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Diwali, the festival of lights, is a joyous occasion that often calls for celebrations and gatherings with friends and family. If you're planning to host a Diwali party at your place, one of the most important aspects to consider is your menu. Planning, menu decisions, and preparations can seem like a daunting task, especially if you're short on help. However, a stress-free celebration is possible with some advance planning. Create lists, divide tasks among family members, and execute them in the days leading up to the event. By doing so, the workload is distributed efficiently, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable celebration on the party day. Here are some useful tips that will help you simplify your party menu so that there is no mess, and the fun never stops. Making these changes can help you handle hosting with less stress, so you can enjoy the festivities with your family and friends.
One Week Before the Party
Decide on the Menu and Write it Down: Let's start by creating your menu. Take some time to choose the dishes you'd like to serve, including appetisers, main courses, desserts, and beverages. After you have finalised your menu, take the time to create a written list that you can refer to later.
Decide the Table Serveware and Napkins: Consider your presentation. Decide on the tableware, serveware, and napkins you will use for each dish. Make sure they are clean and polished. Having everything ready in advance will save time on the day of the party.
Make a List of Grocery Requirements: Make sure you use your menu to guide your complete shopping list. First, you should see if you already have any of the necessary items in your cupboard.
Three Days Before the Party
Buy All the Groceries: Take your grocery list and go to the store to buy all the things you need. This step is important because it gives you enough time to locate any ingredients that may be missing or find suitable alternatives if needed.
Make Ahead Items to Freeze: You can get a head start on your cooking by preparing and freezing certain dishes or ingredients ahead of time. You can store items like chutneys, cutlets, or even marinated meats in the freezer until the day of the party. This will help reduce your workload significantly.
One Day Before the Party
Buy Fresh Vegetables: Do some shopping for any fresh veggies or other perishable ingredients that the food you serve may require. The key to presenting good meals is ensuring that the ingredients are still fresh.
Chop and Store in the Fridge: Prepare your vegetables, including chopping and washing them, in advance to save time on the day of the party. Place them in sealed containers and store them in the refrigerator.
Clean the herbs like coriander and Mint: For use in garnishes and chutneys, the mint and coriander leaves should be washed and cleaned. Doing these preparatory steps will make putting together your dishes much simpler and more time-efficient.
Take Out All Serve and Tableware: Prepare your dining space by removing all of your serveware and tableware from storage and ensuring that everything is in a state of readiness to be presented.
On Party Day
Keep Desserts and Main Course Ready: If the dishes on your menu may be refrigerated or heated up again later, you need to ensure that they are prepared and stored in the appropriate manner. During the preparations for the party, this will save you from wasting any time.
Prep Your Snacks: Get your snacks ready to eat by putting together their individual components in advance. This will make the procedure easier as your visitors come, whether it's putting together chaats or just having the ingredients ready for speedy cooking.
Menu Ideas
Starters: Corn, paneer tikki, Dahi puchka chaat, garlic bread,
Main course: Chole, Dal Tadka or Makhni, Achari Aloo, Vegetable Biryani, Bedmi poori aloo.
Desserts: Fruit cream, Kheer, Gulab Jamun with ice cream
Quick Tips
- When compared to the quantity of the main course, the quantity of the starters should be more because by the time the main course is served, everyone's tummies are already full. --- Dips chaat boards are a great idea.
- Avoid menus that require you to spend an additional amount of time in the kitchen.
- The chapatis can be stored in a partially cooked state in the morning and then heated up over a flame before serving.
- Arrange the food on a table so that everyone may help themselves, and no food is wasted.
