Tag Archives: menu planner

American Dinner Party Menu Planner

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Chocolate creme pie. French fries. Prime rib. It’s undeniable: everyone loves an American-style feast. That’s just one of the many reasons why having an American food dinner party for your friends and family is always going to be a successful and delightful occasion. However, sometimes planning a huge meal can be a bit stressful. That’s why mapping out a menu planner is essential for anyone throwing a dinner party. A menu planner is simply a menu that lays out all the dishes you plan on serving. Next time you want to have a dinner party, follow our sample American dinner menu, which can help you plan out your own soiree.

Sample American Menu Planner

  • Appetizers: Whatever kind of dinner party you plan, always have something to munch on the second the guests come out the door. Some warm dinner rolls and honey butter could be perfect for an American-style party. You could also try a cheese log, which you can find at your local grocery store or make at home.
  • Salads: Kick off your dinner with a fresh salad with a homemade vinaigrette. For summer, try a fruit-based vinaigrette. For winter, you can do something a bit heavier, like a ranch or bleu cheese, creamy dressing. Adorn your salad with cherry tomatoes or some nuts for sustenance. You can also try serving a classic cobb salad, with iceberg lettuce, bacon, avocado, chives, and a hard-boiled egg.
  • Main course: For an American main course you need a hearty meat, coupled with a green and perhaps a starch. Some great American main courses may include burgers or prime rib. Pick a green side, like asparagus, which tastes fantastic grilled, beets, green beans, or broccoli casserole. Try offering a potato salad, French fries, or a baked potato to compliment your protein.
  • Dessert: The best part of any American dinner party? Dessert, of course! Chocolate cream pie could make all of your guests swoon with delight. For those who prefer a fruit-based dessert, peach cobbler with vanilla bean ice cream is a great option.

Next time you have a dinner party, make sure to complete a menu planner before you make your grocery list or send out the invites. Classic American family dinner menus will have your friends and family savoring every bite.

The Perfect Timeline for Family Meal Planners

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Are you the meal planner in your family? It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it. Being the designated “meal planner” usually means that you’re in charge of dinner parties and big holiday meals: the cooking, the cleaning, the works. There’s a reason why about 90% of Americans feel increased stress during December holidays, according to Consumer Reports. The cooking alone is enough to turn anyone into the Grinch. Whether you’re planning a dinner party or you have to prepare the big Christmas or Thanksgiving meal, the best way to eliminate stress is to make a timeline. Starting early will make even amateur meal planners execute large meals with ease.

A month ahead:

About a month before the big meal, you should be establishing that a meal will be served and taking care of factors that don’t involve much of the cooking. Try cracking down on some of these things four weeks before the meal:

  • Pick a menu
  • Prepare pie crusts and cookie dough, vacuum seal, and put them in the freezer
  • Decide on table decor
  • Make your guest list and send out invites

A couple of weeks ahead:

The real prep begins just a few weeks ahead of the meal when you should:

  • Make shopping lists
  • Find recipes for your menu, print, and make detailed lists for recipes
  • Make suggestions as to what your guests should bring, if they offer to bring a dish

5 days ahead:

Five days ahead you may be starting to panic. Never fear! Call up your guests and complete these tasks to ease your stress:

  • Call guests who have not RSVPed and ask them if they will be attending
  • Make relishes, sauces, and vinaigrettes
  • Purchase meats if you’re planning on using large cuts of meat and throw them in freezer with pie crusts

3 days ahead:

After confirming guest lists, preparing sauces, and buying meat, you should try to accomplish these tasks:

  • Thaw meat
  • Gather equipment
  • Polish silver, arrange decorations, clean the house

2 days ahead:

It’s almost here! You can do a lot of your perishable grocery shopping days before the big event so that you can rest easy the day before the big meal:

  • Prepare items that you can make immediately and store accordingly
  • Do your perishable grocery shopping

Day before:

The day before the event is the time to chop, clean, and do all the prep work for the meal:

  • Do prep chopping, washing, etc.
  • Prepare punch
  • Make plan that indicates what time you should cook each dish
  • Prepare baked goods

Day of:

  • Put on your game-face and make it all come to life!

Being a menu planner may not be simple, but if you make a month-long plan ahead of time, you’ll be able to execute your dinner with ease.

Creative Meal Ideas for Dinner: The Italian Feast

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Sometimes we fall into a rut, making the same recipes night after night, week after week. However, part of the fun of cooking dinner at home is getting creative and trying out new recipes. Variety is the spice of life, after all. Instead of having regular ol’ family dinner menus, why not plan a fun night that the whole family can enjoy? Tonight, try having an Italian night, checkered tablecloths, chef hats, and mustaches included.  After all, Italian food is the second most preferred cuisine in the U.S. (after American, of course)!

Tips for a Great Italian Dinner

If you want to change things up during dinner time, try a few of these meal ideas for a wonderful Italian feast:

  • Kick off your Italian dinner with appetizers – some garlic bread or focaccia bread with onions and garlic. Both of these appetizer options are easy to make and dangerously delicious. You can also serve a Caprese salad, with fresh tomato, basil, mozzarella, fresh cracked pepper, and garlic oil to whet your appetite for the big meal. Crostini are another great option for those that want a simple, yet delicious appetizer to kick off the meal. Get creative with your crostini, using anything from salami and fennel, to mushrooms and rosemary.
  • Next it’s on to the primi piatti, or first courses in Italian. The first course is generally a pasta-based dish, like spaghetti bolognese (spaghetti with ragu sauce), lasagna, ravioli, gnocchi, or simply spaghetti with red pepper flakes, butter, and garlic oil. Buy whole wheat pasta if you’re trying to prepare healthy foods for your Italian dinner party. Trader Joe’s carries a top-rated Organic Whole Wheat Pasta, which tastes great with pesto. Real Simple magazine notes spaghetti with bacon and squash, spaghetti primavera, and spaghetti with ricotta and tomatoes as the top kid-friendly spaghetti recipes, if you are trying to please the young ones.
  • Next it’s on to the secondi piatti (or second courses). The second course in an Italian meal is usually composed of a protein, like fish, meat, or poultry. If you’re trying to serve a vegetarian meal, you could also serve cheese plates or a salad as the secondi piatti. Second courses include shrimp scampi, roast pork, veal stew, or baked chicken with mushrooms.
  • Last but certainly not least is the dolci (desserts). Hailing from Venice, tiramisu is great for coffee-lovers and chocolate-lovers alike. Gelato (ice cream), panna cotta, biscotti (Italian cookie that goes well with coffee), granitas (or flavored ice), or cannoli are all great options for an Italian dessert.

After the last dish is served, it’s time to grab a coffee or espresso, kick back, and relax with your family and friends. Ciao!

 

Family Menu Planning for Movie Nights

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Whether you’re on winter vacation or you’re lazing around the house on a warm summer night, movie nights can really bring the whole family together. Next time you want to spend some extra time with your kids, try hosting a movie night with a special movie night menu to really get everyone in the mood for a good flick and family fun time.

Movie Night Family Menu Plan

Hit the lights, take your seats, and brace yourself for some great foods that are just perfect for family movie night:

  • Kick off your movie night with the entree (the snacks will come later so go ahead and skip the appetizers for this menu). Main courses should be fun, festive, and preferably something you can handle with your hands. Try panko-crust chicken tenders with honey dill dip. Beef sliders on toasted rolls could also make the perfect movie night entree because of their petite size. Just have one or two each and save your appetites for the snacks and dessert! Mini pizza poppers, made out of puff pastry dough filled with sausages, tomato sauce, and veggies, could also make the perfect entree because they’re not extremely messy, helping you avoid a potential couch mess.
  • No meal is complete without some veggies. With crudité, you can have raw veggies and a nice dip. Chef Craig Koketsu of New York’s Park Avenue Winter recommends pairing broccoli with Cheetos for a fun side that makes snacking a little bit healthier.
  • After dinner has been served and Cheeto broccoli has been devoured, it’s time to roll out the snacks. Nothing says “movie” like popcorn, so make sure you have your family’s favorite type of popcorn on hand. Heat popcorn in your Dutch oven on your stovetop with a little bit of vegetable oil and about 1/3 cup popping corn kernels. Caramel popcorn is also the perfect dessert. Make caramel at home by either melting your favorite caramel candies in a double boiler (the easier way) or, for a culinary challenge, make your own caramel from scratch. Include M&Ms over salty popcorn for a melted-chocolate treat.
  • For dessert, you’ll want to stick to the idea that finger foods are your best bet at keeping the couch in tip top shape. Try double chocolate chunk or macadamia nut cookies, munched over napkins, of course!

Now that you have your movie night menu planning all done, it’s time to scroll through that Pay Per View selection or hit Netflix to find some wonderful flicks that will entertain the whole family.