How to Create a Prep List & Timeline

Here’s the cold, hard truth: Most of the time, our dinner parties are host to a bit more stress and chaos than we had hoped. Why? Because a lot of us skip the step of creating a detailed prep list and timeline for preparing for the dinner party.

“But, it’s just a dinner party and I want it to be fun, not a strict schedule.” you may say. Well, a timeline doesn’t have to be a strict schedule that ruins your fun. It’s actually a great tool to keep you on track so that you CAN relax and enjoy the party as it’s happening.

Without a well thought out timeline, you are more likely to fall behind on tasks and feel rushed to finish minutes before guests arrive. You may have to skip that one dish you were excited to make because you just ran out of time. Or, you may be answering the door with batter all of your hands.

Trust us, a detailed prep list with a timeline will make your dinner party way less stressful and provide you with the time and energy to enjoy the company you’ve worked so hard to curate.

What are the Steps To Creating a Dinner Party Prep List and Timeline?

1. Compile your Recipes and Shopping List

1. Can you decrease your Prep Time with smart purchases?

1. Purchase deboned fish filets or already seasoned meat

2. Pre-cut fruits or vegetables if they are the right size

3. Already prepared dips like hummus or tzatziki or guacamole

4. Only purchase these time savers when you can trust their quality

2. Highlight steps in your Recipes that can be completed ahead of time

1. Most recipes do not need to be completely executed a la minute

2. Oftentimes these steps can be completed ahead of time (maybe even the day ahead)

1. Washing, Slicing, and Dicing Fruits and Vegetables

1. Don’t pre-cut ingredients that oxidize (i.e. avocados, apples)

2. Shredding or Crumbling Cheese

3. Cooking Chicken or Meat that will be shredded and added to a sauce

4. Soaking and Simmering Beans

5. Mixing together a dough

3. Review all of your Recipes and Identify Special Tools or Appliances needed

1. Write down all of the cooking steps that need to be completed

1. In the oven

1. Can all of these be completed around the same time to make the most efficient use of the oven?

2. On the stove

1. Can you monitor multiple burners at once?

3. Crockpot

1. Do you need to borrow an extra crockpot?

4. Specialty Tools (food processor, stand mixer, immersion blender)

1. Do these need to be used more than once? Be sure to plan time to clean in between uses

4. Grocery Shopping

1. Check your pantry, fridge, and freezer for existing ingredients before purchasing new

2. Note with Smart Purchases you were able to make to decrease your Prep Time

3. Group ingredients together based on which dish they will be used for

2. Create Your Prep List

1. Start with 4 Main Sections

1. Day Before

1. Can you make the dessert the day before?

2. Wash all your fruits and veggies

3. Possibly chop fruits and veggies into proper sizes

4. If you are using a marinade, you could mix it up the day before

5. For charcuterie boards, pre slice meats and cheeses

6. Gather serving dishes, specialty tools, and decor in a convenient (close to the kitchen and dining room) space

2. Morning of the Party

1. Set up decorations

2. Empty clean dishwasher and trash/recycling binds

3. Begin marinating meat if you didn’t last night

4. Mise en Place your ingredients

1. Pre measure and label ingredients

2. Group ingredients together based recipe that they are used in and within each specific step of the recipe

5. Prepare your Welcoming Bites, Amuse Bouche, Appetizers if they hold well

6. Start Crockpot Recipes

7. Wash dishes that need to be hand washed

3. Main Prep Time

1. Complete Your Dessert

2. Assemble Salads

3. Start Soups

4. Prepare components of your Entree

5. Batch Mix Signature Cocktail

6. Bake breads and doughs or slice breads

7. Wash dishes that need to be hand washed

8. Wipe down counters and spot sweep kitchen floor

4. Guest Arrival

1. This should be your smallest section of tasks

2. Setting out welcome bites and beverages

3. Completing last minute touches for starter and entree

4. Serving dessert

2. List out every single task that needs to be completed including decorations and cleaning

3. Group tasks within each group based around the appliances or tools you will be using

1. This can help you find efficiencies and save time

3. Map a Timeline onto Your Prep List

1. Give each task an estimated active working time and passive time 

1. For example: Marinating meat 

1. Plan 20 minutes for preparing the marinade and adding the meat

2. Plan for 5 minutes to wash and sanitize after handling raw meat

3. Plan between 30 minutes to 6 hours for the meat to marinate (passive time)

2. Double check that your items that have a long passive time will be completed early enough

2. Within each Main Section, order your tasks by listing the most time consuming tasks towards the top

3. Total up the amount of Time it will take you to complete each Main Section

1. For example:

1. Day Before: 3 hours active time

2. Morning Of: 4 hours active time

3. Main Prep Time: 4 hours

4. Guest Arrival: 30 minutes

2. Add in time dedicated to getting yourself ready (shower, hair, makeup, etc)

4. Working backwards from when you have asked your guests to arrive, assign target times for the completion of a section and the beginning of the section

1. For example:

1. Guests arrive at 6:00

2. Begin ‘Guest Arrival’ tasks at 5:30

3. Schedule in ‘Getting Ready’ Time

4. Target Completing ‘Main Prep Time’ at 4:30, so begin ‘Main Prep’ at 12:30

5. Target Completing ‘Morning Of’ around noon (so you have a half hour buffer), so begin ‘Morning Of’ at 8:00 

6. Knowing around what time you want to wake up, you can plan when you want to go to sleep the night before and schedule your ‘Day Before’ prep accordingly

5. Write these Target Times on your Prep List along with a few time checkpoints within each section. This will help you monitor your working pace throughout the day and ensure you are ready to enjoy when your guests arrive