Hey, hey!!

We're steamrolling through October. The weather is really warming up where I live and our pool is getting a workout. I am so grateful that we have a pool in our backyard. It has been fabulous for our kids water and swimming confidence, plus it's just so delicious diving in there on a warm day!

In this week's email, I want to chat party catering and how to cater appropriately and minimise food waste. The first thing to do when planning your menu is to consider your guest list. Is it mainly kids? Or lots of teenagers? A mix of adults and children? How many very young people and significantly older people will be attending?

The age of your guests and the life stage they're at can really impact how much food you're likely to need. For example, a party with 35 ravenous teenagers in attendance will need far more food than an afternoon tea with your two Nanna's and their bowling club friends. You get the idea...

You can use an approximation of 400g of food for an adult guest and roughly half of that for younger children under 12. This will help guide you when you are planning your party menu and the quantities you will need to provide.

Timing is also an important consideration - if your event time is under two hours, consider whether you will have time to serve out enough food for a meal, or whether to offer afternoon tea or light finger food instead. Highlight on your party invitation the kind of food you will be offering, especially if your party falls during the time of day that some may consider a meal time.

Ensuring you are able to appropriately store any leftovers will also help cut down on any food waste. Leftovers will generally keep for a few days in the fridge and a few months in the freezer.

Food is a vital component of any party, it brings people together and it is a way of showing our love for others, by providing and sharing food. While food can also be a big contributor to party waste, by doing a little pre planning, you can cater appropriately and really reduce your food wastage.

Cheers to that!

Michelle

"Let's make a difference together, one party at a time."