How to Prepare Food for Eagle Scout Celebrations

How to prepare food for a group function, specifically a child/parent event.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pen and Paper
• Cooking Utensils-Pots, Pans, Knives, Ladles, Spatulas, Tongs
• Serving Utensils-Serving Trays and Bowls, Plasticware, Tableclothes, Dishes, Napkins, Cups
• Helpers to prepare food, set up, serve and clean up.
• Grocery list of ingredients in recipes and money to pay for it.
• Fridge and freezer space to store food before and after being prepared.
• Location to have event and prepare food in.

1. 
    
   lightbulb

   Brainstorm and Budget-To begin you need to set up a budget. Everything depends on items you can afford. Then, find out about issues like allergies, diet restrictions, equipment you have available for cooking and storing food, locations you will be working with and how many people you can have helping. Next, create a theme for the recipes(i.e. Chinese, Italian, Halloween)that goes with the event theme. Once you chose your recipes, make a master grocery list and go shopping. Store your food purchases and staple your receipts to your budget.

2. 
    
   veggies

   Preparing Your Recipes-Take a look at your recipes and see what can be prepared ahead(ex. some desserts), what was bought ahead(fruit & veggie trays), and what has to be made that day. Divide recipes among helpers. Prepare each recipe following directions and place in trays to travel to the event location.

3. 
    
   serve

   Serving Your Food At The Event-When everyone starts arriving with the food, start checking off that the item has arrived. Make sure hot items are hot and cold items are cold. Set up tables, serving utensils and serving trays with food. Once the food is done, clean up and go home or enjoy the event.

Tips & Warnings

• The more help the better. Don't sign up for more then you have help for.
• Put cheaper and less popular items in the beginning of the buffet(salad, chips, veggie trays) and more expensive and popular recipes at the end(main entrees & desserts).
• Set up a separate table for your drinks so your buffet line doesn't get backed up.
• Even though most people think that parties are the best place to take home leftovers, it is often more dangerous than at a restaurant. The more people to breathe near the buffet, the more germs you can give to your family at the next meal.
• Always make sure everything is heated to 165 degrees. It kills almost all bad bugs.
• Food should also not be out at room temperature for longer then 4 hours, after that-THROW IT OUT!

Resources

• Great site to pick recipes and easily change servings.

[SharonJeanne]

on 1/8/2009 Great ideas for any group function. Thanks!

[sunshine11219]

on 1/7/2009 great ideas and just in time as well