A Central Dish

• Think about holiday dinners, with their central theme and complementary side dishes. Roasting a turkey or baking a ham can provide the centerpiece, with three or four side sides to fill the plate. Baking two casseroles can accommodate a large number of people and has the benefit of being able to be prepared ahead of time. A big pot of stew, soup or chili can also be the main attraction, with bread and green salad rounding out the meal.
  
  

SImple Cooking

• Grilling hamburgers and hot dogs won't require much preparation time. Large packages of burger patties and hot dogs are available at most supermarkets, and they are easily found in warehouse stores such as Costco or United Grocers. If you don't want to make homemade potato or pasta salad, you can buy them by the gallon at these stores.
  
  Pasta shows up at so many large-group affairs for a reason. Buying large quantities of noodles and sauce is inexpensive and easy to prepare. Many caterers will make pasta a day ahead of time to reduce the stress of having to cook all those noodles at once. Pasta will hold in the fridge just fine when treated properly. Undercook the noodles slightly, rinse and drain well. Stir in enough oil to coat the noodles and store covered with Saran Wrap or a damp towel overnight in the refrigerator. When you're ready to serve, place the spaghetti in a pot of boiling water for two to three minutes until heated through, and drain and serve. Another method is to place the noodles in a colander in the sink and pour the hot water over the top of the pasta. Stir well to make sure it heats evenly.
  
  

Shopping

• Look for warehouse supermarkets that carry bulk merchandise. Stores like Costco and United Grocers will have products in restaurant sizes that will make preparation easier. If a store of this kind isn't in your area, talk to your supermarket manager about making a special order.
  
  If you're not sure how much food to buy for your event, take a look at the labels on the food and check the total serving size of each package. A restaurant-size can of tomato sauce, for example, will serve about 20 people. This can help you make the necessary adjustments. If you would like a little extra guidance, talk to people you know in the restaurant business. If you don't know anyone in the food industry, find someone who has experience in feeding large groups of people. This could be the cook at your child's school or a service group that has regular community dinners.