Unlike stuffy dinner parties that take lots of effort to organize, breakfast buffets are much easier to host. Simply display a selection of store-bought baked goods on your counter, set out some fresh fruit and cream cheese, and get a batch of coffee brewing to get the party started. Guests can self-serve and mingle, or sit down and feast over their plate of Danish pastries, bagels, and muffins. But, here’s a word of advice if you’re hosting a breakfast buffet for the first time: serve your baked goods in half.
Why is this such a great move? Firstly, it equates to less waste. It’s easy for guests to load up when so much inviting food is on offer, risking that they’ll overdo it and leave half-eaten treats on their plates. Instead, slicing items in half means diners can satisfy their cravings with smaller portions, leaving nothing to be discarded afterwards. Secondly, it also gives your guests the opportunity to try more. They can pick up half of a muffin and pair it with half of a croissant or a pain au chocolat, mixing and matching their own personalized plate of goodies.
Portioning out pastries is great for guests of any age
Halving baked goods can be particularly wise if adult guests are bringing along sticky-fingered children who can’t resist the urge to immediately grab anything sweet and pretty off the counter and give it a lick. The kids can enjoy the variety of snack-sized portions without wasting an entire frosted cruller or wedge of streusel-topped coffee cake. Plus, smaller items will be easier for them to hold and eat compared to full-sized doughnuts, muffins, and the like that can get them (and your furniture!) messy in minutes.
Additionally, slicing baked goods into smaller segments even allows you to be more creative with how you present the food, should you want to create a sweet and savory breakfast-inspired charcuterie board. For example, you could set quartered bagels around a ramekin filled with scallion-topped cream cheese and lox, or arrange halved waffles beside little jugs of syrup and mini jars of preserves. Building a visually interesting breakfast board will not only give your buffet a luxe vibe, but it’ll showcase your stellar design skills. The only thing left to remember is to prep your board just before serving as stale baked goods and soggy pastries are breakfast buffet red flags that could discourage your guests from coming back next time!
