Next time you get together with friends for a wedding shower, baby shower, neighborhood get-to-know-you event, or any other celebration, try hosting a brunch party. Most brunch foods are quick and easy to make, so you don’t have to spend all day in the kitchen.
Etiquette for a Brunch When you plan for a brunch get-together, consider serving the food buffet style. You can prepare a wide array of foods but give your guests the option to customize their plates how they like. Setting up several bars is a great way to make your display look impressive. A waffle bar, pancake bar, parfait bar, and toast bar are a few examples you can implement. The best part of a buffet, it will keep you jumping up and waiting on people. You can relax and enjoy having a great conversation with your guests.
Best Day and Time for a Brunch Your brunch can be any day of the week, however most of us work, therefore the best day to host would be a Saturday or Sunday. Brunch is typically served between the normal breakfast time and lunch— however if you have a rowdy crowd or a more relaxed crew, you should let them sleep in. Don’t plan your brunch at 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. because you’ll either have people sleep through or show up in a less-than-happy mood.
The best time for brunch is to shoot for noon; this gives you the opportunity to do some prep stuff in the morning without having to wake up before the rooster crows and, you can throw in some lunch items to truly make it a menu of breakfast and lunch.
Your Brunch Menu Once you know your guest list and rough budget, you can start the fun part of planning what to serve for brunch. As you probably know, it’s important to balance your menu with sweet AND savory items to satisfy the taste buds of all in attendance. There are so many recipes and ideas to find online and there are a couple of different approaches you can take to building your menu. Here are tips we follow:
Baking is often underutilized and when it comes to hosting a brunch party, it can truly make your life easier. The baking recipes for breakfast and brunch items are endless and the best part is that they can be made ahead of time, the day or night before.
Offer a variety of foods and give your guests plenty of choices. Being considerate was a golden rule in the school and it still applies in adulthood. When it comes to being a brunch host, ask your guests if they have any food allergies, intolerances, or dietary restrictions
Serve egg dishes that don’t require last-minute preparation. Quiches and frittatas are great choices – its simple and easy to make
Instead of making pancakes that turn mushy after sitting out, make oven-baked French toast. After it’s done but before you serve it, you can keep it warm in an oven—even after you turn it off.
If you serve a large amount of breakfast meat, such as bacon or ham, cook it in the oven to prevent a big mess of splatters on the cooktop or counters
Have a colorful fruit tray to add visual interest to the table, or sweeten things up by adding some cinnamon rolls, muffins, homemade donuts into the mix
If you, forget something, NEVER let it be the cocktails. Some of our favorite brunch cocktails include mimosas, Bellini’s, bloody Mary’s, greyhounds, and Irish coffees. It’s nice to offer virgin versions of these drinks as well. If you choose to also serve non-alcoholic options, think about juices, coffee, and tea. But remember, keep the drinks menu to just a few options otherwise you will be playing bartender during your event.
Check out some of our favourite brunch drinks we love to make courtesy of @couplecooks
How to Make Your Brunch Stress-Free One of the best ways to be a good hostess is to relax. It’s not always easy, but there are some things you can to do eliminate most of the stress.
Make a list and check it twice: everything you need to purchase, including ingredients and decorations. If you don’t already have enough chairs, purchase, rent, or borrow them in advance
Lay out your brunch table the night before: This may seem like a silly thing to do, but it does help. It helps you visualize the space better, saves you time in the morning and it can be a good opportunity to add a few brunch decorations to add a little atmosphere to the delicious spread of food and company
Decorations can be as elaborate or simple as you want: the options here are endless. You could go all-in on a more formal, sit-down affair, or simply set up a few stations for guests to help themselves. Picking up some flowers and putting them in little mason jars are a fun, festive way to add some color and charm to your table settings or the find a cheap, cute accent idea to try out for yourself. Our inspiration comes from Pinterest, check out some of these beautiful designs
Brunch themes: choices here are endless, regardless of the reason for the brunch, you can choose a fun theme. Here are some cool ideas from @britandco
Ask your BFF or family to come early and help: there is no shame is asking for help. Whether they are a sous Chef in the kitchen or just another set of hands and eyes, ask someone that you can always count on to come over prior to the scheduled festivities to alleviate some stress and lend a hand.
And don’t forget, even though you’re the host of this party, do your best to have a great time. Your guests will be more relaxed if they know you’re enjoying the party as much as they are.
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