How to Delegate Preparations for a Large Meal
Plan the menu carefully., Find child friendly chores from your plan and put these onto a separate list., Give collection jobs that can be completed by one person to reliable individuals., Set up teams where teamwork will work best., Be considerate...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Plan the menu carefully.
Sit down and go through your recipe collection, cookbooks and online recipe sites.
Select the recipes that you know you (and others) can cook, that will appeal to everyone and that are suitable for the occasion.
As part of your planning, account for special dietary needs.
Aim for a balance between hot and cold foods.
Cold foods can often be prepared by many other people, including children, and they're appreciated as a contrast to lots of hot food.
Salads and coleslaw, sushi, cold meats, pate and dips, cheese platters, etc. are just some cold options.
Plan how you'll spread the workload, both for yourself and for others you'll be delegating chores to.
Know at this stage who you will be asking to collect or make items off site, from turkeys to cheesecakes.
Ask them to do this with plenty of notice before the event.
Not only does this give them time to plan but it also saves you if they say no and you need to find someone else to help. -
Step 2: Find child friendly chores from your plan and put these onto a separate list.
Enlisting your children in the preparation does a few good things––it involves them directly, it teaches them cooking and preparation skills, it teaches them that helping the family is important and it makes them feel useful.
Things that children can do include setting the table, arranging decorations, mixing batters, decorating food, making cold food and some basics like sauces, fetching things you need at the last minute, etc.
Match the activities to the age of the children, from the very young to the teens.
A hint:
Don't name the things needing to be done as "chores".
Give them important significance by naming with care.
For example, call setting the table a "decorating responsibility". , For example, set aside collection of the poultry, seafood and meat/freshly baked bread and cakes/last minute items to one responsible adult who is familiar with where they are being asked to go.
Make the timing absolutely clear, including when the market or stores are open, when you need the item delivered by, what name the items are being held under, and so forth.
Leave nothing to chance and add your cell phone number to any lists you give out, in case people forget or have difficulty working out exactly what is expected of them.
Consider whether you're willing to let someone else use your car, line of credit, shopping bags, whatever, to facilitate the purchase and collection of items. , Setting up and cleaning up tend to be ideal teamwork delegation opportunities.
Be clear about what's expected by way of setting up, decorating and arranging seating, then simply respect that the people involved will get it right.
For cleaning up, usually most people know what's expected but be sure to point out what can't go in the dishwasher! , For example, if Great Aunt Miriam loves to carve the turkey each year and Grandfather Fred has always made sugar mice each holiday season, indulge in their passion by asking them to do it and standing aside. , If you don't want your own kitchen space invaded by the hordes of well meaning but "in-the-way" relatives and friends, clarify boundaries early on.
Tell your helpers where it's okay to stand and where you need clearways.
If Rachel is working on whipping the cream and Tim is peeling the peas, set them up in an out-of-the-way corner and give them all the objects they need to complete the task.
That way, they won't be bobbing up and down looking for things.
Make it clear how much is needed from each person.
This helps to stop constantly being asked "What next?"
which can cause frustration despite its good intent.
For example, outline exactly what you'd like your helpers to do and then add, "and after that you're free to rejoin the party"
or whatever.
They know then that they don't need to ask for more chores but if they do, you can simply assert that they've done all you needed them to do and reassure them that they are now free. , For example, have helpers for before dinner preparation, then change to different helpers for each course of the dinner, and finish with different helpers again for the clean up.
That way, nobody gets left out and everybody gets to do their bit (whether or not they can be bothered).
This fosters a sense of everyone sharing in the event and helps to minimize resentment. , A good delegate is actually an excellent manager, able to get everyone doing what they're good at, working together smoothly and not caring a whit that they're really putting some effort in.
Just so long as you keep an eye on everything working out smoothly and on time, the act of management itself can be your most important role for the meal! -
Step 3: Give collection jobs that can be completed by one person to reliable individuals.
-
Step 4: Set up teams where teamwork will work best.
-
Step 5: Be considerate of those who have specific likes or talents that they like to show off at the event.
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Step 6: Make a kitchen and dining room plan.
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Step 7: Consider arranging helpers into tag teams so that you rotate through people rather than over-rely on just a few.
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Step 8: Never be afraid of making others work harder than you.
Detailed Guide
Sit down and go through your recipe collection, cookbooks and online recipe sites.
Select the recipes that you know you (and others) can cook, that will appeal to everyone and that are suitable for the occasion.
As part of your planning, account for special dietary needs.
Aim for a balance between hot and cold foods.
Cold foods can often be prepared by many other people, including children, and they're appreciated as a contrast to lots of hot food.
Salads and coleslaw, sushi, cold meats, pate and dips, cheese platters, etc. are just some cold options.
Plan how you'll spread the workload, both for yourself and for others you'll be delegating chores to.
Know at this stage who you will be asking to collect or make items off site, from turkeys to cheesecakes.
Ask them to do this with plenty of notice before the event.
Not only does this give them time to plan but it also saves you if they say no and you need to find someone else to help.
Enlisting your children in the preparation does a few good things––it involves them directly, it teaches them cooking and preparation skills, it teaches them that helping the family is important and it makes them feel useful.
Things that children can do include setting the table, arranging decorations, mixing batters, decorating food, making cold food and some basics like sauces, fetching things you need at the last minute, etc.
Match the activities to the age of the children, from the very young to the teens.
A hint:
Don't name the things needing to be done as "chores".
Give them important significance by naming with care.
For example, call setting the table a "decorating responsibility". , For example, set aside collection of the poultry, seafood and meat/freshly baked bread and cakes/last minute items to one responsible adult who is familiar with where they are being asked to go.
Make the timing absolutely clear, including when the market or stores are open, when you need the item delivered by, what name the items are being held under, and so forth.
Leave nothing to chance and add your cell phone number to any lists you give out, in case people forget or have difficulty working out exactly what is expected of them.
Consider whether you're willing to let someone else use your car, line of credit, shopping bags, whatever, to facilitate the purchase and collection of items. , Setting up and cleaning up tend to be ideal teamwork delegation opportunities.
Be clear about what's expected by way of setting up, decorating and arranging seating, then simply respect that the people involved will get it right.
For cleaning up, usually most people know what's expected but be sure to point out what can't go in the dishwasher! , For example, if Great Aunt Miriam loves to carve the turkey each year and Grandfather Fred has always made sugar mice each holiday season, indulge in their passion by asking them to do it and standing aside. , If you don't want your own kitchen space invaded by the hordes of well meaning but "in-the-way" relatives and friends, clarify boundaries early on.
Tell your helpers where it's okay to stand and where you need clearways.
If Rachel is working on whipping the cream and Tim is peeling the peas, set them up in an out-of-the-way corner and give them all the objects they need to complete the task.
That way, they won't be bobbing up and down looking for things.
Make it clear how much is needed from each person.
This helps to stop constantly being asked "What next?"
which can cause frustration despite its good intent.
For example, outline exactly what you'd like your helpers to do and then add, "and after that you're free to rejoin the party"
or whatever.
They know then that they don't need to ask for more chores but if they do, you can simply assert that they've done all you needed them to do and reassure them that they are now free. , For example, have helpers for before dinner preparation, then change to different helpers for each course of the dinner, and finish with different helpers again for the clean up.
That way, nobody gets left out and everybody gets to do their bit (whether or not they can be bothered).
This fosters a sense of everyone sharing in the event and helps to minimize resentment. , A good delegate is actually an excellent manager, able to get everyone doing what they're good at, working together smoothly and not caring a whit that they're really putting some effort in.
Just so long as you keep an eye on everything working out smoothly and on time, the act of management itself can be your most important role for the meal!
About the Author
Ann White
Enthusiastic about teaching pet care techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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