When catering for a small party, it’s important to keep your costs down. This can be done by controlling the duration of the event and serving finger foods instead of full dinner courses.

This is a great option for families, church groups or anyone that wants to cater their own event. This option includes family-style meals with a main dish, two sides, and cornbread.

1. Don’t go overboard

Whether it’s cocktail snacks during an after-work party, dinner at a wedding or a birthday celebration, delicious food is the highlight of any great event. But preparing a meal for a large crowd can be stressful and time-consuming. Hiring a catering service is an easy way to satisfy your guests’ appetites while keeping you sane and stress-free.

Most caterers will charge on a per-person basis, so it’s important to know your guest count ahead of time. It’s also a good idea to take inventory of your serving options, such as glassware, plates and utensils. This will help you avoid overspending on your catering order.

Hosting a party at your home is warm, personal and often less expensive than renting a space. But if you have never hosted an event of this size before, it can be a nerve-wracking experience. Here are some simple catering tips to keep your party stress-free and a success!

2. Keep it simple

Whether you’re planning for a birthday party, anniversary or a company picnic, the food you serve will make or break the event. Keeping the food trays full and the beverages stocked is an important task, but it’s also one that’s often overshadowed by other aspects of preparing for the big day.

It’s not uncommon for people to feel overwhelmed when it comes to catering events. From choosing a menu to picking up rental equipment and setting up seating arrangements, there are a lot of details that need to be taken care of before a party can begin.

To reduce the stress and anxiety of planning a party, it’s important to keep things simple. This includes knowing what ingredients you’ll need for the event and establishing clear expectations for what needs to be done and provided by your catering service. For example, will they pick up and return rentals, or do you need to do this yourself?

3. Make it easy on yourself

Running a catering business requires next-level organizational skills to build or customize menus, keep track of expenses, and manage staff. You’ll also need to find a space with a kitchen large enough for a prep area, a refrigerator or freezer, and storage for serving platters.

Caterers often bring in equipment like tables and chairs, dishes, glasses, and other supplies that may be needed for the event. Some caterers even provide linens. Make sure that you know what you’ll need and how much it will cost so that you can budget accordingly.

Caterers can use smaller events to market their business and showcase food preparation skills. For example, a catering company that specializes in desserts could offer to make syrup for a baby shower or fondant tarts for an engagement proposal. They can carry business cards at each event and post pictures of their work on social media. And they can create a website and brochure to share with potential customers.

4. Have fun

Hosting a party can be a daunting task. Not only do you have to worry about the number of guests, but also about making sure everyone has food and drink available. Plus, you have to keep all the food trays filled and ice water stocked. It is a lot to handle for even the most hospitable of hosts.

Caterers can make your job much easier by providing everything you need for the event. They can supply plates, glassware, and serving pieces as well as any specialty items you might need like a coffee urn or ice buckets.

Catering for a small party is a great way to show your friends and family that you care about them. By taking the stress out of the meal, you can focus on having a fun time with your loved ones.