When Feeding the Multitudes, Organization Is Key
By Marirose Krall
It’s go time. The hectic holidays are upon us and, if you’re hosting, you may be starting to feel the stress. That’s particularly true if you’ll be cooking for more people than usual. While it’s certainly a challenge to create a memorable meal for the masses, it can be manageable if you have a well-defined plan.
British author Nigella Lawson explains her approach to creating impressive holiday meals for large groups in her cookbook, “Nigella Christmas.” “That much is crucial: If you don’t run the cooking like a military campaign, you won’t get lunch on the table in time.”
She’s right; to ensure the day runs as smoothly as possible, it’s important to have the proper strategies in place.
Making A Menu
The first step is deciding what you’ll eat, which isn’t always as simple as it seems. Holiday meals can be fraught, particularly if you’re hosting family. There are foods that everyone looks forward to – in fact, expects – year after year. Will your guests be disappointed if they don’t see brisket or green bean casserole or roasted potatoes on the holiday table? Now is not the time to explore creative culinary experimentation; give the people what they want.
And consider dietary restrictions. A hearty vegetable dish, a big salad and a mac-and-cheese casserole integrate easily into meal planning and will go a long way toward making vegetarians and vegans feel welcome.
It’s a good idea to stick to cold appetizers – chips and dip, cheese and crackers, charcuterie. Hot apps are great, but when scheduling comes down to the minute, the oven needs to be dedicated to the main courses.
As for dessert, unless you have a much-anticipated specialty, assign it to the guests. Most people won’t mind buying or making a cake or cookies to bring. If you’re nervous there won’t be enough sweets to go around, keep some ice cream on hand to augment the baked goods.
Learn to Love Lists
Attention to what some might call excruciating detail is a must, and it will give you peace of mind. As Lawson notes, “Having to make the best lunch of the year feels daunting… Writing out a list of what must be done and ticking it off as you go is hugely satisfying.”
Create a master grocery list by going through your menu and writing down every single ingredient you’ll need for each dish. Having a visual of all your menu components in one place will ensure that you don’t forget anything, and it’ll free up headspace for everything else you’ve got going on this time of year.
Be sure to include non-food items such as foil roasting pans to supplement your own cookware, as well as chafing dishes and heating cans to keep food warm. Don’t forget drinks and, if you plan to serve cocktails, any garnishes or mixers you’ll need.
Scheduling Strategies
Go through your menu and decide what you can cook ahead. A few hours spent cooking before the holiday lightens the load immeasurably on the actual day. It’s helpful if you have a secondary refrigerator to store your pre-made food. If that’s not an option, clear out your refrigerator as much as possible to maximize space. Alternatively, if it’s cold enough, you can store certain dishes securely wrapped in a garage or on a deck or patio.
A Sample Timeline
Two days before the event: Take advantage of the fact that certain dishes, like soups or stews, taste better if the flavors are allowed to mingle for a while.
The day before the event: Assembling a charcuterie board can be time consuming, so it’s a good candidate for making the day before. Wrap it tightly and store it in a cool, dry place. And a main dish like baked ham, made on Christmas Eve, works well when served cold the next day, freeing up the oven.
The day of the event:
• Determine what you’ll cook on the holiday itself, how long it will take and the equipment required. Remember, you’ll still need your oven to heat up many of the premade dishes, so plan accordingly. It’s possible to make dinner for 30 with one oven and four burners; you just need to be extremely strategic.
• What will go in the oven and what will go on the range? You’ll need the burners for tasks like making gravy or sautéing vegetables. You’ll need the oven for the larger main dishes like turkey.
• Create an hour-by-hour schedule. Here’s an example for a 4 p.m. Christmas dinner with guests arriving at 3 p.m. This menu includes a cream cheese-based cold dip, an 18-pound turkey (adjust the time if you are making a roast), pre-made dishes, and store-bought dinner rolls. (Gravies can be heated in the microwave just before serving.)
8:30 a.m. – Put the turkey in the oven.
9:30 a.m. – Take cream cheese out of the refrigerator to soften before making dip.
10 a.m. – Make cream cheese dip.
11 a.m. – Make salad.
1 p.m. – Remove turkey from oven, cover with foil and begin turkey gravy.
1 to 2:30 p.m. – Heat premade dishes in oven, then transfer to chafing dishes. You may need to do this in shifts if everything doesn’t fit in one oven at the same time.
1:30 p.m. – Remove ham from the refrigerator and make ham gravy.
2 p.m. – Make sautéed vegetables.
2 p.m. – Set out appetizers.
If a rigid schedule like this seems a bit obsessive, that’s because it is. But it’s also liberating. Your kitchen will run like clockwork and you won’t need to think; you can just follow directions.
Most importantly, you’ll have a better shot of enjoying the holiday with your guests.
The article originally appeared in the December 4 – 10, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
