to be planned well. All that will be remembered by your guests is the food you serve. Planning a menu in advance will clear off the dilemma in the mind about ‘what to cook next’. Also, the menu will help you make a grocery list.

Don’t plan any complicated recipes. Keep it simple yet delicious. Cook those recipes which you have already mastered. Avoid cooking any new dishes.

If its a party that you are organizing, jot down everything, from starters to desserts. If you have guests for a couple of days plan breakfast, lunch and dinner in advance. Have some snacks in store. This keeps your mind free and you can just refer to your menu plan.

If there will be kids, plan for some instant snacks or stock up on ready-to-eat stuff. Remember kids keep feeling hungry all the time. Also, check small details, like do they drink milk or are there any special needs. Your guest might hesitate to ask you.

3. Take stock of your inventory

Now that you have written down an elaborate menu the next step is to check your pantry. There is no point in preparing a list of recipes just to find out at the last moment that some ingredients missing.

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Hence, to avoid a last minute rush, prepare a list. Look at the menu and check for the ingredients. Check every small ingredient also like mustard, cumin, sugar, salt etc. Make a list of the required items like grocery, vegetables, fruits, spices.

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Shop for the ingredients well in advance and keep them at designated places to find them easily while cooking.

4. Pre-Preps

Doing some pre-preparations ahead of time will save you a lot of time on D-Day. Eg; ginger-garlic paste, picking of lentils, rice etc., tomato puree, chopping of certain vegetables. This will save you time and you will be done with your cooking fast.

5. Clean as you go

This is an important point. Clear your countertop and sink as you cook. Nothing demotivates, than seeing a messy counter top or a sink full of utensils.

If you have a househelp then keep all the vessels to wash in a basket or tub. Do not allow them to pile up in the sink. If you have a dishwasher load it. Keep only what you need on the counter top. Put back jars, canisters back to their places immediately after use.

Wipe the counter top every now and then. Clean any spills immediately. It will just take you 10 secs and save you time scrubbing later on. This will ensure you have a neat and clean kitchen at the end, once your cooking is done.

6. Plan a day out

If you will be having guests for a couple of days plan a few outings. Have a lunch or dinner in your favourite restaurant. Call for the pizza or takeaways.

This will lessen your workload a bit and your guests will also get a taste of your local cuisine. Visit local museums, go for sightseeing, movies etc. However before you plan always check with your guest’s preference.

7. No One-Woman Show

Involve the whole family. Designate tasks to family members as per their competency. Do not cling on to everything. This will only drain you and leave you exhausted, physically and mentally.

Do not hesitate to ask for help from a friend in cooking, if you have to cook for a large crowd. If your guests offer to help you, allow them if you are comfortable. This will make them feel at home.

If hosting a party another idea is to split i.e you probably can order starters from outside and take care of the main course yourself.

And yes if you have stay at home guests do not miss out your walk or any other daily rituals. Give yourself a breather! Very important to maintain your sanity and prevent you from crashing out.

8. Be Flexible

Although you have planned everything, be flexible enough to change in the event of some unforeseen circumstances. Remember the planning is to help you give a rough outline of the schedule in the upcoming days. It is not something written in stone that you have to follow.

You may have to change or tweak the menu as per your guest’s comfort. So do not fret. Your state of mind is very important for a smooth flow of things.

9. Good vibes

Finally its all about good vibes and positivity. Cook and serve with love. You need not be perfect. Good vibes and positivity will be remembered rather than how perfectly you manage the errands. Be a good host genuinely.

Remember it’s the overall experience that the guests remember. So serve happily and cheerfully. Your guest should feel welcomed. 🙂