I am  not a huge fan of having to make a dinner all by myself. Especially when it comes to feeding my family that when all together numbers 17. So over the years I’ve come up with a plan to get my holiday dinner on the table in a quicker fashion. 

Here’s my 10 tips to get Easter Dinner on the table in less time

1. Shop the weekend before so you can begin making items days before the holiday. 

2. Assign items that you need that others can bring. For example the one that doesn’t cook can bring drinks and rolls. Your aunt who does cook can make baked beans or a special dessert. 

3. 4 days before make sure your table linens and napkins are clean and washed. 

4 3 days before begin working on the house and getting it cleaned up. Give the kids jobs to get that house spic and span. My daughter cleans bathroom counters and my son sweeps and mops the floors. 

5. 2 days before begin prepping the vegetables and fruits you’ll need. Get everything chopped up for whatever dishes you will be making. 

6. 1 day before begin prepping the desserts or items that can be made ahead of time. Food such as cheesecake, cake that needs to be refrigerated like a coconut cake. You could even begin making the potato salad, broccoli salad, etc. Anything that gets better over time go ahead and make it up ahead of time. 

7. The day of get your meat baking and put the finishing touches on any side dishes that you didn’t need to prepare ahead of time (like green beans, corn, salad, etc).

8. Have your kids decorate the table with items you’ve set out. They can make place cards and put their own touches on the table. Anything to get the kids involved so they feel like I’m an important part of this family is so good for them.

9. Use paper products (biodegradable of course) so that you’re not spending all afternoon in the kitchen after everyone leaves.

10.  Relax, if you can the day will only get better and yummier from here. Enjoy your family and your holiday dinner that you’ve worked on for days. But working on it days before means you are less tired the day of! Get your family involved in the clean up too. Then divide up the leftovers and share with others. 

Getting Easter dinner ready is a time consuming event. 

But with you divide up the work it makes it a much more manageable job. This is how I get ready for Easter dinner. I will be making my potato salad tomorrow and prepping a lovely dessert. I can’t wait. I love spending holidays with family but hate the work that goes into it ahead of time. By dividing the chores up days before it makes it so much more manageable. Happy Easter friends. What’s an Easter tradition at your house? Leave me a comment and let me know. We do have an egg hunt and hide money in an egg.