For a big party like this, it’s probably best to prepare everything that you need a few days before the actual date. Trust me, preparing for the party ahead of time is vital to the success of your bbq party. Plus, it’s a surefire way to avoid all of the stress involved in party planning. Folks, please note that although parties are enjoyable, actually preparing for the party can be a bit stressful too. So make sure that you do not place yourself under some unnecessary stress.
Now, to help you prep for your party, make a list of the people you want to invite to the party and then jot down the “special preferences” of these people when it comes to food. Yeah, yeah… you gotta play the good host. Not everyone will eat pork or meat for that matter, so having some backup food helps. Knowing the special food preferences of your invited guests is very important to help you decide on what to serve during the party. You don’t really want someone to go hungry at your party.
For example, if you’re planning to serve pork BBQ and you have a guest who is strictly vegetarian, you should make some adjustments in your menu. Tell ‘em to eat the napkin. Haha. Just kidding. No, you don’t have to cancel pork BBQ in your menu. A lot of your guests love pork BBQ, so do not disappoint them. What you need to do here is simply add another vegetarian dish to accommodate your vegetarian guest… without really changing your plans entirely. Great alternatives that I serve at my BBQ parties are grilled portobello mushrooms and eggplant, or skewer some peppers and throw ‘em on the grill. Another great middle ground is baked beans. Everyone loves beans with BBQ pork anyway.
When planning your menu for the party, you also have to think healthy. Some of your guests are probably watching what they eat, so having healthy food served is a good option for them. Select a well balanced menu and you will surely please your guests. Now, it’s a different thing if your all just a bunch of guys throwing a bunch on meat on the fire. If so, then by all means, just cook the pig and open up the beer! Ok, back to the health part… as much as possible, try to limit your servings of fatty foods and those that are filled with carbs. Yep, everyone’s watching their carb intake nowadays. Anyway, instead of fatty foods and carbs, serve some salads. Eww… I know, but you have to have your greens. It’s really important if you want to have subsequent BBQ parties. Oh and make sure that you prepare extra food, so that everyone gets their fill.
I know. Throwing a party can expensive really fast. You need to come up with a reasonable budget for your party and then limit your spending to within that range. When making a budget, take into consideration the cost of the food, the beer or wine and other expenses. At outdoor barbecues, most of your guests will bring a bottle of wine or a six-pack. However, you shouldn’t count on this factor unless you’ve all agreed to do a pot-luck party. Here’s a key: do not buy food and alcohol for your party on an empty stomach. What will happen is that you end up buying a lot of unnecessary items on impulse. Buy only the things that you have already written down on your list. Anyway, if you’re out hunting and bag a mega hog yourself, then at least you don’t have to buy the meat.
