Good food, good wine, and good company may be the perfect way to unwind for busy mothers. A mothers group lunch is not only a fantastic way for mothers to relax, but also to connect and build solidarity with other women over shared experiences.
But since it is difficult for most mothers to take out time for group dates, any lunches planned should be enjoyable for all.
Here are a few tips on how to plan the perfect mothers group lunch.
Assign duties
Are you hosting the lunch party by yourself or are multiple people planning it? If multiple people are planning it, who is doing what? To avoid any confusion and get things done on time, assign duties to everyone involved.
These duties may include compiling a list of invitees, finding a location, doing the décor, preparing the food, bringing the cutlery, and so on.
Figure out everyone’s availability
All mothers have different schedules. While some may be stay at home moms, others may have a professional career. As a result, work timings and responsibilities may differ for everyone.
To ensure that everyone in your group can attend the lunch, it is important to ask for everyone’s availability and pick a date and time suitable for most people. You can ask everyone in a WhatsApp group or simplify the process by creating a little poll on Google Forms.
Choose an accessible location
Assuming that most mothers are quite busy, the lunch should be easy for them to attend. The location of the group lunch is important because a place that is too far for the invitees would cause inconvenience and might make it difficult for the mothers to enjoy their day.
Therefore, the host should find out where the guests are traveling from to decide the location for the lunch.
You could hold the lunch at home, at a restaurant, a public park, or an outdoor location such as a lakefront that is relatively convenient for all to commute to.
Plan the décor
Aesthetics matter, and what is a perfect lunch party without pleasing décor? Once you’ve decided on your location, it is time to start thinking about how to decorate it.
You don’t have to spend a fortune on décor. You can simply use items lying around the house such as artificial flowers, bowls, and tablecloths to make the space look pretty.
If you would really like to go above and beyond, you can choose a theme for your group lunch and decorate accordingly.
Get a list of allergies and food restrictions
A lunch party is no fun if some people can’t eat. While some people may be allergic to nuts, gluten, or other ingredients, others may only eat halal or kosher.
It would really simplify deciding the menu if you knew which items to avoid beforehand.
Compile a list of reliable babysitters
It’s not easy to enjoy a lunch party if you’re constantly worried about your children back home. Having reliable care for their children can help moms relax and enjoy their time.
To help them out, you can compile a list of tried and tested babysitters in your area that they can hire to take care of their children while they are out for lunch.
Since childcare is an enormous responsibility, make sure that the compilation only lists service providers that have the necessary credentials and are highly rated by parents in your area.
Have multiple food options
There is incredible room for creativity when it comes to planning a menu for a group lunch.
You could have a multiple course meal with a starter, main course, and dessert. You could have multiple main dishes. You could have a barbecue where the meat or barbecued item is the star of the show while you have multiple other side dishes. You could even have a grand buffet to give your guests lots of choice.
However you choose to do things, you want all your guests to enjoy their food up until the last bite. Everyone may not like the same dish so it is ideal to have multiple options.
This is simple if you’re throwing a potluck or going to a restaurant, but if you’re planning the lunch at home, you should decide which dishes to prepare in advance. A catering service like Gathar can be very helpful in simplifying the menu and meal preparation process.
Get some wine
A glass or two of good wine can help tired mothers relax and destress. It can also make your food more enjoyable.
You don’t necessarily have to break out your best bottle of wine for the occasion, but make sure to go for a nice mid-range wine.
Set up some fun activities
All moms like to have a little fun sometimes. Set up some activities or party games for your guests to make your lunch party even more entertaining. You can set up a cupcake decorating station, hire someone to do everyone’s nails or give massages, or play some games.
You can also go for card-based games like Pictionary, Taboo, and Apples to Apples or bring out your dark side with a hilarious game of Cards Against Humanity.
Alternatively, you could set up children’s games such as potato sack races or play team games such as charades. Whatever you do, don’t forget to have fun!