When pre-event meal planning comes to mind, of course, 

your first thoughts might be of all the hearty platters and tempting entrees that you imagine the guests will consume. 

That’s not necessarily a bad thing though!

 If your goal is to provide an array of tasty culinary options that are healthy and satisfying,

 then finding just the right combination can actually be quite difficult.

At first glance, you might imagine that pre-event meal planning is all about the main dishes, but in reality,

 when it comes to everything from appetizers to simple desserts, 

when you consider all of the elements involved, it’s actually much more complex.

In this article, we thought we’d take a closer look at pre-event meal planning by discussing the components involved 

 how they’re organized in order to create a healthy and appealing menu.

Much like the nuts and bolts of every aspect of your event, pre-event meal planning is all about you and your style.

 It’s about what you’re comfortable with, about the kind of food that you like to eat, and about whether or not your attendees will enjoy it as well.

It’s important to consider the ingredients that are necessary for each type of dish that you want to include on your menu.

 While some items can be made ahead of time and paired with crispy tortilla chips or breadsticks for easy snacking,

 there are also other elements involved in pre-event meal planning that might require a bit more preparation time.

For example, you need to select the ingredients that will actually go into each dish,

 including main courses like burgers, hot dogs, and pasta dishes.

 Then, when it comes to the non-meat items in your menu (like veggie burgers or salads),

 you need to make sure that they are fresh and still crisp when you serve them.

Preparation time for each dish is also vital to ensure that everything is just right.

 For example, creamy dips might be made ahead of time for later use

 but you still have to enjoy them at their freshest during your pre-event meal planning process.

And lastly, even though it’s important to keep the portions small (you want to keep your guests on the healthy side), 

you still need to consider how much food you’re preparing for each dish. 

For example, if you’re serving a hefty main dish like a beef tacos or vegetable steak with a side of rice and beans, 

then you’ll need plenty of pre-event meal planning in order to be able to serve a sufficient amount.

What all this means is that even though pre-event meal planning is known as an essential part of menu planning,

 it’s actually fairly complex—and fairly time-consuming—

when it comes to putting together everything from appetizers, dips and spreads, entrees, desserts and beverages.

The first thing that you need to do is to decide what kind of menu you want to serve. 

That’s actually one of the trickiest parts of the pre-event meal planning process, because not all menus are created equal.

For example, if you’re preparing something like a formal sit-down dinner with an extensive menu,a pre-event meal should quizlet

 including several appetizers and main courses, then there are certain expectations that people have when it comes to their meals.

On the other hand, if you’re serving a barbecue or potluck dinner party where your attendees will bring the sides and desserts,

 then it’s acceptable for them to bring their own beverages as well. In other words, more casual menus allow you to be a little more creative with your selections.

In any case, it’s important to remember that there are some elements that you might not want on your menu.

 For example, if you’re serving a formal sit-down dinner then it’s probably best to leave the chips and nacho dip off the table!

Whatever kind of pre-event meal planning that you decide upon,

 there are also some general guidelines about how to go about setting up your food buffet.

While selecting the specific dishes for your event is one thing, laying out everything in an appealing manner is another thing entirely.

 It’s important to make sure that you’ve arranged everything in an appealing order, 

so that your diners can easily see what you have available before they even get there.

For example, if you want a salad with a creamy dressing then arrange it first with the ingredients that will likely be used with the main dish next. 

Then, with cranberries and pomegranate salad, arrange these items one on top of the other to give it a nice visual presentation.

It’s also important to make sure that your dishes are properly displayed—remember, people can sense when something is under- or over-prepared.

 For example, if the meat in your hamburger isn’t cooked properly then most everyone will probably notice.