(Ray)
(Fogra 39)Job:07-30969 Title:FW-Gluten Free Entertaining
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(Fogra 39)Job:07-30969 Title:FW-Gluten Free Entertaining
#175 Dtp:225 Page:001-176_30969.indd 11 7/15/13 1:05 PMPlanning the Perfect Party 11(Text)
Once you’ve answered these questions you can begin to plan the menu. You’ll want
to serve a variety of foods that will appeal to everyone in your group, be easy to prepare,
and be ready all at the same time. My secret is to always serve some items that can be
made ahead and served cold or at room temperature and some items that can be partially
prepped in advance and finished right before you eat. If you don’t want to worry about
serving cocktails, you can serve beer and wine, which don’t require any prep (you can serve
gluten-free beer and/or regular beer for guests who can tolerate gluten). If you’re feeling
ambitious, offer a mixed cocktail that complements the menu. A balance of these different
kinds of items will make your job as a host that much easier and allow you to have time to
enjoy your party, the guests, and the food!Make Shopping Easy and Affordable
It’s amazing the amount of money you can save if you know where to look! Personally,
I’m the world’s best online shopper. If I’m looking for a particular serving piece, specialty
food item, or anything else, I can find it online! Websites like Amazon that offer customer
reviews are key. Read them and use them to make sure you’re really getting a quality
product at a bargain instead of a cheap dud. Once I’ve found what I’m looking for (and
before I check out), I do an online search for coupon codes (www.retailmenot.com is a
great resource for this). You’d be amazed at what you can save this way, just by looking!
Enter the coupon code at checkout; it’s that easy.
Aside from online shopping, I also hit up my local savings club like Costco or Sam’s
Club for bulk party items. Deals here are exceptional. Doing a lot of baking? This is the
place to stock up on butter, eggs, vanilla, powdered sugar, and more. Having a cocktail
party? You can get your liquor here, too! And you’d be amazed at the prices on things
like organic meats and poultry. I usually pay one-third of what I would at the local organic
market. If you really want to save time and money there, though, heed this advice: Beware
of temptation—there will be lots of bargains on items you don’t need that will seem very
tempting. Put your blinders on and walk on! You’re not saving anything if you wind up
spending what you save on impulse buys. Make a list and stick to it. Also, get there early
or go late to avoid crazy lines.(Ray)
(Fogra 39)Job:07-30969 Title:FW-Gluten Free Entertaining
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(Fogra 39)Job:07-30969 Title:FW-Gluten Free Entertaining
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