Everyone loves getting together. Whether for a celebratory family gathering or an informal meal with friends, spending time with our nearest and dearest is one of life’s little pleasures.
Yet as enjoyable as entertaining can be, it can also be slightly harassing for the host. If it’s your turn to entertain next, why not consider the following top tips to help make entertaining easy?
Keep it simple
When planning what food to prepare for your guests, the easiest way to keep stress at bay is by sticking to something simple. A dinner party, however informal, isn’t the ideal occasion to experiment with daring, new dishes so stick with something you know and can cook well.
Complicated culinary creations will only cause havoc with your heart rate and it’s much better to serve you guests a simple meal cooked well than a complicated meal cooked badly.
Bring out the buffet
A buffet is a perennial crowd-pleaser, allowing guests to help themselves to hearty homemade treats. From bowls of warming chilli to batches of wholesome casserole, traditional home cooking is always a popular and convenient choice.
Salads, garlic bread or chips all make the perfect side dish to complement your main menu so why not consider bringing out some McCain Chips to bring bite and bulk to your buffet table. From chunky cut to French fries, chips are bound to be a firm favourite with all your friends and family – and especially with any younger dinner party attendees.
Also bear in mind that you don’t need to prepare everything from scratch. A cold buffet with a tasty bread and cheese board is an easy and equally enjoyable alternative to homemade meals. Add a spread of deli-style hams and salamis and you’ve got a delicious dinner to satisfy any gourmand guest.
Plan ahead
It’s important to be organised so start preparing in advance to ensure your dinner party goes according to plan. Decide on your menu and gather all the ingredients ahead of schedule. Don’t forget to collect sufficient quantities of cutlery and crockery and ensure you have ample glasses to accommodate your guests too as it’s these small details which often get overlooked.
Most importantly, make sure you relax and have fun yourself. A happy host helps to create a warm atmosphere for guests so enjoy the occasion and your easy-going entertaining will be a big success.