Cooking for a crowd is less about being a great cook and more about planning. The hosts who look relaxed did most of the work days earlier. Here’s how.
Choose the right menu
- Pick dishes that can be made ahead — stews, curries, lasagne, traybakes, slow-roast meats and big salads.
- Have one showstopper and keep everything else simple.
- Limit last-minute jobs to one or two things, like warming bread or dressing a salad.
- Don’t try a brand-new recipe for the first time on the day. Cook it once beforehand.
How much food per person
Rough guides for adults at a main meal:
- Meat or fish (boneless): 150–200g.
- Rice: about 75g uncooked.
- Pasta: about 100g dried.
- Potatoes: about 200g.
- Vegetables and salads: 2–3 different sides, about 80g of each.
With lots of dishes on a buffet, people take less of each, so you can scale back a little.
Ask about dietary needs early
Ask guests about allergies and diets when you invite them, not on the day. Make at least one main dish that suits everyone, label dishes that contain common allergens, and keep allergy-safe food separate, with its own serving spoon.
A make-ahead timeline
- A week before: plan the menu, write the shopping list and make anything that freezes.
- Two days before: do the big shop and check you have enough plates, glasses and serving dishes.
- The day before: make sauces, desserts and dressings, prep veg, and set the table.
- On the day: write an oven schedule working back from serving time, so you know what goes in when. Give yourself 30 minutes of slack.
Keep food safe
Keep hot food hot and cold food in the fridge until it’s time to serve. Don’t leave food sitting out for hours — put leftovers in the fridge within two hours and eat them within two days. Our food safety guide has the details.
Accept help
When someone asks “Can I bring anything?”, say yes: dessert, drinks or a salad. It takes pressure off and people like to contribute.
CulinaryFlow’s Meal Planner can build a menu around your guests’ diets and combine everything into one shopping list. Open any recipe and scale the servings up for the crowd.