Hosting a brunch for a large crowd may seem daunting, but it is not as scary as it sounds! With a little prep and a few cooking shortcuts, it’ll look like you catered the brunch!
For my birthday, I decided to make it fun and host a Prosecco, Pancakes, and Pajamas brunch. There were about 25 people and it was a blast!
The first step to hosting a successful brunch (once choosing a date, time, and location) is to create a menu. Once you decide what you are going to serve, it’s time to come up with a game plan for execution! This is where the shortcuts come in. I used to try to make EVERYTHING from scratch but honestly, that is how you burn yourself out.
THANK YOU, THE CARDED CO. FOR CREATING THIS BEAUTIFUL CUSTOM SIGN FOR MY PARTY!
This is how I planned my brunch and where I purchased everything from. I did a ton of research on the best products so that you don’t have to! I also think it is essential to get a few chafing dishes (food warmers) when cooking for a crowd!
- Create the menu
- Go through each recipe and make a grocery list. Once I have my list, I write down which store I plan on getting the stuff from and how far in advance I can get it. This sounds tedious, and maybe it is my finance background, but I made a spreadsheet for this haha.
- Frozen items, alcohol and non-perishables (chips, salsa, etc.): get a week in advance.
- Perishables (fruit, baked goods, eggs, etc.): get a day in advance.
- Once you’ve picked the menu, decide which dish they will go in. Yes, this is another column that is added on my spreadsheet!
- Order decorations, plastic plates, and serveware about a month in advance so you can forget about it! Costco has great disposable serveware! If possible, get the nicer ones that look like actual china and silverware (I think each is about $10 but you get a lot)!
- Set up the night before. Put out tablecloths and place the dishes where they should be so that all you have to do the next day is add the food!
the menu
Pancakes // I kept going back and forth on whether or not I wanted to serve pancakes or set up a waffle bar. I decided to go with pancakes to avoid the mess (if you want to go with waffles, I HIGHLY recommend trying out this recipe). Wafelbakkers Buttermilk Pancakes are the best frozen pancakes you can get! They are the perfect size and everyone loved them! I found them at Walmart; Each pack comes with 24 pancakes and they are only ~$4! All I had to do was heat them up in the microwave, toss them into a food warmer, and voila! Done! I purchased a week before the brunch.
Hashbrowns // Trader Joe’s has the best hashbrowns! Easiest way to cook these is on the griddle. I purchased a week before the brunch.
Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls // One of my favorite recipes because it’s so easy and you can change it up by swapping the fruit filling! All you need is a pack of cinnamon rolls (Annie’s or Trader Joe’s are vegan) and a can of fruit pie filling (we used blueberry, but you can go with apple, strawberry, or cherry)! Place the cinnamon rolls in a dish, dump the filling on top and bake per the instructions on the cinnamon roll package. I sometimes have to leave it in for an additional 15 min or so! Purchased a week before the brunch.
Trifle // I made a chocolate trifle but wasn’t too happy with the results so next time, I plan on doing a banana pudding with vanilla wafers! Make this the night before and set out 10 min before guest arrive!
Mini Avocado Toasts // I didn’t serve this at my birthday, but I have served it at other brunches and they are a hit! Just get some mini crostini’s from either Whole Foods or Wegmans, and freshly made guacamole. Top each crostini with a dollop of guac and serve on a platter. Purchased the day before.
Bacon & Sausage // My friend, June, was so sweet and made the meat for me! Cooking the meat on a griddle is so much faster than tossing it in the oven. She cooked it in batches about an hour before the party and tossed it in the food warmer once it was done. She purchased the day before.
Scrambled Eggs // You guys HAVE to try this recipe! Every time we make this recipe, we get such great feedback! Batch cooking the eggs is the only way to go when hosting for a large crowd. It’s so easy. Sabir popped these in the oven 45 min before the party and put them in the food warmer when done. Purchase eggs day before brunch.
Croissants // Freshly made by the Costco bakery. Purchase day before brunch.
Mini Muffins, Bagels and Scones // Freshly made by the Fresh Market bakery. Purchase day before brunch.
serving dishes
Fruit Salad // Don’t sleep on Aldi’s fruit! It’s really good and super cheap! I purchased a variety of fruit from Aldi’s and washed them thoroughly with Trader Joe’s fruit and veggie wash! Purchase the day before.
Snacks // My fav snacks to serve are chips and salsa, Chex Mix, and trail mix that has chocolate! Purchase a week before the party!
serveware
drink station
For drinks, I went with orange and grapefruit mimosas, pineapple margarita sparklers, and espresso martinis. If you live in the DMV area, def head over to the Costco in DC! They sell wine and liquor at AMAZING prices!
Make sure you have at least one batch drink that is easy to make and access from a dispenser! Definitely check out this one from Half Baked Harvest. It’s delish! Honestly, all of her drink recipes are amazing!
Espresso martinis are easy to make as well. Just add equal parts of vodka, Kahlua, and coffee (we used Califia’s cold brew). Highly recommend getting an airtight bottle from Crate and Barrel to serve these! It’s great to have when you want to serve batch cocktails!
Amazon is a great place to order plastic champagne flutes and glasses! I’ve linked the ones we got below and they were great! Also recommend picking up some glass markers so that everyone can write their name on their cup so you’re not blowing through tons of cups!
For final touches, I think adding food tags and creating menus makes it feel *that* much more special! They are super easy to create in the app ‘Canva.’
drinkware
I asked on Insta what tips you guys have for hosting a large party and many of you said to allow others to help! I could not agree more! My friends helped out by either making something or bringing drinks! It makes a difference and do not be scared to ask! Another great tip from my friend, Cherish, was to use Shipt for those last-minute items you need the day of!
I hope this was helpful and gives you some ideas for hosting your next brunch! Until next time!
