It’s so nice to be able to spend extended time with good friends, and a weekend getaway makes it so. But as the host, you do not want to be slaving away for 3 days. So, we’ve come up with the plan for a No Waste Weekend—you will waste neither time, nor food.

Here is the plan: greet guests on Friday night with charcuterie, and layered grilled vegetable stacks (which you have made ahead). BBQ all your goodies for the weekend, and serve a simple salad on the side. On Saturday, parlay your excess ingredients into sandwiches for lunch and a taco bar for dinner. This leaves you time to plan a fun excursion for Saturday afternoon: a hike, garage sale hopping, antique-ing in a cute town, golf, etc. Sunday brunch features whatever is leftover in a frittata and salad.