How to Display Food on a Banquet Table

One of the truths in the catering business is that presentation can be as important as the taste of the food. If your banquet table looks stunning, the food will benefit by being well received. There are no hard and fast rules to laying out multiple dishes for a banquet setting, but there are a few guidelines you can be aware of that enhances presentation and allows your guests easy access to fabulous dishes. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Accommodate the number of plates with a large enough table. You don't want to cram 15 dishes onto a table suitable for only eight. Having plenty of room in between dishes gives guests room to set their drink or plate down while they help themselves. Not having every inch of space filled with food also allows room for decorating.

2

Elevate some of the dishes to give variety to the layout of your table. This can be done by using small platforms underneath the tablecloth - a sturdy box, books, a small wooden crate - it's not important what you use as long as the dish fits on it. You probably don't want to elevate a dish that has to be heated or that the guest has to cut to get at, like a cheese dish. Choose something that can be easily grabbed with the fingers, like vegetables or cookies.

3

Arrange the food in relative groups. In other words, place the crackers next to the cheeses; the fruits next to the desserts. The main course is generally the first thing displayed with the side dishes following suit. A banquet table that is focusing on just desserts or appetizers can be arranged according to visual appeal; try to break up two dishes that look similar such as a plate of white, frosted cookies and a white cake.

4

Mirror the plates. You want your guests to be able to file quickly along the banquet table. By having two of each dish on either side of the table, people can form two lines. Another advantage is that this arrangement makes the table look visibly abundant, turning six dishes into 12.

5

Decorate your table. This does not have to be fancy; just something to break up the long series of plates. A flower centerpiece can be used in the middle of the table, and use loose flowers or blossoms in between the other dishes to complete the pattern.

Ideas for a Table in a Small Kitchen

If your loft apartment or cozy cottage is sporting a small kitchen, your design choices should both maximize space while maintaining a functional food preparation and eating area. Though elegant banquet tables are likely out of the question in your small eat-in kitchen, a number of space-saving dining tables are suitable for tight spaces without sacrificing style or your budget. Does this Spark an idea?

Considerations

Your available space, style preferences and functional needs will dictate your decisions when choosing a table for your small kitchen. Accurate measurements of your kitchen space are useful when you begin to shop for small tables. When you start shopping, factor in both the size and shape of the table. A round table allows for several chairs to be spaced around the table, but a rectangular table can be tucked into a corner and pulled out when the extra seating is needed. If you have an additional dining space, the kitchen table needs only to offer additional seating, but, if all of your eating will be done in the kitchen, the table must be large enough to seat all members of your household.

Built-in Tables

Make the most out of the nooks and crannies in your existing kitchen with a built-in table setup. A window bench seat offers ample space for dinner guests, and a long, narrow banquet table provides just enough space for casual breakfasts or lunch parties. If you have additional dining space in another room, choose a bar top that matches your countertops and line it with several stools for a relaxed eating space.

Folding Tables

Folding tables provide versatility if you require a small eating space on a daily basis but occasionally entertain or have family for dinner. Drop-leaf tables have hinged edges that fold down to safe space and open to provide additional surface area when you need it. Drop-leaf tables tend to be more traditional, pedestal-style tables. If your tastes are more modern, build a custom table that folds down on a hinge from a wall in your kitchen. When you need the floor space, the table folds flat against the walls but opens to provide an eating space when it's time to dine. For even more functionality, cover the underside of the table with photographs or cork board so that the surface is decorative or useful when the table is stowed against the wall.

Dual-Function Tables

In homes or apartments where extra space is limited, the kitchen table can be a valuable source of storage or additional functionality. Desks that offer a clean surface for place settings, as well as side drawers for storing files or paperwork, provide a workspace and an eating space for people without the room for a dedicated study. Counter-height kitchen tables often feature a central pedestal with a series of drawers for storing towels, plates or silverware. If your kitchen has an island, a set of bar stools is all you need to transform the food prep area into a food serving area.

How to Decorate a Banquet Table With Greens

Vibrant greens will give a boring banquet table a fresh look. Use foliage to create customized table centerpieces and party favors. Colorful flowers and plants will bring life to the party, whether you are planning a large reception or an informal affair. If you are decorating on a budget, bypass live greens for faux foliage, which will still add a lively pop of color to the table. Personalize the greenery with handmade pots, vintage vases and creative containers. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Choose the type of greenery you want to use to decorate the banquet table. Pick elegant flowers, such as roses and lilies, for a formal affair. Go with inexpensive and hardy spider plants and other basic foliage to save money. Create a desert-themed tablescape using cactus plants, or an island-inspired theme with tropical plants and orchids.

2

Place the greenery in creative pots and containers. Plant small green foliage in a vintage crystal punch bowl for an unexpected look. Line the banquet table with empty wine bottles filled with long-stemmed roses to create a romantic style. Enhance a country-inspired table by filling a large glass and wrought iron lantern with a potted plant.

3

Use banquet table decor that doubles as party favors. Fill bud vases with small, delicate flowers and place one by each place setting. Plant tasty, edible herbs, such as rosemary and oregano, in mini terra-cotta pots and place them around the table for a fresh look; send each guest home with an herb after the party.

4

Enhance the banquet table with a plant-inspired garland. Choose a faux grapevine garland long enough to fit the circumference of the table. Weave small white string lights through the garland for an elegant look. Attach the garland to the edges of the table using transparent tape. Plug in the string lights.

Changing Table Ideas

A changing table is a table, usually located in a baby's room, that is set up as a place to change diapers. While it is possible to purchase a table specifically created for that purpose, many new parents choose instead to use a piece of furniture that can serve dual purposes. Some forgo a table altogether. Create a space for your baby that is multifunctional and versatile by getting creative with your baby's changing table.

Dresser

Change your baby on the dresser. Some new parents choose to use the top of a long, six-drawer dresser as a changing table. Many baby supply stores sell cushions that can be placed directly on top of wooden dressers and attached with straps. Diapers, wipes and other supplies can be kept in a basket next to the cushion or in one of the top drawers of the dresser.

Not only does using a dresser as a changing table save space in a small nursery, but when the baby gets older, the changing pad or cushion can be removed, allowing the top of the dresser to be used for display or storage.

Basket

Change your baby on the floor. Why try to keep your baby secured on a high table when she is much safer on the floor? This is especially true when your baby becomes a toddler and spends most of her time trying to wriggle free of your grasp. Some parents choose to use a basket as a changing station, forgoing a changing table altogether. Fill the basket with diapers, wipes and a vinyl changing pad that can be wiped clean, and you have an instant and portable "changing table" that you can take with you from room to room.

Closet

Place the changing table in the closet. If you want to purchase and use a traditional changing table, but you don't have the room for it in the nursery, consider using the baby's closet. Remove the closet doors and hang curtain panels from a spring-pressure rod. In an instant, you will have created a cute changing nook for your baby, complete with shelves on which you can store diapers, wipes and toys. If the closet doesn't have a light, place a small lamp on one of the shelves so you can see.

Play Yard

Use your play yard's built-in changing table. Most play yards (or portable cribs, as they are sometimes called) come with a built-in changing table. Many parents find that it is convenient and practical to set up the play yard on a permanent basis in the family room. Not only is it a safe place for the baby to play, but the changing table makes it easy to change him rather than having to take him back up to the nursery for a diaper change.

How to Decorate Tables for a Banquet

Table decorations help set the mood and can continue a theme from events earlier in the day. When decorating a banquet table consider the type of event; if the banquet is for a business meeting you'll want less decorations to enable people to take notes. However, if the banquet is for a wedding reception you'll likely want to extend the theme from the wedding. Although large bouquets of fresh flowers are always a safe option, they can be expensive, particularly if you have a lot of tables. Instead of breaking the bank on decorations, consider using some inexpensive options to decorate your table. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Cover the table in linens that coordinate with the theme of your wedding, or that act as a neutral backdrop to your decorations. Depending upon the location of the banquet, the location may provide white or off-white linens as a part of the fee.

2

Add a splash of color to the table with colored napkins, a centered square piece of fabric slightly smaller than your table, or a table runner. Although professional linen companies will know the needed dimensions for runners and squares, you may need to contact the banquet center for table dimensions. Typically, you'll want the runner to be long enough so that it drapes off the ends of the table by at least 6 inches on each side.

3

Place your centerpiece decorations in the middle of the table. Depending upon your budget, the look you want for the table, and the actual size and style of the table, you may have more than one decoration. For example, small round tables would look adequately decorated with a vase filled with cut and uncut lemons, whereas a long table might look better with scattered votive candles along the runner or small vases with one bud in them. Unless your centerpiece elements are see-through, like a tall water-filled vase, they should be no taller than about 12 inches off the table; this allows conversation to flow from both sides of the table without people being blocked off from each other. Use odd numbered decorations on the table to make the table look less formal.

How to Stock a Changing Table

For at least the first two years of his life, you and your baby will spend a good deal of time at his diaper changing table. In order to make sure you have the proper supplies at hand, it's important to stock the changing table correctly, so you can change his diaper quickly and get on with the rest of your day.

Instructions

1

Purchase the supplies you'll need to stock the changing table. These supplies include diapers, powder, diaper cream, baby wipes, nail clippers, body lotion, washcloths, a change of clothes and a hairbrush.

2

Stack the diapers on a shelf immediately below or next to the changing table pad on which your baby will lie. Store all diaper-changing supplies at arm's length, but out of the reach of your baby. These products contain substances that can prove toxic if your infant swallows them.

3

Store diaper creams, baby wipes and other changing table supplies in a nearby drawer. If the changing table doesn't have a drawer, consider purchasing small baskets in which to store the supplies and place the baskets on the changing table's shelves.

4

Place a cloth cover over the diaper changing pad to keep it clean. Store extra covers in the changing table, so you can quickly change it when an accident happens.

5

Make certain the diaper pail is right next to the changing table, so you can reach it while still having a hand on your baby's body. Consider storing extra bags or liners for the pail on the changing table's shelf or in one of its drawers.

6

Scout out weekly store advertisements to find deals on diaper-changing supplies. Stock up when you find a bargain and keep these items stored on an unused shelf on your changing table or in a nearby closet so they're readily accessible when you need them.

7

Monitor the level of the different supplies in the changing table and restock any item whose count is running low.

What Things Should Be at a Changing Table?

It's important to have a designated area for changing your baby's diaper. A changing table provides a space for you to lay the baby down -- the top should have a sturdy ledge to prevent the baby from rolling off -- and shelves underneath for storage of supplies. Keep the changing table well-stocked to make diaper changing efficient for you and safe for your baby.

Diapers

Keep at least a few days' worth of diapers within reach.

Whether you use cloth or disposable diapers, keep at least three days' worth of diapers stored in the changing table. Having a large supply prevents you from running out, in case your baby gets sick and needs more diapers than usual or if something unexpected comes up and you can't make it to the store.

Wipes

Keep a container of baby wipes and some refills close at hand. You might only need one or two for some diaper changes, but other times you might need a lot more.

Trash Can or Diaper Pail

A trash can with a pedal lets you keep your hands free.

There are different kinds of diaper pails available, some with filters designed to minimize odors. Whether you use one of these or a simple trash can with a lid, be sure to line it with a plastic bag. A trash can with a foot pedal is more sanitary than one with a handle on the lid.

Changing Pads

A changing pad provides comfort and warmth to your baby while she's lying on the changing table. Keep an extra changing pad nearby in case the one you're using gets dirty.

Laundry Bag or Basket

Keep a laundry basket near the changing area.

It's easier to toss soiled baby clothes and blankets into a laundry basket that's near the changing table than to carry them through the house to the laundry room. If you use cloth diapers, have a separate plastic bag near the changing table for the dirty ones.

Extra Clothing and Linens

Keep clean towels, clothing and blankets near the changing table.

Keep a variety of clean baby clothing nearby so that you're not tempted to walk away from the baby to get a fresh T-shirt. Keep a stack of clean burp cloths and blankets handy, too.

Distractions

Keep a pacifier or comfort object nearby.

Hang a mobile from the ceiling above the changing table or brightly colored pictures on the wall to keep your baby's attention while you're changing his diaper. A radio or MP3 player docking station can provide a musical distraction. If your baby finds comfort from a pacifier, keep one near the changing table at all times for those late-night or cranky-time diaper changes.