Making Hosting Easy

Here are my ideas on how to simplify hosting, when having people over for food!

Make it earlier, make it easier

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None of us want to answer the door sweaty and stressed, and having to run back into the kitchen to finish up the food once we’ve let our dinner or lunch guests in. But if you’ve set yourself too difficult a task when hosting and making food for your guests, this is quite likely to happen. I really think that a host deserves to enjoy their own party, or gathering!

I don’t know about you, but though I don’t really throw “dinner parties” per se, I do find myself wanting to offer my friends and family food when they get here - especially because we live quite far away from most of our social circle so a quick visit is not really on the cards, and it doesn’t feel right to expect people to be ready to splurge on a restaurant just because they’re coming to see you. Also - well, I love to cook.

But I can get flustered quite quickly if things need to be “just so” with the meal I’m making. And that can happen surprisingly easily with food for more people, or even just different people, than you normally cook for. It can be as simple as something needing to be served piping hot, or losing their colour (avocados, I’m looking at you) or crunch if you don’t do it last minute. What stresses us out can be very individual, but for me personally, knowing that the meal has definitely gone the way I wanted it to before people walk through the door is very important, or I’ll have a bit of an anxious feeling which won’t come out as me being happy and relaxed, that’s for sure!

So for me, I find meals that can be prepped ahead of time, but without needing to be stored away in the fridge or freezer. A fantastic example is a lasagne. Who gets offered a homemade lasagne and says “ew, no thanks!” - not many people! (and you can do SO many yummy versions, veggie - playing around with ingredients depending on how adventurous you feel and what you think is right for the guests you’re having). A lasagne is better, in my opinion, if cooked earlier and warmed up again for when guests arrive. Many, many meals benefit from cooking for a long time (so you’ve done your part and can just leave it in the oven) like a stew, or a lovely bolognese. Of course, if you have a slow cooker, this is a brilliant time to use it!

Another great option is a nice, big salad like a pasta salad, check out my recipe for the “Throw It All In”-pasta salad. This is a great one both for lunch and dinner. There are a couple of things that need to be done more last minute, like the avocados (see above re colour complaint!), and croutons (so they don’t lose their crunch). But when everything else is done and ready to go, those finishing touches seem like no biggie.

Having had a chance to clear away in the kitchen is maybe as important for our peace of mind. If we’re able to enjoy visitors without having to think about them seeing the messy kitchen after our dinner prep, or needing to take care of it all after people have gone home, we’ll probably be a lot more relaxed.

If you tend to find hosting and cooking for guests stressful, think about some of the dishes you like to make that are slightly less maintenance - because you know what? First of all, people love what you make so much more than you expect (they’re just grateful for a homecooked meal, and if they’re not, you need new friends!), and chances are they are more interested in having you be present with them, than what you put on the table. Oh, and when you do put it on the table, serve it family style and make it even easier for yourself.

What are your best dinner party meals? Do you have any great tips for how to make hosting easier? Let me know in the comments below!