Quick Tips for an Easy Brunch at Home

Have you ever wanted to create the perfect brunch at home? Here’s a few tips that will have your guests waiting for your next gathering.

Updated: 5/24/2022

There’s nothing that I love more than entertaining my family and friends. When I get together with my loved ones it’s guaranteed to be a good time. We’re laughing, eating good food and enjoying great drinks. I will admit though that sometimes I really enjoy having things a little on the simpler side. Putting together an extravagant menu is fun and definitely worth looking forward to but having a simpler brunch menu filled with baked goods, a nice charcuterie board, seasonal fruits and tasty mocktails is the way to go.

Tips for an Easy Brunch at Home

If you’re like me and you like hosting brunch at home but want to spend most of your time making those priceless memories with your friends and family instead of cooking in the kitchen, I’ve got a few tips for you.

1. Know your budget

The first thing you want to do before planning any event is to know what your budget is. My husband and I always sit down to discuss the budget for our events. We want to make sure that we’re able to execute our vision in an affordable way and don’t go overboard. Budget is important to us because while we love entertaining our friends and family, we have family goals as well that we have to keep in mind. When creating your budget you’ll want to account for things like food, decor, alcohol, and a babysitter if you’ll need to make arrangements for your kids.

2. Choose a reasonable start time

Having brunch at home has its perks for sure. One of those is that brunch gives your guests extra time to sleep in and you extra time to prep. The best time to host brunch is around noon. This is the perfect time to host guests and have a full brunch menu complete with both breakfast and lunch dishes.

3. Create a simple charcuterie board

A charcuterie board is the one thing every brunch needs. As a rule of thumb, I like to keep things simple with 3 meats, 3 cheeses and 2 fruit choices. This breakfast board can be easily adapted for brunch and it’s so perfect! If the weather is cooler outside, you might want to consider this hot chocolate charcuterie board for your guests.

4. Make your drinks ahead of time

Choose drinks that you can make ahead of time and serve in carafes when the time is right. It’s amazing to not have to constantly get up to keep making drinks. Pick two or three of your favorite recipes to make ahead of time. Once you’re ready to serve, pour the drinks into glasses with ice then top with a fruit garnish and serve. If you’re not sure which recipes to make, choose a variety of flavors so you’re serving a variety for your guests.

5. Set your table in advance for your brunch at home

Before your guests arrive you’ll want to create an inviting and welcoming atmosphere for them. Set the table with chargers, napkins, plates, serveware and anything else they’ll need while they’re having brunch. You want to minimize the amount of times your guests have to get up from the table for anything so you can maximize everyone’s time spent together.

6. Always have extra food and drinks on hand

The worst possible thing that could happen is not having enough food or drinks for the amount of guests you’re serving. It’s always best to have extra ingredients on hand in case you have to make more drinks or food for your guests.

7. Serve traditional food

One thing I’d suggest is to serve a few traditional breakfast dishes. While I love a modern brunch menu, it’s important to keep guests in mind. Serving traditional foods like eggs, bacon and coffee will definitely appeal to your guests.

8. Keep the menu simple for brunch at home

Remember that entertaining is meant for creating memories with your guests. Keep the menu simple with recipes that are easy to create and can be made before your guests arrive. These mini banana bread loaves would be perfect for brunch. If you’re looking for an even simpler solution, consider hiring a caterer or ordering food for your brunch.

9. Don’t forget about the cleanup

The cleanup is probably everyone’s most dreaded task after hosting in their home. These cleaning hacks have proven to work time and time again for me so that cleanup is a breeze. If I’m hosting alone with no help to clean up then I’ll likely hire a service to do the cleanup for me. Sometimes prepping, hosting, and cleaning can be super exhausting when you’re living with a chronic illness so I try to go the route that’s going to be the best for me.

Creating Your Guest List for Brunch at Home

Creating the guest list for your brunch at home can be tricky. I like to keep brunches small and intimate so that it doesn’t get too overwhelming. Anywhere from 8-10 guests seems to be the amount of guests that works for us in our home. However if you have a larger home that can accommodate more guests, you can definitely invite more people. Keeping the guest list small will allow you to create a more personalized experience for guests. You can even customize place settings using your Cricut.

Have you ever hosted a brunch at home? Do you have any tips and tricks for making things easier or any favorite dishes you love to serve?

Brunch at Home Tips to Make Your Next Party a Success