New Year's dinner is the last hurrah to the jam-packed holiday season. However, having just left a rather busy holiday season, not many want to create another large meal to serve a bunch of people and, once again miss the party. This page is designed to help you learn how to plan a New Year's menu that will allow you to be part of the party and still serve food that everyone will enjoy. The key is in the planning and preparation.

This is your first meal of the year, and it should be memorable and fun. Whether it’s New Year's Eve or the day after (when you might be reeling from the effects of to much champagne) a traditional, simple, and hearty meal is always a hit. However, New Year's Day dinner is also a good time to start new traditions. Thanksgiving and Christmas menus may be set in stone, but chances are, if you got stuck with making New Year's Day dinner, you have earned a creative license. A little planning goes a long way. Here are some tips for a stress-free, healthy New Year's dinner.

First you will need an overview of the party. How many guests will be served? You will want to serve the appropriate amount of food for the number of guests. After ascertaining how many guests you will have, consider their dietary needs and restrictions. Are Grandma and Grandpa flying in from far away? Grandma would probably really appreciate it if you made one of her tried and true recipes. What are their dietetic needs? You probably don’t want to have a huge roast if you have several vegetarians coming for dinner. Or you will at least want to have another main dish for them.

Or are you having several friends over for dinner? Perhaps ask them about their own family traditions to make them feel more at home. Every family is different. If you take a little time to think about what your guests would really appreciate, the party will go much more smoothly.

One way to start your own tradition is to incorporate lucky foods into your New Year's tradition. Grapes, greens, fish, pork, legumes, and cakes are popular in many cultures and represent luck and fortune for the person who eats it for the new year.http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/holidays/newyearsday/luckyfoods. New or old family traditions are a sentimental way to remember the holidays.

A nice cut of meat, fresh fruits and vegetables can quickly add up on a grocery bill. If money is an issue, you will want to go with a cheaper cut of meat, such as a shoulder or a beef brisket. These cuts can be just as savory and tender as more expensive cuts if you remember two words: “low and slow”. A crock pot is a good way cook low and slow and save your oven for something else.http://www.streetdirectory.com/food_editorials/cooking/meat_recipes/choosing_the_right_meat.html By cooking the meat slowly on a lower temperature, it turn out moist and tender. You can also pair the sides with the main course by mixing and matching frozen and fresh fruits and vegetables.

-Shop early and make organized lists. Microsoft Excel is a great way to make an efficient and fast shopping list. If you have a phone that uses applications, there are many grocery list applications to choose from. Some are free and others cost a few dollars. This will ultimately save you time in the store.

Timing is everything in cooking. The day before make sure you have all your ingredients. Then, go through all your recipes and figure out what will take the longest to cook. Try to do as much preparing as possible. Be careful to keep sauces and meat separate (unless marinating), and don't allow veggies to wilt in the refrigerator. If you set a time line for yourself, you will know what times to start and end the entree dish and figure out how you can work in making the smaller dishes.

Finally the fun part! Research your menu. You want a variety of foods and nothing too heavy. After a Thanksgiving turkey and Christmas ham, one can be full for months after the holidays. A commonly overlooked holiday entrée is fish. Salmon and tilapia are among the easiest to make.

So that you have no excuses, here are a couple of quick and easy fish recipes:

Honey Mustard Salmon. Buy some fresh or frozen filets of fish. Let the fillets thaw if using frozen. Coat fresh fillets with salt and pepper. Mix together some dijon mustard and honey and brush it on the fish. Now, you can either pop it right in the oven, or let it marinate for a few hours. You should allow about for 15 minutes for each piece on 350 degree oven. For thinner portions use less time. If you are unsure, ask the butcher at the fish counter of your grocery store.

Italian Bread Crumb Tilapia. Again, start with fresh or frozen filets. Add one or two tablespoons of lemon juice, and about the same amount Parmesan cheese to an Italian bread crumb mix. Make enough to coat both sides of the fish. Mix the items together well. In a separate bowl, whisk an egg and dip fish in the egg wash. Drag the tilapia through the bread crumb mix and bake on 425 for about 8 mins a piece.

No holiday meal is complete without cocktail hour or simple appetizers before the big dinner.http://www.foodnetwork.com/barefoot-contessa/cocktail-hour/index.html For the cook, it is a perfect way to wind down and enjoy the fruits of his or her labor. For the guests, it's just another opportunity to eat more!

Drinks! After all that hard work, the cook deserves a nice drink (if you haven't already imbibed while cooking, that's ok too). Prosecco is an Italian version of champage and can be used for making spritzers with half prosecco and half cranberry juice. Throw in a few fresh berries.

Mozzarella, basil, and tomato appetizer. This simple appetizer is always a hit at parties. First, slice up a loaf of crusty bread in about 1/2 inch slices. Then, slice fresh mozzarella into 1/4 inch slices. (Note: the pre-sliced cheese would not be a good alternative). Slice up tomatoes to fit the bread and mozzarella, and then tear up some basil. You can use a lot or a little. Then sprinkle salt, pepper, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar over your treat.