You likely have been to countless holiday dinners, starting before you could even remember. As you grow older, relatives, close friends and coworkers have hosted dinners of their own, impressing you with new recipes and a great atmosphere.
However, the reality of hosting your own dinner party is different from attending. Seating, feeding and entertaining people for the first time can be a mind-boggling experience.
Being a great host comes naturally for some, but it is never too late to learn. There are a few key points to know when planning. Keep these in mind and hopefully the rest of the night will be carried by holiday spirit and good vibes.
Pick one fun item for your meal
A holiday meal has a lot of moving parts, especially with figuring in all your courses and seating arrangements. Instead of attempting to create four unique and complicated courses, choose one item for your meal to revolve around.
This can be as simple as an opening cocktail or a dessert. Having one thing you know will blow everyone away is much better than trying to outdo each menu item during your first dinner party, private chef Gaby Dalkin told Glamour.
“Bringing that (dessert) out after the meal to blow everyone’s minds is a real pro move in my opinion,” she said.
Dalkin also called an opening cocktail ”a lovely icebreaker,” saying “immediately when they walk into your house there’s something for them to do in case they don’t know everybody.”
Find unique ideas on social media
You may not be looking to add more hours to your weekly phone screen time, but social media can be a great way to find easy, showstopper recipes and ideas.
Don’t break the bank
There is no need to go all out and and completely restock your pantry. Keep costs low and use what you already have at home in creating your menu.
“Pasta is a really easy way to feed a crowd. If you’ve got some Parmesan in your fridge and some lemon, you can make a really delightful pasta,” Dalkin said. “It looks very fancy, but in reality it’s four ingredients and you feel like you’re in Italy.”
It is also important to set a budget and stick to it, although it is tempting to buy more than you need for fears of running out.
Yahoo UK recommends focusing more of your meal around vegetable options, because those are typically cheaper than meat.
Be cognizant of time
Your first holiday dinner should not be a stressful experience. One area you should stress about, however, is timing. Nothing is worse than keeping your guests waiting too long to eat or ruining a dish because you did not time things properly.
“I always suggest reading the entire recipe first because a lot of things have resting time or cooling time,” Dalkin said. “You can look at it as a puzzle and see how it all fits together.”
Use your phone’s timers to ensure you don’t miss anything and make sure the time you invite people to come will work with your schedule.
Be confident
It may be your first time hosting, but nobody needs to know that. Start with simple menu items you know will shine and focus your energy on making sure everyone has a good time.
The point of holiday get-togethers is to see relatives and old friends and just relax, so do not spend time stressing about all the little intricacies, Dalkin said.
“The way I developed all my confidence in the kitchen was repetition. Doing stuff where you’re very confident and then you move up and you’re not as confident, but then you get there,” Dalkin added.
About the Author
