Menu Planning for a Crowd
Menu planning for a crowd may be the most important part of your job. The choices you make in creating your menu can be the difference between an amazing triumph or an utter disaster. Well, not always that dramatic, but you get the idea. Have fun with it!
In the foodservice industry, the menu can be used as a marketing tool to entice guests and customers with mouth-watering descriptions of the foods they're about to savor, and as a management tool to control costs and minimize laborious or lengthy tasks.
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Choosing a simple menu with simple recipes goes a long way in reducing your stress levels. But don’t forget fellow foodies -- simple does not have to be boring!
Always keep in mind your budget, the purpose of the event and the makeup of the guests. See How Much Food to Serve for more information.
Also keep in mind the amount of space you will have to serve the food and types of equipment you will have available to you.
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It's very important to remember that your guests will come equipped with allergies, special
dietary needs and food preferences. Click here to learn more.
No way to heat or cool the menu items? Serve room temperature tortellini or other pasta salads, roasted pepper and olive salad, bean or carrot salads and vegetable and green salads. Serve alongside various breads, deli meats, cold chicken and cheeses with condiments and spreads
Here are a few key menu planning ideas:
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A good place to start the menu planning process is to explore cookbooks, cooking magazines, websites and your recipe box of family favorites. Start a list of ideas and make note of the ingredients, required cooking methods and ease of preparation and service.
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Plan for most dishes to require minimal preparation time, but also add an inspired touch with a few dishes that are unique and complex
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You do not have to prepare 250 servings of every item on a menu for 250 guests. Most people will “sample” a bit of every dish. Do prepare larger amounts of meats and starches because this is what people go for on their first “pass” of the buffet table
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Plan for familiar and well-liked basics such as chicken, pasta, potatoes, familiar vegetables and salads. Stick with classic combinations such as meat and potatoes, pasta and tomatoes and seafood and rice. Jazz up these old standbys with added flavor and pizzazz. See menu ideas for a crowd
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Plan for dishes that can be made in advance and frozen. This can be a tremendous help!
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For best flavor and budget mindfulness, create a seasonal menu. In summer plan for tomatoes, eggplant and peppers. In the winter include squash and greens.
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Make menu decisions easier by choosing an ethnic theme, such as Mexican, Italian or Greek and serving traditional flavors
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If you have cooked for a crowd before, take note of the dishes that were well received and repeat those dishes or menus for easy success.
Practical Selection
Food prepared in large volumes will be transported, transferred, heated, cooled, held, touched and stirred; and that’s all before it's eaten! Each of these actions requires consideration in the menu planning process. These steps are also relative to where you are cooking the food and where it will be served.
As you plan your menu, choose foods based on its ability to be reheated and held at temperature while retaining taste, texture and visual appeal. The same goes for foods that will be served cold or at room temperature.
In some situations, you may have no way of heating, reheating or chilling dishes and may need to plan a menu of all room temperature foods.
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Courses Rule
Most menus consist of courses that interact and blend harmoniously with the next one. The courses in order of service can include drinks or aperitifs, appetizers, soup and/or salad, main entrée, starch, vegetable, bread, dessert, coffee or tea and after dinner drinks. You can also serve fruits, sorbets and cheeses as courses. If you use the courses as a guide you can design a menu for any style of service.
The Well-Balanced Table
The “perfect” menu should be designed with flavor, nutrition, color, texture and temperature in mind.
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Flavor
As you plan the menu imagine the “flavor impact” of all the dishes in combination. Some of my most memorable menus were not so because of any one dish, but because clients and friends appreciated the total taste experience. Consider flavor at every step of your cooking:
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The key to great flavor is seasoning. Use oils, marinades, herbs, wines, vinegars and lemon juice to transform basic foods and simple ingredients into deeply satisfying dishes. Trust your senses and experiment
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Don’t have too many repetitive flavorings or tastes, such as too many cheese-sauced or mayonnaise-based dishes
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Avoid serving the same types of food (pasta salad and lasagna) and using the same cooking methods (fried everything)
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Consider how each dish compliments or contrasts the other dishes on the menu.Try to serve a variety of flavors being sure to include something spicy, sweet, salty and tangy.
For instance, if you plan a luncheon with cheesy baked ziti and spicy sausages as the main course, the surrounding courses should be light and tangy, such as a salad with a citrusy vinaigrette or a refreshing fruit salad.
Nutrition
Keep general nutritional principles in mind as you plan the menu. No one will completely refuse a buffet that is “too healthy” or “too unhealthy”. Avoid extremes and maintain a tempting balance.
Color
You have color coordinated your balloons and napkins, how about your meal? Think of the visual appeal of the finished dish and all dishes in total:
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Choose a variety of colorful foods but not too many of any one color
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Garnishes are easy color boosters. Try parsley, edible flowers, radishes, green onion curls, herb sprigs and lemon slices
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A little diced red pepper on poached fish and a sprinkling of multicolored peppercorns or fresh herbs on boiled potatoes add color and flavor as well.
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Texture
Contrasting textures add yet another dimension to the overall gastronomic experience. Think in terms of creamy, crunchy, chewy and silky. Try not to have too many foods with the same textures.
Add contrasting texture where you can, for example, roasted walnuts add a delightful crunch to a pear and frisée salad. Try garlic rubbed croutons in your creamy tomato soup. Serve both raw and cooked vegetables.
Avoid foods that are soft and runny that will be difficult (and yucky) to put on the plate
Temperature
Serve foods of varying temperatures. Think room temperature appetizers, cold salads, hot soups and so on. Some foods taste better at room temperature and some foods can be served hot but will remain tasty at room temperature.
Types of Food to Consider
Protein
Choose roasted beef or pork loins, veal loins, ham, large roasting chickens, small bone-in chicken pieces, whole turkey, whole turkey breast, leg of lamb, braised meats, stews, meat sauces and casseroles.
Individually portioned and pan-seared meat and poultry chops or cutlets are easier to serve but will become dry unless sauced and not held too long. Avoid larger bone-in pieces of meat because they are difficult to eat while standing or seated without a table. Breaded and fried meats will become soggy, do not reheat especially well and aren’t too tasty at room temperature.
Seafood
Chilled seafood works well such as, steamed or poached shrimp, shrimp or crab cocktail and chilled seafood salads. Pan seared or steamed salmon or other hearty fish fillets will keep in a chafing dish for an hour or so. Prepare fillets in sauce and keep the dish covered. Crab cake appetizers, baked stuff shrimp and stuffed clams should be served quickly and kept covered.
Place cold dishes of seafood in larger containers filled with ice and serve with a tangy dipping or side sauce. The rules for fried meats apply for seafood as well, unless you are able to cook in batches and serve quickly. If you are not sure, consider reserving seafood for a sit-down service.
Vegetables
Choose hearty greens like spinach, collards and kale served steamed or sauteed. Old favorites like buttered corn, carrots, green beans and peas or a mixture are sensible choices. Most vegetables are best if slightly undercooked especially if they are to be held in a chafing dish for long periods. For room temperature service, try roasted or grilled vegetables served with olive oil and lemon juice, mixed green salads (dressing on the side) and bean salads.
Starches
Potato dishes such as mashed, au gratin or scalloped will fare well if kept hot over a low moist heat. Plain white rice becomes sticky and soggy if heated too long unless held covered in a rice cooker or slow cooker. Brown rice, rice pilaf or stir-fried rice will fare a bit better. Couscous and wild rice are also acceptable choices. Pasta is risky unless done in a buttery casserole or with sauce and cheese. Think baked ziti, lasagna and manicotti. Beans and other legumes are great on a buffet but must be kept hot and moist and should be stirred occasionally to keep from sticking.
Keep dietary needs in mind while planning your menu. Some guests will follow diets for religious, cultural, medical or lifestyle reasons.
If your group is quite large it is not possible to learn and accommodate all special requirements. As best you can, be aware of the ingredients in all your dishes and be ready to answer questions about them.
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You might make general assumptions based on guests’ ages. For example, children will be the ones with nut and milk allergies, 20-somethings will lean towards vegan or vegetarianism and it has been my experience that the older the crowd the healthier they wish to eat.
Here is a listing (not all-inclusive) of some dietary considerations:
Vegetarian – eats no meat; some eat fish (pescatarian)
Lacto-vegetarian – eats no animal products except milk and dairy products
Ovo-lacto-vegetarian – eats no animal products except eggs and dairy products
Vegan – absolutely no animal products, not even honey
Gluten-free – due to allergies to proteins found in wheat products
Multiple Allergies – main foods to watch out for include shellfish, milk, eggs, soy, nuts and wheat
Diabetic - limited sugar, carbohydrates and fat
Pork - many cultures and religions do not eat pork or pork products
Kosher – Food selected and prepared according to Jewish laws
Low fat, low salt, low sugar, low cholesterol – probably good for most of us and perhaps something to always consider ☺