- By Patricia Autry

Maybe you’re making a point this year of increasing your level of raw, but you know that somewhere down the line there’s going to be moments and opportunities for entertaining with friends and family.  Planning a party can be stressful enough, but when you are planning a party to start and establish a raw family tradition for your not-so-raw family, all the existing paradigms go out the window.

Thus, today we’re bringing you advice that you can use throughout the year to make your parties and entertaining extravaganzas a fun and positive experience for everyone!

1.    Schedule the Event

Get everyone on board as soon as possible.  You will need to plan in advance how many people are willing to attend as purchasing the ingredients for your event will take some planning.  You can’t just run out and purchase a couple of bags of chips and dips laden with gmo’s (genetically modified organisms) and preservatives to serve.  This is the real deal diva.

You need a head count and you need to let your guests know in advance that this will be         a special raw event and the beginning of a new year where the food that will be served will be live food.  Reassure them that ‘yummy’ is still on the menu!

Nothing could be worse than to have a few people show up and then be told, “Oh! By the way, we are having raw food for our dinner this evening.”  Stand back sugarplum and get out of the way, as your fear-sticken guests head for the door like a herd of spooked cattle.

2.    Create Meal Plans

When you’re extending your invitations, it’s not unusual for people to ask what they can bring to the party, though they might be a bit nervous if they’re new to raw food.  You can offer suggestions of beautiful raw fruits and vegetables or perhaps a bowl of raw almonds or raw assorted nuts… something familiar your guests can get their heads around.

If your not-so-raw family balks at this idea, then be prepared to accept whatever they bring.  It will be more rewarding to have them at the party trying new raw dishes than to have them feel left out or feel like an outcast just because they were anxious about the ‘foreign’ menu being offered.  The not-so-raw family will benefit far more from being at the party and maybe trying that one raw dish that changes their minds and hearts towards the raw lifestyle.

Now, similar to a cooked food party or dinner party, it’s always a good idea to make recipes of food you’ve tried before.  Serving your guests an experiment, especially one that doesn’t turn out, may not be wise if you want them to come away with a positive first impression of raw food.

3.    Make it Meaningful

Come up with a party plan and creative displays that will leave a lasting memory in their hearts along with many laughs too.  It’s okay that they’re unfamiliar with raw food.  You can take the opportunity to show them.  People are often nervous and afraid of things they don’t understand.  You can help them.

For example, in advance, have a spot set up with beautiful bags of seeds or beans to be sprouted.  Tie them with lovely festival ribbons and positive message cards or tags. These are little gifts that your guests can take home and enjoy themselves.  Have sprouting jars already with seeds soaking for everyone to try their hand at sprouting so that they get the idea.  Mix it up like a green smoothie with different seeds and beans.

Can you imagine their excitement of going home and having to continue the process of rinsing and soaking with the reward of their very own sprouts to enjoy in a couple of days?

You can also send home a sprout chart with instructions of the many types of nuts, seeds, grains and legumes that you can sprout.  The possibilities are endless for this project.

4.    Remember the Moment

Take photos of your not-so-raw family celebrating their new raw tradition.  They will cherish these funny and unorthodox photos for years to come with the reminder of when they were introduced to a New Year of health and joy.

Hugs and Happy New Raw Year,

Patricia