7 Days for SIDS: Planning a Brunch

Dare I say that we have the perfect video to get you inspired. Taken at this past week’s 7 Days for SIDS brunch, the chefs pulled out all of the stops at The Midwest Culinary Institute, and their brunch menus were quite simply over the top.

Planning a brunch?

If you are like me, the first thing you will do is scour the internet looking for good ideas and easy brunch menus. Dare I say that we have the perfect video to get you inspired.  Taken at this past week’s 7 Days for SIDS brunch, the chefs pulled out all of the stops at The Midwest Culinary Institute, and their brunch menus were quite simply over the top.  Now, don’t get overwhelmed. These are professional chefs so some of the items, well, they just aren’t quite for the at-home chef to try to replicate (or at least not me). But, at the very least this should inspire you.

When planning for brunch for a group (perhaps for Father’s Day, a post wedding brunch or a farewell brunch for a co-worker), here are a few tips from us to you:

Brunch Planning Ideas

• If you are serving a large crowd, consider spacing the food out around the house. This will encourage conversation and keep one area from being too jammed.
• Centerpieces do not have to be expensive. If you don’t have flowers in a garden that can easily be cut, buy one or maybe two affordable bouquets from your local grocer and divide. Instead of putting all flowers in one vase, snip off the flowers and make smaller arrangements in your favorite dishes or glasses. Group them according to color. You will get a lot more bang for your buck.
• If you want to dress up the table and don’t want to break the bank, consider letting your fingers do the walking and do a little shopping at SavvyHostMarket.com.  We love this site because it is full of great entertaining tools that will make you shine, but will not break the bank.
• The morning after a big event (such as a wedding), people can be a bit sluggish. To put a little zip in their step, consider an elaborate coffee bar. Splurge on a few flavorings to make the coffee a gourmet experience.
• If there are more women than men, be girly! Serve yogurt parfaits in your best wine glasses. Or, go crazy and serve these non-alcoholic Raspberry Bellinis.
• When you are entertaining, the last place you want to find yourself is as a slave to the kitchen. Plan ahead and keep yourself organized (check out our how-to video). Before your guests arrive, set at every utensil, container, spice etc. that you will need for each dish. This way, your kitchen will stay in order, you will not be frantic looking for what you need, and you can spend more time with your guests.
• Balance the menu. Be sure to consider proteins. It is so easy to load a menu with carbohydrates and surely this can taste “good going down” but you also want to be sure to have plenty of proteins for your guests. Consider a salmon or lox.

Brunch Menu

Here’s a complete brunch menu that will surely impress!
To be inspired, check out the photos from the Cincinnati event.

We’d love to learn from you. Tell us your time or money-saving brunch ideas!