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Plan the Perfect Party

By Family Features
Published on January 18, 2013
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Andres Rodriguez/Fotolia
Once your party has been planned, it’s time to grab your list and hit the grocery store.

When it comes to a party, there’s a lot of planning involved, and there’s a lot of things to consider. Here are a few tips to help you ensure your big bash goes off without a hitch.

Crunch the Numbers:

Count on each guest eating between 8 and 12 servings of appetizers over a two-hour period.
Plan on two nonalcoholic drinks per guest during the first hour, and one for each hour after that. With this in mind, plan to buy about a pound of ice per guest for drinks.

Tackle the Food Prep Early:

Make as much of the food ahead of time as you can. Peel, chop and prep veggie trays a day in advance. Dips and desserts can often be made a couple of days prior, as well.
If you’ll be making anything in a slow cooker, prep all your ingredients the day before, so all you have to do the day of the party is add everything to the slow cooker and turn it on.

Take Charge:

Get the family involved with party preparations. Older children can help you make food, while the younger kids can set out utensils, plates and cups. You can also assign someone to trash patrol, having them clean up plates and cups during the celebration, so there hopefully won’t be as much to clean up after the party.