Make-Ahead Food Ideas for Entertaining (bonus Party 5-Bean Salad recipe!)

Are you planning a big shin-dig for Canada Day or Independence Day? If so, consider some of these make-ahead food ideas for July entertaining. Making some of the food up to a week before the big day will enable you to relax and enjoy yourself.

Begin by creating a budget for your event. Choose which foods you will serve and decide which ones can be prepared beforehand. Try to determine a schedule to begin making the food so you have very little to do the actual day of the party.

Pre-marinade any meats you will grill. This will infuse the meat with the flavors of the marinade. You can also use different types of soaked wood chips to give the food more flavor.

If guests will be bringing items to the party, you may want to ask them to provide beverages and desserts. This will allow you to be in charge of both the main dishes and vegetables so you can ensure the foods are kept at the right temperature so they are safe for the party-goers to enjoy.

Potato salad, cole slaw and deviled eggs are made with mayonnaise and eggs and are common 4th of July fare. If you choose to make these, prepare them a day ahead of time and keep them refrigerated until right before the meal begins. Once everyone has had their fill, pop them back into the refrigerator.

Other salads which can be made without eggs or mayonnaise would be better options. Three bean salad, pasta salad, non-dairy salad dressings for a tossed salad and gelatin salads are some foods to consider serving.

For dessert, rather than having something made with dairy products, try fried fruit pies. These can be made several days in advance, kept in the refrigerator and then reheated and enjoyed the day of the party. You may also want to consider making homemade ice cream during the meal to serve with the fried pies when it is time for dessert.

Take the necessary precautions to ensure the food being served is kept hot if it is supposed to be hot or cold if it should be cold. The danger zone for food is between 40 and 140 degrees. If cold foods get above 40 degrees bacteria which can cause food poisoning may begin forming. The same is true if hot foods fall below 140 degrees.

When planning for entertaining, make as much food ahead of time as you can. The more you can do before the event will mean you will have more time to enjoy the festivities, the food and the guests.

Bonus Make-Ahead Recipe: Easy Party Sized 5-bean Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 can garbanzo beans
• 1 can cut wax beans
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 can great northern beans
• 1 can cut green beans
• 1 cup white onions, chopped
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

Using a collander, rinse and drain all the canned veggies, then transfer them to a large bowl.

In a separate bowl mix the sugar, oil and vinegar. Pour this sauce over the beans and stir to coat evenly.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.

Yield: 15 servings.

More Excellent Recipes for Entertaining:

• White bean dip with seasoned Pita chips
• Fudge Nut Cookies
• July Celebrations Corn Muffins
• July Celebrations Turkey Chili
• 12 Ways to Make Devilled Eggs
• Easy Honey Mustard Chicken Wings

Please make sure to pin this idea for later!