If you find yourself cooking for a crowd of people, either for a once-off occasion or on a regular basis, you may find it hard to keep your food costs down. But budget cooking for a crowd doesn't have to be difficult or cost a lot of money. Here are five tips that will help you to save money with your planned meal.
1) Buy ingredients that are in season.
Modern farming methods and transport networks mean that it's very easy to buy fruit, vegetables and meat all year round. But while fresh ingredients may be available all year round, it doesn't mean they are the same price (or the same quality) all year round! If you want to buy summer berries in the middle of winter, you will be paying extra for the convenience of having them available. For more details www.bread-bakers-assistant.com When you're trying to cook on a budget, you can't afford to pay those extra costs. Find out what ingredients are currently in season (and thus cheaper), and plan your menu around those items.
2) Buy meat on sale & freeze for later.
If you know you will be cooking for a crowd ahead of time (or if it's a regular situation), buy up on meat when it's on special and freeze it for use later on. You can keep most meats in the freezer for several months (be sure to label the meat with the date and check the recommended maximum for whatever you are freezing), and simply defrost the meat for the meal a day or two ahead of when you need it.
3) Buy cheaper cuts of meat & slow cook.
If you've never tried it before, slow cooking is a fantastic way to make meals using the cheaper cuts of meat that are usually unsuitable for most uses (but cost less than half the price of the more popular cuts!) Meat that most consider tough or fatty just melts in the mouth after slow cooking, and the flavor is usually much stronger as well. Slow cooking can be done either in the oven or in a separate crock pot, and most people will never guess that you've used a cheaper cut of meat.
4) Cook one pot meals.
One pot meals are a great solution when cooking for a crowd. Rather than mucking around with lots of separate dishes all cooking separately, a large pot of one dish can be fantastic. For more details www.tailgating-recipe.com .Having just one dish usually means a reduced number of ingredients, so a lower cost. Popular comfort food like lasagna or spaghetti bolognaise don't cost a lot to make, but always go down well.
5) Bulk out the meal.
The easiest way to stretch a meal to feed a large group of people while keeping costs down is to add filler ingredients to the meal (whether they are in the original recipe or not). Additional vegetables, pasta, rice, other grains or even just bread on the side are all great ways to add bulk to a meal for low cost, but not cut down on the quality or taste of the meal.
Food and Hygiene Rules.
Cooking for a crowd involves hazards you absolutely need to be aware of. Make sure you have the appropriate knowledge of the right cooking and storing temperatures. Wrong temperatures are the biggest cause of food contamination since bacteria grows incredibly fast when you don't prepare it right.
So, what should you do to protect your guest's health? When cooking, you must use instant-read thermometers to control the cooking temperature. If the food will be stored, divide it in smaller portions before storing it in the fridge. It will make the food cool quicker not giving bacteria time to develop.
Portions - Rule of Ten
How many times you were on a banquet, and you had the feeling there was too much or not enough food? To have an incredible large dinner it's indispensable to figure out the right amount of food. And, some simple mathematics will give a good hand on it.
To find out the right figures for the quantity of food needed, there is a catering procedure called Rule of ten which says that when cooking for ten people you will need:
Four pounds of the chosen meat, Three pounds of potatoes for salad. One pound pasta for cold salads; Two to three pounds of pre-cooked prawns; Two pounds of shellfish; Two liters of soup or stew (for appetizers); Two liters of soup or stew (in case it's the main dish); Two pounds leave salad; Three cups of salad dressing; Twenty cocktails per hour; Four liters of punch;
If you know the guests enjoy cocktails a lot, make sure you have the proper amount of ice (ten pounds) and a good assortment of soft drinks. Watch the liquors as well! You will need a 750 ml bottle for each 16 cocktails.
Cooking Provisions
Well, it's not really easy to find the appropriate pans, pots and dishes to cook for a crowd. Some people may use foil baking pans. If that's what you intend to do, just be aware that they are very fragile and may not resist to heavy or extremely hot food. The best thing to do is to rent professional equipment that will bring all the supplies you need together and leave your mind free for exclusively concentrating on the food.
Stay Organized
When serving, make sure you have a list of everything you prepared. Score out what you have already served, and you will avoid to have by the end of the dinner not served dishes remaining inside your fridge.
Organization is the key for cutting out "worries" from your menu when you are cooking for a crowd. Following those simple tips, I'm sure you will be very proud of yourself when the party is over.
Both Anu G Khurana & Darcy Watkins are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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