If You Cook It, They Will Come

There are several options for food and meal planning for your reunion. The decision will, of course, depend on your facilities, your budget, and how many days your reunion covers. Keep in mind caterers and restaurants usually cost a lot more than preparing the meals yourself. If your reunion lasts three to four days, a combination of options could work best.

For the least amount of stress on the reunion planner, the easiest option for meals is to have each family bring and cook its own. They bring whatever they are going to eat and everything with which they need to cook it. This works best if you’re camping or if the hotel comes with kitchen facilities. One problem with this, however, is that there won’t be any socializing during meals. Families may tend to keep to themselves, and isn’t getting to know each other better the whole point? A solution would be to always have a central location for eating, while preparation happens in the individual families.

While this is the least expensive and least stressful for the planner, it may not be very practical or socially graceful to ask people who are flying or traveling long distances to cart along and prepare food. This works best if most of the family is in generally the same area.

Prepare and Share

While this means families have to bring food, it’s okay to ask because it’s for a potluck. But keep in mind how far the families have to travel, and if you have grocery stores around where they’ll be able to pick something up.

Let families know which meals will be potluck and assign each a specific course—appetizer, main dish, salad, vegetable, drinks, dessert, etc.—so that you don’t end up with forty two-liters of root beer. Some items cost more than others, so you may want to consider giving some families two or three of the less expensive categories.

Another option is to have the planner provide the main course with the reunion budget and the side dishes assigned potluck style.

Come and Get It!

With a few extra hands and well-planned meals, you can easily handle feeding the troops. Before the reunion, plan easy, filling meals and then set off to Costco or your local bulk/warehouse grocery store. When you’re packing, label everything according to which meal (Thursday lunch, Friday breakfast) it will be used.

Assign families or groups of three to five relatives to make and clean up each meal. It will be a great opportunity for them to bond and everyone will be more than willing to help on their turn while the rest of their meals are prepared by others.

Dining Out

Advantages: No one (including yourself) has to worry about cooking or cleaning up.

Disadvantages: You’ll probably have to reserve a room well in advance, and it’s going to be a lot more expensive.

When you make a reservation, be sure to get, in writing, the verified date and time, the expected headcount including children, the price per person, the date the final head count is needed, and cancellation terms. And don’t forget to budget for gratuity.

Catering

Again, this is a nice option because you don’t have to cook or clean up. And unlike dining out, all you need is the location because the food comes to you. You can order individual meals, but a simpler and less expensive approach would be to order the food in bulk and have the meal buffet style. Try the local university for affordable catering services. Find out if the catering company provides plates and eating utensils and if they cost extra.

Feeding the Masses

Some foods cater well to mass quantities. As long as it’s easy to prepare, filling, and tastes good, you’re not likely to hear any complaints

Potato Bar

Bake enough potatoes to feed the crew. Set them on a long table and follow with sour cream, chives, chili, cheese, diced bacon, salt, pepper, seasonings, and butter.

Corn on the Cob

The only part that takes any time is husking the corn, and that’s a great job for the kids. Fill a big pot with water and boil.

Hamburgers and Hot Dogs

These are easy because one person grills all of them, but everyone makes up their own. Set out drinks, chips, and a vegetable tray and everyone’s happy.

Taco Bar

Same idea as the potato bar; all you have to do is cook up the meat and seasoning. Have helpers dice tomatoes, chop lettuce, and use the sour cream from the potato bar. Stock the table with hard shell tortillas, soft tortillas, and taco bowls (for taco salad), and don’t forget the salsa.

Spaghetti

Grab ready-made spaghetti sauce, a bag of salad, ranch dressing, garlic bread, and you’re done.

Sloppy Joes

Don’t forget the napkins and serve with lemonade and barbeque potato chips or old-fashioned potato salad.

LDS Living Magazine