Becoming a frazzled stressball when you have people over is no way to host a party. Stress less and even have a little fun by trying some of these four entertaining tips.
Love having friends and family over, but sometimes find it a bit stressful? There is a lot of preparation and running around to do when it comes to hosting. Sometimes that’s part of the fun, but sometimes it’d be nice if hosting was a little less work. Here are some ways you can have people over without putting yourself out so much.
Include some catering
If you’ve got the budget for it, hire a caterer or simply supplement foods you’ve prepared with some catered dishes. You may feel sheepish if you’re the type who prides herself on whipping up incredible plate after plate, but your guests will just be happy to enjoy delicious food. While you’re at it, consider hiring wait staff as well to help serve drinks, pass around food and keep your place tidy of used plates and glasses.
Make it a potluck
Save money and time by enlisting your guests to join in on making dishes. This way you only have to make one or two dishes (it’s probably easiest if you prepare one of the more substantial dishes of the evening). The bonus of a potluck party is that everyone gets to talking about the dishes they’re enjoying and the ones they’ve made.
Focus on make-ahead dishes
If everything you’ve planned must be cooked à la minute, then it’s no wonder you’ll find hosting a lot of work. Since the whole point is about enjoying time with your friends, try to choose dishes that can be prepared in advance and then simply set out on a buffet table or popped into the oven. The same goes for cocktails. Opt for those that can be made in advance in large quantities (say, a punch bowl of sangria) rather than those that need to be prepared only one or two at a time in a cocktail shaker.
Don’t try new recipes
Why put more pressure on yourself by testing out a recipe you’ve never attempted before? So many things can go wrong, and you’ll save yourself energy and possible embarrassment by sticking to ones you’ve made before and know will turn out tasty.
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