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Make-Ahead Recipes to Serve Holiday Guests

November 13, 2022 by Laura Leave a Comment

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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:

  • Make-Ahead Turkey
  • Stuffing Muffins
  • Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
  • Mashed Potatoes in the Instant Pot
  • Oh Good Gravy
  • Green Bean Casserole
  • How to Make Frozen Pies
  • Simple Whipped Sweet Potatoes
  • How to make Whipped Cream
  • Whole Wheat Stir-and-Pour Dinner Rolls
  • Cranberry Sauce
  • Simple Cranberry Apple Cider

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

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Filed Under: Make Ahead Meals Tagged With: holiday guests, hospitality, make ahead meals

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