Throwing a dinner party is no easy task to undertake. There's a ton of planning, cooking, and people-pleasing involved, so it's no wonder so many people feel overwhelmed by the prospect of going through all that work just for a few hours of entertaining hungry guests. But if you're planning on throwing a dinner party at your home, don't panic — there are actually plenty of ways to make everything easier from the moment you start cooking all the way until your guests are long gone.
The idea of entertaining guests can be daunting, but when you're the single host of a dinner party, the hardest part is definitely all the cooking you have to do. Luckily, though, there are some shortcuts you can take, such as using this genius technique to cut up cherry tomatoes for your salad in half the time you'd normally need! If you know where to look, you can also find recipes that taste like they were hard work, but really were no problem at all — just check out this delicious peanut butter cookie dip that will leave all your guests drooling! All it takes is a little research and preparation to make your party a huge success without leaving you totally stressed.
Before you plan your next dinner party, check out these tips to help you stay stress-free and enable you to enjoy your big event. After you try #8, you'll wonder why you ever did things differently!
Don't forget to SHARE these tips with all your friends so they can get through their next dinner party without breaking a sweat!
1. Only make things you're comfortable with.
No matter how good that complicated (but delicious-looking) recipe on Pinterest appears to be, it's best to stick with what you know when cooking for a crowd. You're far less likely to mess up something you've already made a few times, and you'll be much less stressed while making it, too.
2. Ask ahead of time if your guests have food allergies.
When it comes to dinner parties, there's nothing worse than finding out that you've made nothing that is suitable for a guest with a food allergy… except having to drive that guest to the hospital because they didn't realize you'd included peanut oil in your main dish. Check beforehand with your guests to make sure they have no food allergies that need to be taken into account so you can plan accordingly if they do.
3. Include at least one vegetarian main dish and appetizer.
When you check for food allergies, you should also check to see if any of your guests are vegetarian or vegan. But even if none of your guests are opposed to eating meat, it's always a good idea to include a couple of vegetarian dishes just in case. Many people are opposed to eating certain kinds of meat, and including vegetarian food is a great way to diversify your food options while making sure that everyone on your guest list has something delicious to eat.
4. Make whatever you can ahead of time.
Believe it or not, there are plenty of dishes that can be made in advance and still taste great (or even better) when it comes time to serve them. Consider using a slow-cooker for at least one meal, which can allow you to toss everything in at the beginning of the day and have it ready by the time the fun is about to start.
5. Plan for a couple of extra guests.
Even if you were meticulous about making sure everyone who RSVP'd "yes" to your invitation would have enough to eat, it's always a good idea to plan for a few unexpected guests. Someone might decide to bring their new boyfriend, or one of the people who initially turned down your invitation might have realized they were able to make it after all. If you end up making too much food, you either have lots of yummy leftovers or you can send the extras home with your guests.
6. Clean up as you cook.
It seems like a massive pain in the butt, but your future self will thank you for scrubbing those pots and pans before they ended up in a massive pile at the end of the night. Cleaning as you go is a good way to keep yourself from getting stressed out by having to work through a huge stack of cooking supplies after you've spent all day slaving over your stove.
7. Don't be afraid of store-bought.
Not everything that goes on the table has to come directly from your oven. If it helps save you some time and energy, go ahead and get that veggie platter from the store instead of chopping your own, and nobody ever complained about a delicious cheese-and-cracker plate just because you didn't cut up all the cheese and meat yourself. You can always arrange things to your own liking on a nicer plate if you want things to look a bit fancier.
8. Set the table the night before the party.
Unlike food, a tablecloth and place settings won't go bad if you leave them out overnight. Set up all your silverware, plates, napkins, and glassware the night before, and you won't even have to think about your table settings the next day when you're focused on the food.
9. If anyone volunteers to make something, let them.
Only fools turn down their friends' offers to bring a dessert. Be it homemade or straight from the bakery section of the grocery store, there's nothing wrong with extra food, especially when it's time for dessert. If you'd rather only have stuff that you made available, you can allow insistent guests to bring drinks instead of food.
10. Use a playlist from Pandora or Spotify for the music.
Unless it's crucial for you to be able to pick out all the songs that will be played at your dinner party, it might be best to let a service like Pandora or Spotify do it for you. That way, you can keep the same theme all night without having to worry about running out of songs or spending precious time selecting each individual tune.
11. Do all the hard stuff first.
Whether it's chopping up everything that needs to be chopped or just getting that complicated dish out of the way, you'll save yourself a lot of hassle and headache by doing all the hard stuff first, when you have the most energy. Get as much prep work done as you can, and then by the time you're covered in sauce, flour, and sweat, the easy part will be all that's left.
12. Start as early as possible.
Even if you've set your table a day prior and have prepped everything that can be prepped, it's still best to start cooking at least an hour or two before you think you need to. Having a bit of wiggle room is the perfect way to make sure you're not scrambling for time if you need to make an emergency run to the grocery store or need to spend a little extra time on a particular dish.
13. Keep the decor simple, yet sophisticated.
If you're not the type to have an entire matching dinner set sitting in your cupboard for this type of occasion, you can still create an air of elegance by using a white table cloth and plates, then adding a specific color or two as an accent. Consider using gold and amber for fall or red for winter. The accents can come in the form of napkins, centerpieces, or whatever else you feel like including in your table settings.
14. Get extra ice.
No matter how fast your fridge makes ice, it's never a bad idea to have a couple of extra ice bags on hand for chilling or filling drinks or keeping cold dishes at a good temperature even after it's time to take them out of the fridge or freezer.
15. Have fun!
Nobody is going to hate you if everything didn't turn out perfectly. The most important thing is that you, as the host, are enjoying your time with your guests. Dinner parties are a lot of hard work, but if everyone sees that you are relaxed and having a good time, then they will, too.
Make sure you SHARE these dinner party tips with everyone you know!
