Food for Spur-of-the-Moment Mini Meals

Helping you prepare healthy foods in a hurry

Visit Cooking School

Foods for Spur-of-the Moment Mini-Meals

Alice Henneman, MS, Registered Dietitian and Extension Educator
University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County

A tradition for one of the holidays is having my family members from throughout the state converge at a central restaurant for a special meal. This is followed by everyone going to my house to kick back, share family stories and make future plans. The day ends with a light meal.

When and how much people will want to eat for this second meal is always a question mark. As I work right up until the day of the holiday.

Here are some tips, if you also

will whip out a mini-meal for an indefinite number of guests at an uncertain time
don't have much time to prepare food in advance
like to visit with your company rather than being stuck in the kitchen.

I've found that a "salad, specialty cheeses and fancy crackers buffet" is simplest. It can be tailored by each guest to meet his or her hunger and taste preferences.

Purchasing Food

A week or more in advance, I purchase a variety of foods for my salads that can be stored until "D" (dinner) day. My criteria is they have to be foods I would enjoy eating later in the week and beyond if everyone is still super-stuffed from the noon restaurant meal! Also, any extras have to keep well so our household isn't eating the same thing every day for a week to use up leftovers.

ADVANCE PURCHASES. Some of the foods I purchase a week or two ahead of time include the following. Your own list might look slightly grocery cart different.

Dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, cherries, etc.)
Olives (perhaps two types)
Toasted slivered, flavored almonds
Croutons (look for whole grain ones)
Marinated artichoke hearts
Sunflower seeds
Pickled beets
Drained and rinsed canned dry beans (1 or more varieties, such as black beans, Garbanzo beans)
3 bottles of salad dressing (include at least one low fat variety -- I choose low fat ranch dressing as most people seem to enjoy this flavor. Look for smaller bottles of dressing if you are serving a limited number of people.)
Assorted crackers (look for lower fat types and try to make at least half of them whole grain crackers)
Three to four special cheeses

LAST MINUTE PURCHASES. A day or two before the meal, I buy pre-bagged and pre-washed lettuce and those little grape tomatoes that can be popped right into salads. Or you can use cherry tomatoes and cut them in half before setting them out. Add to this list as your time and space allows.

Setting the table

To make table-setting easier, I try to do as much in advance as possible. This saves on last-minutes runs to the store for a serving dish, etc. The emphasis is placed on keeping things simple. Add your own extra embellishments as time and energy allow!

I use an assortment of tables, sometimes the final number is determined when everyone shows up. I cover them with with the same color of tablecloth to tie them all together. I've chosen a color that works with the colors in my dining room and that is suitable for all holidays and dining occasions. I change it for the season through the decorations I add. For example, during the winter holidays, I place pine cones along the center of the table.
Plates, eating utensils, serving dishes and serving spoons are gathered together as much as a week in advance. I store them on one of the dining tables and cover them with towels or a tablecloth.
People pick up their own plates and utensils at the buffet table. Large mugs can be used for holding each type of silverware upright and compactly gathered together.
I've given up finding a serving dish with the right number of sections for the various salad additions. I now use an assortment of my regular bowls and dishes, according to the size needed. Custard dishes make a nice size for serving smaller items such as the dried fruit, olives, etc.
I've purchased several of the smaller (about 6" to 7") bar ice tongs. These are usually found with the bar supplies. They work great for guests to use in picking up foods such as olives and small tomatoes.
The assortment of cheeses is placed on a regular, larger-sized cutting board along with a cheese knife.
The crackers are served out of a basket with a cloth napkin used as a liner.
Coffee can be made a half hour or more ahead of the meal and stored in insulated carafes. This not only keeps the coffee warm, but helps keep it fresh-tasting.

Dessert

Passing a plate with an assortment of fancy candies can be a sweet and simple end to your meal.

Return to Cook It Quick Main Menu

Sign Up for COOK IT QUICK! Updates
This site is updated about once a month. Sign up here if you'd like us to e-mail you when we add new material.

Developed By:

Alice C. Henneman, MS, RD
Extension Educator
University of Nebraska
Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County

Fax: (402) 441-7148
Phone: (402) 441-7180
E-Mail: ahenneman1@unl.edu
Web site: lancaster.unl.edu/food

Use Of These Materials:

You may reproduce these materials for educational purposes but not for sales purposes. You're also welcome to link to "Cook It Quick" from your website. Please credit: COOK IT QUICK!, University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension (lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciq.htm)

Use of commercial and trade names does not imply approval or constitute endorsement by the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension. Nor is criticism implied of products not mentioned.

For more information about preparing healthy meals, contact your local University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension Office; for the location of the office nearest you, click here. For a listing of Cooperative Extension Offices throughout the United States, click here.

Address: 444 Cherrycreek Road, Lincoln, NE 68528-1507, Phone: 402-441-7180

University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension educational programs abide with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska and the United States Department of Agriculture.