Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 09:32     Subject: Make ahead/prep ahead meal for company
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think it's poor hosting to make everything ahead. Desserts? Okay. Salad (without dressing) maybe okay. Fancy bread with dinner? Okay. But if I'm not willing to put in the time and effort, why am I even bothering to have these people over? They deserve high quality, tasty meals.


When I visit someone’s home, I am there for the company rather than the food - I have food at home. While I enjoy good food and appreciate whatever time, money, and effort my hosts devote to the occasion, I would much rather chip in for pizza or take a covered dish to a potluck than to have a host(ess) who is too busy and/or stressed out to socialize with their guests and enjoy their own party.


OP here and thanks for this! I am more of your philosophy, particularly since more than 50 percent of the people will be elementary school aged or younger.

I actually really like to cook a nice meal but making something reasonably kid friendly (guests have a very picky child) and that won’t tie me to the kitchen can be a bit of a challenge.


This was an extremely important detail OP.


Yes, you are right, I should have said that explicitly. But while I always make sure there are kid friendly sides but I like the meal to be something that adults actually like. So there will be fruit and Mac n cheese but I don’t feel the need for the main dish to be a “kid food”. But I do like to be available as much as possible to help out with the kids and if my friend needs to follow her toddler around some I want to be able to hand her a glass of wine and go with her, not stand over the stove the whole time.


Order pizza.

Seriously I would not expect a nice meal where the host is busy following parents to hand them wine while they follow toddlers.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 09:12     Subject: Make ahead/prep ahead meal for company
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think it's poor hosting to make everything ahead. Desserts? Okay. Salad (without dressing) maybe okay. Fancy bread with dinner? Okay. But if I'm not willing to put in the time and effort, why am I even bothering to have these people over? They deserve high quality, tasty meals.


When I visit someone’s home, I am there for the company rather than the food - I have food at home. While I enjoy good food and appreciate whatever time, money, and effort my hosts devote to the occasion, I would much rather chip in for pizza or take a covered dish to a potluck than to have a host(ess) who is too busy and/or stressed out to socialize with their guests and enjoy their own party.


OP here and thanks for this! I am more of your philosophy, particularly since more than 50 percent of the people will be elementary school aged or younger.

I actually really like to cook a nice meal but making something reasonably kid friendly (guests have a very picky child) and that won’t tie me to the kitchen can be a bit of a challenge.


This was an extremely important detail OP.


Yes, you are right, I should have said that explicitly. But while I always make sure there are kid friendly sides but I like the meal to be something that adults actually like. So there will be fruit and Mac n cheese but I don’t feel the need for the main dish to be a “kid food”. But I do like to be available as much as possible to help out with the kids and if my friend needs to follow her toddler around some I want to be able to hand her a glass of wine and go with her, not stand over the stove the whole time.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 09:09     Subject: Make ahead/prep ahead meal for company
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think it's poor hosting to make everything ahead. Desserts? Okay. Salad (without dressing) maybe okay. Fancy bread with dinner? Okay. But if I'm not willing to put in the time and effort, why am I even bothering to have these people over? They deserve high quality, tasty meals.


Yikes, ok. I like to talk to people when they are over and feel bad when people follow me to the kitchen because they feel bad enjoying themselves while I’m working over the stove. I think the best is something you prep ahead and then it cooks fresh but without needing a lot of attention (like lasagna in my OP). But I always make pulled pork/chicken by cooking for like 6 hours so that seems like it would achieve the same goal. I make the Mac n cheese real time too of course. Thankful my friends are definitely chiller than you!


I have high standards for myself. I wouldn't serve a crock pot meal to guests. It screams lazy and messy to me. Pulled pork seems like something to eat outdoors, like at a ... block party or something.


NP. It depends. Are they overnight house guests staying for a few days, or friends coming over for one meal?

If the former, “family food” is fine. If the latter, something nicer would be appropriate, but that doesn’t exclude food that can be made ahead, like Ina’s entire cookbook on this subject.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 08:55     Subject: Make ahead/prep ahead meal for company
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think it's poor hosting to make everything ahead. Desserts? Okay. Salad (without dressing) maybe okay. Fancy bread with dinner? Okay. But if I'm not willing to put in the time and effort, why am I even bothering to have these people over? They deserve high quality, tasty meals.


When I visit someone’s home, I am there for the company rather than the food - I have food at home. While I enjoy good food and appreciate whatever time, money, and effort my hosts devote to the occasion, I would much rather chip in for pizza or take a covered dish to a potluck than to have a host(ess) who is too busy and/or stressed out to socialize with their guests and enjoy their own party.


OP here and thanks for this! I am more of your philosophy, particularly since more than 50 percent of the people will be elementary school aged or younger.

I actually really like to cook a nice meal but making something reasonably kid friendly (guests have a very picky child) and that won’t tie me to the kitchen can be a bit of a challenge.


This was an extremely important detail OP.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 08:53     Subject: Re:Make ahead/prep ahead meal for company
When I visit someone’s home, I am there for the company rather than the food - I have food at home.


The two aren't mutually exclusive. You can have both good company and good food.

While I enjoy good food and appreciate whatever time, money, and effort my hosts devote to the occasion, I would much rather chip in for pizza or take a covered dish to a potluck than to have a host(ess) who is too busy and/or stressed out to socialize with their guests and enjoy their own party.


That sounds like an opportunity to help the host(ess). I'd help a friend provide both good company and good food, if the alternative is pizza delivery/take-out pizza. If you want pizza, at least meet at the restaurant where the pizza comes out fresh and you don't need to do dishes.



Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 08:39     Subject: Make ahead/prep ahead meal for company
Anonymous wrote:My adult DS was coming for dinner last night and I like to make him something he wouldn’t typically cook for himself. I opted for meatloaf—did all the mixing earlier in day and put it in the oven an hour or so before serving. I added rice and Caprese salad, but Mac and cheese would be good too.


My husband loves meatloaf and I haven’t made it in ages. Thanks for the reminder. Caprese salad is another nice one that can be prepared a bit before, I wonder if I can add that in…
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 08:35     Subject: Make ahead/prep ahead meal for company
Anonymous wrote:My favorite meal I received after having a baby was:
Homemade chicken salad
Leafy lettuce already washed and nice tomatoes
Loaf of bakery bread sliced
Fruit salad
Bundt cake

I would have all that on hand if anyone gets hungry.


That is a perfect baby meal. Mentally tucking this away for the next time I prep one.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 08:33     Subject: Make ahead/prep ahead meal for company
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think it's poor hosting to make everything ahead. Desserts? Okay. Salad (without dressing) maybe okay. Fancy bread with dinner? Okay. But if I'm not willing to put in the time and effort, why am I even bothering to have these people over? They deserve high quality, tasty meals.


When I visit someone’s home, I am there for the company rather than the food - I have food at home. While I enjoy good food and appreciate whatever time, money, and effort my hosts devote to the occasion, I would much rather chip in for pizza or take a covered dish to a potluck than to have a host(ess) who is too busy and/or stressed out to socialize with their guests and enjoy their own party.


OP here and thanks for this! I am more of your philosophy, particularly since more than 50 percent of the people will be elementary school aged or younger.

I actually really like to cook a nice meal but making something reasonably kid friendly (guests have a very picky child) and that won’t tie me to the kitchen can be a bit of a challenge.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 08:32     Subject: Make ahead/prep ahead meal for company
In this heat, I’d make tagine and tabbouleh:
Cook diced potatoes. Add jar of marinated artichoke, jar of sliced roasted peppers, can of diced tomatoes, can of chickpeas, can of green beans, whole black olives. Chill.
Make tabbouleh with bulgur, parsley, mint, fresh tomatoes, and air fry crumbled tofu to mix in. Chill.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 08:28     Subject: Make ahead/prep ahead meal for company
My favorite meal I received after having a baby was:
Homemade chicken salad
Leafy lettuce already washed and nice tomatoes
Loaf of bakery bread sliced
Fruit salad
Bundt cake

I would have all that on hand if anyone gets hungry.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 08:28     Subject: Make ahead/prep ahead meal for company
Anonymous wrote:Indian food, if you like it, is excellent for make ahead. Butter chicken, a couple of veggie dishes like aloo gobi & saag paneer. Store bought naan and rice on the side.


Oh man I love Indian food but I have never learned to cook it myself and probably shouldn’t experiment on company. Great idea though.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 07:32     Subject: Make ahead/prep ahead meal for company
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think it's poor hosting to make everything ahead. Desserts? Okay. Salad (without dressing) maybe okay. Fancy bread with dinner? Okay. But if I'm not willing to put in the time and effort, why am I even bothering to have these people over? They deserve high quality, tasty meals.


Yikes, ok. I like to talk to people when they are over and feel bad when people follow me to the kitchen because they feel bad enjoying themselves while I’m working over the stove. I think the best is something you prep ahead and then it cooks fresh but without needing a lot of attention (like lasagna in my OP). But I always make pulled pork/chicken by cooking for like 6 hours so that seems like it would achieve the same goal. I make the Mac n cheese real time too of course. Thankful my friends are definitely chiller than you!


I have high standards for myself. I wouldn't serve a crock pot meal to guests. It screams lazy and messy to me. Pulled pork seems like something to eat outdoors, like at a ... block party or something.

The other posters sound a lot more fun!
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 07:21     Subject: Make ahead/prep ahead meal for company
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think it's poor hosting to make everything ahead. Desserts? Okay. Salad (without dressing) maybe okay. Fancy bread with dinner? Okay. But if I'm not willing to put in the time and effort, why am I even bothering to have these people over? They deserve high quality, tasty meals.


When I visit someone’s home, I am there for the company rather than the food - I have food at home. While I enjoy good food and appreciate whatever time, money, and effort my hosts devote to the occasion, I would much rather chip in for pizza or take a covered dish to a potluck than to have a host(ess) who is too busy and/or stressed out to socialize with their guests and enjoy their own party.


+1!!
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 06:18     Subject: Make ahead/prep ahead meal for company
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think it's poor hosting to make everything ahead. Desserts? Okay. Salad (without dressing) maybe okay. Fancy bread with dinner? Okay. But if I'm not willing to put in the time and effort, why am I even bothering to have these people over? They deserve high quality, tasty meals.


When I visit someone’s home, I am there for the company rather than the food - I have food at home. While I enjoy good food and appreciate whatever time, money, and effort my hosts devote to the occasion, I would much rather chip in for pizza or take a covered dish to a potluck than to have a host(ess) who is too busy and/or stressed out to socialize with their guests and enjoy their own party.


+1

If high quality food is the goal, that’s what restaurants are for. Friend nights are about the company, so PP’s pulled pork is a great summer idea.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2025 05:14     Subject: Make ahead/prep ahead meal for company
My adult DS was coming for dinner last night and I like to make him something he wouldn’t typically cook for himself. I opted for meatloaf—did all the mixing earlier in day and put it in the oven an hour or so before serving. I added rice and Caprese salad, but Mac and cheese would be good too.