Your family is coming to your house and bringing their own families! There isn’t anything more exciting that except you have to be prepared to feed them right? Do you need some great menu plans? I’ve got you covered
A great family get-together requires careful planning on your part, but it doesn’t need to stress you out to the point where you are dreading the event!
You want everyone to have a good time, find time to relax and leave with new lasting memories. But let’s remember, you want to have a good time too and you deserve it.
I have a ton of experience planning family events and feeding a crowd, and I am here to tell you, you do need a plan. Please, whatever you do, don’t “wing it”.
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Naturally, whenever I start planning a family event, I l always start with food! You and I both know it isn’t really about the food, it is the fun conversations and reminiscing that go along with a big family meal.
I am going to show you in detail:
How to make lists of menus for each day.
Next, how to plan for each meal.
Then, delicious recipes with prep tips too
Seriously, the menu plans I created were a lot of work and I am pretty proud of them, so don’t miss them at the bottom of this post. You can just click on them, download and print.
When my family visits it is usually for several days because they travel so far. So I plan for a full five days of delicious meals. You might not need all that, but you can just pick what you need for your crew.
It’s About Family Memories
So, what’s in it for me? Why would I go to all this work?
Well, if you are a parent you know the answer to that question, right?
Unfortunately, it isn’t very often I get the chance to “mother” or “smother” my grown children and their families, so when I get the chance, I want to do it well.
In addition, I want my daughter, son-in-law ( who is a son), and our son and his new wife ( who we love) to feel like they have had an amazingly relaxing time at home.
Of course, another reason we like them to come is that they bring our grandchildren- It’s all part of the plan.
Everyone knows there will be lots of comfort food planned for the week. Obviously, I know it would be easier to get some fast food or go out to a restaurant, but they can do that at any time. I want to make homemade food they will love and keep them full!!
Start With Making Lists
First, planning every meal ahead of time is so important! That way, when the time comes to grocery shop and implement you are ready.
So what lists do you have to make to be sure you are prepared? As you can guess, it starts at least a month before the big visit arrives.
Menu Plans
Honestly, I pretty much have it all done for you, but you know you will have to tweak it a bit based on your own family traditions.
Certainly, we have some family favorites that I always make and I always try to surprise everyone with something new and delicious.
Also, I am also expecting to make special meals for the little guys who may not like grown-up food, but that’s pretty easy.
Below you will find lists of meals I prepare for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Snacks.
In addition, you will find a Menu Planning Guide that I made and a Menu Planning Worksheet for you to use. In the planning guide, I have not only included the recipes you need but the cooking tips for each day.
The Food:
Breakfast:
Egg dishes, I make some kind of egg dish each day and have started using the crockpot for overnight egg casseroles. -Don’t forget to use a crockpot liner.
Pancakes or waffles with maple syrup
Bacon, Bacon, Bacon. I make 2 pounds every morning.
Don’t forget fresh fruit & juice.
Likewise, have cereal on hand for the kids.
Coffee of course
Lunch:
This can get a little tricky because we may not all be together for lunch, and if it is summer, on many days we head out to a beech, so I often have to pack lunches. Lunch is pretty light for us because we likely had a big breakfast a little late.
I always make a homemade cold pasta salad and potato salad from scratch to add to any meal. In fact, don’t miss my potato salad recipe below.
Cold turkey, ham, cheese, and other sandwich ingredients. Let everyone build their own sandwich or wrap.
We usually have delicious leftovers from dinner as a choice because I ALWAYS make too much.
In the winter, I am pretty well known for making great soups or chili.
Salads with choices of toppings and dressing.
In summer try foods like hot dogs, brats, & watermelon.
Dinner
In the end, make sure you plan your meals out completely and have a “plan B”. Furthermore, you will need to make adjustments based on activities, appetites, and weather too. Lots to think about, I know. Even in winter, I try to plan for some grilling with delicious side dishes.
Steak,
Chicken
BBQ Ribs
Taco Pie
Pasta
Cheeseburgers and Brats. I make two cookie sheets of sliders.
If it is summer, I plan for a fresh fish fry on the last night but am open to getting pizza if we don’t catch fish.
Usually, for winter, I make Beef Tenderloin and shrimp.
Snacks:
Fruit Snacks
Cheese sticks
CHEETOS
Potato Chips
Chocolate, marshmallows and graham crackers – You guessed it.
Beef sticks – lots of them from our local meat market
Okay, for the most part, I hope this makes sense. Here is how a completed menu for my family looks. Click Here or the Menu Image
Feel free to Print it and use it as a guide to creating your own Menu Plan.
In addition, you can use it to complete your own 5-Day Menu Planning Worksheet! The FREE Worksheet is like the one I filled in for you, except now you can mix it up and make your own.
As I said before, we have our family favorite recipes.
Along with the completed menu plan are 10 of my family recipes to try with your family. You won’t find them anywhere else, and I guarantee if you like potato salad, you need to use this recipe! Truly, I will share family secrets.
The 10 recipes are also included in your printable Menu Planning Worksheet, just scroll to the bottom.
There is nothing more wonderful in life than when your family can all be together. Above all, for me, the fun, laughing, and just enjoying each other’s company is a time I know we all love and new memories are made.
Family meals are for story-telling, sharing new things and also eating great food- that I cooked.
Please feel free to contact me with questions and make a comment below about what will help you with your next family dinner.
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