Creating A Charity Dinner

Fund raising dinners can be not only beneficial but fun too. They can be small, for a certain group or large elegant affairs helping an international relief fund. However you plan it, a charity dinner is great way to give back while enjoying delicious food.

Charity begins at home and that is true. Many dinners help  out schools and places of worship. These are usually pot luck dinners where everyone contributes. Usually a committee of four or five people plan and decide who brings what. The first thing to do is create lists, deciding on what volunteer brings what dish. You don't want five bowls of mashed potatoes and no meat.As far as dishes , have a variety but keep in mind ,allergies along with likes and dislikes. Vegans and vegetarians won't cotton to the idea of chicken and beef plates. Of  course there is going to be casseroles. Think crowd favorites such as  backed mac and cheese and lasagna. Manicotti is another great dish for a group, especially if there are kids. Tuna casserole is another tasty classic that is sure to please. Of course there should be salads too. Someone can make a simple lettuce and tomato one and have a choice of dressings. The last can be homemade for a real down home flavor.There should be some kind of bread or biscuit.Your parish bakers can contribute  cheddar or herbed biscuits to accompany the meal. Desserts can be bars or cookies along with sheet cakes and pies.Make sure there is also soda, water nand juice to drink along with coffee and tea for dessert.

For more elegant affairs, a hotel ballroom is usually preferred however other venues can be used as well I 've been to several casual charity balls, that take place at a posh beach club(mind you this was Clean Ocean Action or COA - a group here in New Jersey that's responsible for beach cleanups and lobbying for cleaner waters here).COA has also used the graceful Berkeley Hotel in Asbury Park,New Jersey for other affairs. The food is simple: hors d' ouevres ranging from sushi to phyllo dough puffs with goat cheese. There were also mini sliders and bruschetta to satisfy appetites. The beach club do  offered The Flaky Tart's delicious chocolate chip cookies as dessert and also as favors. The Berkeley Hotel ended with cut fruit and cake pops.These are perfect for people to nibble on as they discuss important topics. If a hotel ballroom is just a tad too expensive for your cause then consider a local restaurant. Many, such as Que Pasta, in Saddle Brook, NJ, can host a charity night for forty dollars a person. Theirs is a combination buffet and auction to benefit local animal shelters.it will not only be a great night out but also a chance for them to try Que Pasta's excellent pastas and antepasti

A charity dinner is a great way to give back. It can be a just a gathering of home cooked dishes and desserts or an elegant affair with fancy hor douevre's and amuse bouches..The end result is a good deed and that's the most important thing.