Decide ahead of time which pots, pans, platters and serving bowls to use for each dish being served. Make a list, then put sticky notes in them or line them in order, so you don’t accidentally put the food in the wrong serving dish. Make sure you have enough serving utensils, too.

Timing is everything. Make a list or a chart of all the food that you’re making and how long it takes to cook, and whether it is oven-baked or stove-top so you can coordinate all the recipes to be served on time and hot.

If you have large crowds during holidays, invest in food warming items such as buffet server, crockpot buffet or sterno chafing dishes.