Make-Ahead Recipes to Serve Holiday Guests

If you’re hosting guests for the holidays, I suggest making some of these Make-Ahead Recipes to make your time together more enjoyable!

Any time I’m hosting company for any occasion – but especially during holiday time – I like to have meals, snacks, and desserts prepared ahead of time if possible. This way I can enjoy visiting with our guests without spending much time in the kitchen. (I don’t do a great job of talking and cooking at the same time, oy!)

Here are some of my favorite recipes to make ahead and serve guests who are visiting:

Make-Ahead Recipes to Serve Holiday Guests

Main Dishes

20-Minute Taco Soup
Cheesy Salsa Enchiladas (freezes well)
Chicken Salad (store in fridge and serve on rolls or croissants)
Chili (freezes well and can be served with fritos and cheese or with hotdogs for chili dogs)
Homemade Tomato Soup (a crowd favorite served with grilled cheese sandwiches)
Italian Pasta Bake (freezes well)
Potato Soup (doesn’t freeze well but can be made and stored for a few days in the fridge, then quickly rewarmed on the stove)
Simple Chicken Cheeseballs with a Kick (freezes well)
Simple Pizza Chicken Bake (freezes well and is one of the easiest recipes you’ll ever enjoy!)
Whole Wheat Pizza Crust (freezes well and are great to have on hand to make quick pizzas)
Ham and Hashbrown Casserole (freezes well)
Spicy Ham and Potato Soup (doesn’t freeze well but is great make ahead and stored in the fridge for a few days before warming and serving)
Lasagna (my all-time favorite make-ahead meal!)

Desserts

Banana Cake (cool, frost, and cut into pieces – then transfer to a plate and cover and freeze)
Butterscotch Bars (freezes well – a crowd favorite)
Caramel Apple Dip (does not freeze, but wonderful to have in the fridge to pull out and serve with sliced apples)
Chocolate Cake (cool, frost, and cut into pieces – then transfer to a plate and cover and freeze)
Chocolate Chip Brownies (freezes well)
Chocolate Chip Cookies (freezes well)
Christmas Spice Cookies (freezes well)
Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (freezes well)
Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies (freezes well)
Fruit Crisp (freezes well)
Hot Chocolate Mix (fun to have on hand for guests!)
Lemon Pound Cake (freeze sliced cake)
Monster Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (freezes well)
Oatmeal Butterscotch Chip Cookies (freezes well)
Pumpkin Pie (freezes well)

Snacks

Cranberry Nut Trail Mix (have a container on the counter for guests to enjoy)
Cream Cheese Salsa Dip (this is a perfect snack with tortilla chips if you’re playing games)
Easy Veggie Dip (in case you’re eating veggies with your chips and dip)
Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Mudballs (great to have on hand for kids)
No-Bake Chocolate Fudge Bites (great to have on hand for kids)
No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookie Bites (great to have on hand for kids)
No-Bake Snickerdoodle Bites (great to have on hand for kids)
Spicy Avocado Dip (otherwise known as guacamole)
Whole Wheat Graham Crackers (cut them out with holiday shaped cookie cutters)

Breakfast Foods

Raspberry Oatmeal Bars (these are delicious to enjoy with guests along with a morning cup of coffee or tea)
Easy Breakfast Casserole (freezes well)
Poptarts (freeze well)
Quick Mix Pancakes (make the mix, then make pancakes quickly for guests)
Giant Breakfast Cookies (freeze well)
Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins (freeze well)
Banana Cheesecake Muffins (freeze well)
Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins (freeze well)
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Muffins (freeze well)
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Muffins (freeze well)
Blueberry Cheesecake Muffins (freeze well)

If you’re hosting Thanksgiving or Christmas this year, here are recipes to make your entire traditional Holiday Dinner ahead of time. I do it this way every year:

What do you like to make-ahead to serve to guests?

Make-Ahead Recipes to Serve Holiday Guests

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