Did you speak too soon and offer to host for the holidays? Quickly remembering that there is a reason you don’t usually host? Mostly because you don’t cook and the thought of creating a large meal that everyone will have an opinion on is overwhelming? Or maybe you’ve offered to host, but didn’t realize Christmas is NEXT WEEK! With everything left to do on your list, there isn’t much time to prepare an extravagant meal.
Well, lucky for you (and me), I have the perfect solution! First, shift to the mindset that you need to make everything by hand to have a delicious meal. That’s not the case! It is almost 2020, they’ve come along way with pre-packaged foods.
When hosting the holidays, you want something that isn’t going to take a a lot of work after your guests arrive and quite frankly, something that isn’t going to take a lot of prep work either. Nobody has time for that right now! I think the perfect solution to hosting the holidays when you’re “not a cook” is to create a DIY soup bar and for dessert, boxed brownies/cookies. You could even make boxed sugar cookies and make DIY cookie station. Saving yourself yet another step!
My all time favorite soup mix is by Bearcreek. “Delicious, satisfying meals—just like mom used to make.” They truly taste like something out of your moms kitchen growing up. They’re flavorful, comforting and easy to make. Three things you want in a soup! Depending on how many guests you having, you can choose a variety of soups. I think having 3 – 4 different varities would be perfect.
Tip: You can pick up the 10.1 oz. pouches, which feed around 8 people, at Big Lots for under $4! They have a ton of different flavors, sure to please the whole crowd.
Other thing you need to pick up while you’re at Big Lots :
Holiday Plates
Heavy Duty Bowls
Holiday Serving Dishes
Utensils
Crock-Pot (s)
Drinks / K-Cups for Easy Coffee Making
Foil Bakewear
Tablecloth
Maybe Table Decor
They have a the biggest selection of k-cups and creamers.
You’ve got your soups, side dish and party supplies. Now, there is just one more thing left to get and to some, it might be the most important. COOKIES! You can’t host the holidays without cookies. Don’t worry, I’m not a baker either. I should say baker from scratch because once you taste the Krusteaz brand boxed cookies, you might actually call me a baker! Honestly, their boxed snickerdoodle are the best I’ve ever had. Just like the cornbread and soup, they are very easy to make and take minimal ingredients.
Okay, so you’ve got your supplies. What’s next?! Really, all you have to do is figure out how you’re going to set-up your DIY soup bar & make the soups. They can easily be prepared the night before and stored in containers, which can then be dumped into crock-pots or you can make day of. To make the soups, all you do is add water. They cook in 10 minutes!
Tips on setting up DIY soup bar
- Offer a variety of soups
- Offer a variety of toppings, from unique to classic
- Make sure everything is labeled, included whether or not it is vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free. Believe me, it will save you ton of time and questions if you go ahead and list this info!
- Make sure it flows well. I like the idea of having the crockpots lined up next to each other, that way you aren’t reaching over. Easy access! Also, I like the bowl at the front, utensils at the end.
- If you don’t love the thought of hot soup in paper bowls (even the sturdy ones), Big Lots carries a great variety of mugs. Depending on how many guest you are expecting, this could be a great alternative. They’re not flimsy, plus they have a handle, making carrying your soup a breeze.
Whether it is just for the night or maybe the entire week, I hope this helps if you’ve taken on the task of hosting family for the holidays!
