Self Catering A Memphis Backyard Event

Here in the Mid-South, large outdoor events are common especially during the summer months. Since the weather this time of year tends to be hot, humid and dry, many people in the Memphis area take advantage of the weather and hosts backyard get-togethers for various reasons even if that reason is only to show off their landscaping. We are proud of our backyards, aren’t we? Whatever the reason, having more than a few people over does require a certain level of planning, especially if you are providing the food for your guest. Although a local Memphis catering service would be ideal in this situation, the expense of using a catering service is not always within the family budget.

Getting Organized

An organizational system can be very handy planning a event. It can be as simple as file in your word processing program or elaborate as a spreadsheet. Whichever way you choose is up to you but you will need a system of some kind to centralize the planning of your event. This organizational database will be where you keep everything about your event. All your list will be kept in this database and list are very important as you will see below.

Putting Together Your Lists

Yes, we said lists as in plural! You will need separate lists when planning your event starting with the contact information of all guests that will be attending. The guest list will serve both as contact information for your guest and how many in their party will be attending if they have accepted your invitation. No one in their right mind would turn down such invitation as you well know!

Equipment list are necessary especially if it is a very large backyard event. Most people don’t keep extra patio furniture sitting around so additional tables and chairs may be needed. You may even consider providing your guest with a portable potty building that can be rented form local providers. A large event can tax the bathroom facilities of your home, so this is a necessary consideration.

Most importantly, you will need a list of the food you will need to provide for your guest. You will also need to list other various requirements such a cups, napkins, flatware and alcohol. Keg beer is a favorite for these types of events so utilizing the services of a local beer distributor can quickly eliminate this task for your list. Finally, you will need a to-do list which you can check off each task as it has been completed. Make sure you list everything on your to-do list.

Make a Menu

Determining what your menu will be will take a bit of extra time since you must figure out everything that will make up your menu beginning with appetizers and ending with desserts. Ingredients for the items you are going to prepare yourself will need to be added to the list along with items that are already prepared out the box or package. If you are preparing most of your menu yourself, it is important that you estimate preparation time and determine if some items can be prepare in advance and frozen until needed. In this way you can minimize the amount of cooking required on the day of your special event.

Once your menu is planned it is time to go shopping. Catering your own backyard event here in Memphis can get expensive and if a budgetary guidelines are in place, it is important that your shopping be done at places that are inexpensive. There are a number of bargain club stores here in Memphis which offer discounted prices for items bought in bulk sand bulk is exactly what you are looking for when catering your own event. Online shopping is another way to locate items you may need and many online shopping outlets offer reduced prices when compared to the local market.

Your Timetable

Once you have your menu in place and all the items and ingrediants that will make up your menu it is time to schedule preparation timeline. Remember, some menu items can be prepared days in advance so utilize your freezer to eliminate possible scheduling conflicts within your preparation schedule. Although food is the largest part of self catering events, other preparations such as putting up decorations, especially if your event is themed, need to be planned for as well. Make sure to allow for last minute details that may have forgotten by giving yourself some room in your timeline to deal with these unforeseen circumstances.

Although you are the host, there is no reason you can’t enjoy your backyard event as much as your guest. By taking the time to organize and plan efficiently, your special day should go off without a hitch allowing you the time to not only be the host, but also an active participant.