Food Planning Tips for Holiday Parties with KING’S HAWAIIAN® and Walmart #HostwithKH

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of KING’S HAWAIIAN®. All opinions are 100% mine.

The holiday season is here and the parties are plentiful. Attending parties are usually easy, but planning a party can be intimidating. My biggest concern is always the food. Will I have enough? Will I offer enough variety for guests to be satisfied? It doesn’t have to be a gamble if you follow these simple Food Planning Tips for Holiday Parties with KING’S HAWAIIAN® and Walmart.

My party plan begins with creating the menu. I head to my local Walmart Super Center to find everything I need for my festive buffets. Sometimes the simplest menu items are the biggest hits. I make a list and try to stick to it. This way I also stay within my planned budget. We all know the holidays get expensive fast if you don’t keep an eye on how much your spending.

You can’t go wrong with a platter filled with sliced ham, assorted cheeses and KING’S HAWAIIAN Original Sweet Dinner Rolls. The Original Sweet Dinner Rolls are soft and fluffy with just the right touch of sweetness to satisfy even the pickiest guests. And if you want to take the basic up a notch, try making these Mini Baked Ham Sandwiches. Your guest will go crazy for them! But the question still remains…how much food do you need to for your party? For the ham and cheese mini sandwiches, estimate 4-6 ounces of ham per person, 1-2 ounces of cheese and 2-3 rolls per person.

An average guest will eat 5-6 hors d’oeuvres per hour for the first two hours, and then slow to 3-4 per hour for every additional hour. If you’re planning a meal, you can cut the estimate in half, but for now we are focusing on an all appetizer party. In addition to plated appetizers, dips are a great table filler. Guests will use everything from chips and pretzels, to mini rolls and crudite as a vehicle to consume an assortment of delicious hot and cold dips. Serve 1 pint of dip for ever 10-12 guests. Estimate about one pound of chips (regular, tortilla, pita, etc) per 10-12 guests.

The more dishes you serve, the less you will need to make of each. Finger foods allow guests to graze as they feel hungry throughout your party. If your serving a variety of vegetables with the dips, estimate 8-10 pieces per guest. Think of your fresh vegetable crudites as a way to add explosive color and pop to your entertaining table.

Planning a meat and cheese board? If your serving two or three different meats then plan 2-3 ounces per person. More than three, increase to three ounces per person. You can use the same ratio for the cheese too. Be sure to add a sweet garnish or two like apricot chutney or slivered almonds in honey next to the salty cheeses, and add the more acidic items like pickles and marinated olives next to the meats. A party foul for me is not enough crackers or bread options for the meat and cheese board. Estimate about a pound of crackers per 10-12 guests, or just make sure to grab some extra KING’S HAWAIIAN Original Sweet Dinner Rolls and estimate 1-2 rolls per person.

Don’t forget to raid your own pantry to add some bulk to the appetizer buffet. Assorted nuts, dried fruit, and pretzels can give you a little extra feeling of security to make sure you have enough for everyone with minimal extra work. I know keeping things simple will eliminate unnecessary party planning stress for me. I also head over to Evite.com for great party recipe ideas featuring KING’S HAWAIIAN rolls, more entertaining tips, and of course coupons for KING’S HAWAIIAN rolls to save some money on your holiday food shopping.

What’s your favorite appetizer recipe to serve for your holiday guests?