When you host a dinner party, it's expected that there will be fine food and wonderful company. To ensure that the menu is pleasing to everyone, yet not too stressful on you, start planning your dinner party as early as you can.
Check With Guests
Before you get too far into menu planning, ask your guests about any special diet needs. Many people have restricted or specialized diets due to religious beliefs, health concerns or lifestyle choices. For example, a guest might be vegetarian, they might not eat pork or they might not drink alcohol. Make it comfortable for everyone by knowing what food and drink items are off-limits. Once you know which foods will satisfy everyone, you can really get started.
Make It Easy
Think of a theme, such as Asian cuisine or Southwest flavors, so that courses will blend well with each other. Remember, you are looking for quality recipes that showcase extraordinary flavors and textures. Don't get carried away with fancy gourmet foods that take forever to create and require elaborate preparation. Stick to the tried and true, or else prepare the dish in question at least once before the dinner party. Finally, as you are reviewing recipes for the party, consider how many of them you can make ahead of time and then serve up at the last minute.
Focusing on the Details
Take advantage of the freshest produce so the flavors will be more intense and delicious. As you shop, give some thought to combining colors so that the plate looks as good as it tastes. Serving all yellow or all brown foods is not as visually appealing as a variety of shades.
And don't limit yourself to color combinations. Consider textures in your dishes and contrast them accordingly: crunchy and smooth, flaky and dense. Also avoid the same flavors over and over. Even though you've selected a theme for the dinner, you don't need the same taste or dominant ingredient for each course.
Preparations
Dinner parties usually call for three or four courses. Be efficient in preparation and planning, and take time on each course. Do what you can ahead of time, and choose dishes that won't stress you out to prepare.
If you face a time crunch, order in some of the courses, preferably the sides or dessert. It's fine to serve prepared food at a dinner party, and sometimes a fancy prepared side dish or dessert from a restaurant is just what you need to complement the meal.
Appetizers
Appetizers are considered to be the first course of a meal. With this in mind, choose recipes that will whet the appetite but not make guests feel too full. Classics include raw veggies and dip or cheese and crackers. Some heartier appetizers are cocktail shrimp, cheese puffs or stuffed mushrooms.
Soups and Salads
Your meal should include a soup and salad. Most dinner hosts serve the soup right after the appetizer. For a three- or four-course meal, the soup should be light and flavorful. Thick stews and hearty chowders are not wise choices, as guests will become filled up before the main entrees appear. Try light cream soups or rich vegetable broth varieties to make the most of this course.
Some hosts serve salad before the main dishes, while others treat salad as a side dish to the entrée. Both ways work, so, as host, you should choose whatever works best. Green salads with plenty of vegetables and a variety of dressings are a good choice to complement any entrée.
Main Course
Depending on the theme of the dinner party, you can choose entrees and side dishes that work well together, bringing a variety of tastes and textures to the table. Traditionally, the main course consists of a protein, starch, and a selection of vegetables. If you have vegetarians in attendance, the main course would include a heartier dish, such as a vegetarian lasagna. Dinner rolls are usually included in the main course.
Make sure as you are planning that you reconcile which foods are cooking where. It simply won't work to have all four stovetop burners in use and then realize you need another one. Plan dishes that can be prepared in different ways so you have plenty of room and everything is ready at the same time.
Desserts
Everyone looks forward to dessert. Guests should be pretty full by now, so choose desserts that will be light and tasty, not heavy and rich. Many smart hosts prepare dessert the day before, such as pies, cakes or cheesecake. This can eliminate a lot of stress on the day of the party. Another option is to purchase a ready-made dessert so you can relax after dinner with everyone else.
Atmosphere
Once the meal is settled, you can focus on the presentation of the party. Create a relaxing and cozy ambiance with soft music playing in the background and appropriate lighting. For a small dinner party, dim the lights and use candles; for a larger crowd, keep it bright.
Make sure you have all the dinner party supplies you need. Set the table correctly, with enough large and small plates and the right number of flatware for each course. For a more formal style, choose to plate each course for your guests rather than passing serving bowls around. You can control the look and portions for guests and deliver the maximum visual impact, just as gourmet restaurants do.
 | Putting some thought into party cleanup will minimize your duties after the guests go home. Help yourself by following tried and true party-cleaning strategies that can restore your home to pre-party condition. |
 | If you're holding an informal dinner party, easy dinner party ideas include holding a themed party or asking your guests to bring a dish to pass. Keeping it simple for yourself means you will have more time to mingle. |
Dinner parties are either formal affairs or casual ones. Consequently, planning the dinner party games should factor into your party planning. Choose games which match the intention of the evening, and unless you're throwing a Murder Mystery Party or Casino Night, the game need not be the central event in the party. |
Many people have inherited or otherwise received an expensive set of dinner ware at some point. Traditionally, these dishes were used only for formal entertaining, or holidays when all guests arrived dressed in fancy clothing. Otherwise, the china was kept in a cabinet to protect it from dust. |
If you are like me, you love having company over for dinner! It is so much fun to plan it all out and enjoy some good food, conversation, company, and fun together with your friends and family. However, I do like to make things as simple as I can on myself but still keep things nice. |
