When you’re throwing a party to celebrate a graduation, family reunion, anniversary, birthday, or another special event, catering services can reduce the stress of hosting. Caterers save you from spending hours in the kitchen and allow you to focus on your guests. Use these helpful tips when planning your catered party.

4 Catering Tips for Your Upcoming Party

1. Consider Your Guests’ Ages

Make catering choices based in part on the ages of your guests. If numerous children will attend with their parents, for example, provide uncomplicated fare such as assorted sandwiches and wraps, and sides including potatoes with butter, macaroni and cheese, baked beans, and mixed vegetables.

If your celebration is adults-only, consider more sophisticated dishes such as chicken Marsala and cocktail sausage with peppers in tomato sauce.

2. Provide Options

Accommodate the vegetarians and vegans on your guest list and ask about any special dietary restrictions such as shellfish allergies and gluten intolerances.

Order a wide range of food options, so no one feels left out or leaves hungry. This could include providing a variety of hot and cold appetizers, vegetable platters, and pasta entrees.

3. Time the Dishes Appropriately

If possible, stagger the dishes to give everyone time to enjoy each course. Keep your event’s duration in mind, and if time is limited, consider a buffet so that everything is out at once. Buffets also let you be creative with how you set up the party. For example, you could dedicate one table to pasta entrees and another to cold cut platters or seafood.

4.  Let the Season Inspire You

Choose food based on the season. For a summer event, opt for cold appetizers, including raw vegetables, sandwiches, wraps, salads, and seafood. Parties in fall and winter can include all the hot appetizers and entrees you want. Make the desserts seasonal as well, such as cheesecake and eclairs in summer and brownies in winter.

Discuss your catering ideas with Fortuna’s Deli & Caterers of Westport to ensure your party is a success. Serving Fairfield County, CT, and specializing in American food, this family-owned restaurant has been making delicious meals for over 30 years. Call (203) 226-3587 to get started or review the buffet catering menu online.