I don’t know about you but I very rarely have dinner parties or friends round for dinner (unless we are ordering a cheeky takeaway!). The reason for this? It can be so much effort to make something that everyone will eat and enjoy, ensure that people are happy and of course, blitz the house so it doesn’t look as if my four year old runs riot all the time!
I was asked by Crosta & Mollica to talk about my top tips for holding a dinner party with a minimum amount of effort and to help me in the creation of this post, they sent me some delicious new pre-dinner snacks, their Tarallini and Grissini breads, for my guests to try. These breads are fragrant and totally moreish, definitely whetting the appetite before a meal.
So what would my top tips be for holding such an event with minimum effort? Read on to find out!
- When ensuring the house is ready for guests, get everyone involved. The reason my living room often looks a mess is because my son Jack loves to spread his toys everywhere and then decide not to tidy them up in the evening. I tidy them up the majority of the time but sometimes I am just too busy – perhaps I am out for the evening and Steve has fallen asleep on the sofa after a hard day at work. Jack is getting better at tidying now but I found if I incentivise him to help me (30 minutes on the iPad, an hours worth of his favourite kids channel), he is happy to help me, especially if he knows certain people he likes are coming round.
- Get a list of things people like/dislike and/or are allergic to way in advance – This sounds simple enough but so many people don’t and find themselves panicking on the day about what they are going to make. Steve and I don’t like a lot of the same stuff but we always find a happy medium so finding a dish that everyone can enjoy is very important.
- Give them pre-dinner nibbles and give them time to chat – There’s nothing worse than sitting in silence waiting those few minutes for the food to come out. Arrange for your guests to arrive a little earlier so they can have a chat, a drink and some nibbles such as the new Crosta & Mollica range – you’ll find that they relax much easier and much quicker and it makes for a better dinner party overall.
- Provide some entertainment – Whether some music in the background or a dinner party game (perhaps even a murder mystery?), keeping your guests entertained is key and requires minimum effort if you plan ahead.
What top tips do you have for hosting a dinner party with minimum effort needed from you? I’d love to hear your suggestions.
Sponsored Post