If you’ve ever entertained, you have probably realized that the hardest part about throwing a party is deciding on a menu! You have to take so many things into consideration—people’s likes/dislikes, time of the day, time of the year, seating situation, etc. I am going to try to take some of the guesswork out of this for you, and share some of the tips I’ve picked up by watching my mom and my best friend’s mom (Donna, that’s you) throw countless parties over the past two decades. Consider the time of dayIf you invite people over for a party from 12:00-3:00, you can bet people are going to expect lunch! Anytime you plan an event around a meal-time, people are going to assume you’ll feed them. I’m not saying you have to serve a 5 course meal every time you have people over for a party at 5:00, but be prepared to fill people up with snacks that are a bit more substantial than a veggie tray. You can try things like sliders, chicken wings, mini tacos, etc. Consider your seating arrangementsBy no means do you need to have a seat for every person you host. However, if you are planning to have a packed house, then maybe forgo the pork steaks. Without having a table to sit at, it can be hard to eat things that require a fork and knife to cut. If you have your heart set on serving something like roast beef, why not turn it into little sandwiches that people can easily pick-up and carry with them? Serving hand-held items also means you don’t have to worry about having enough flatware for everyone. Consider your audienceI know when Pamela is coming over for dinner, I’m not going to be experimenting with anything crazy in the kitchen. We are both pretty picky eaters (we’re trying to get better!),so I would never try to serve her something that I know she wouldn’t want to try. I’m not saying you have to cater to your most picky guest, but consider having other options that you know they will like as well. One example would be a mac-and-cheese bar. I know Pamela isn’t going to put green onions and pork belly on her mac-and-cheese, but by having a build-your-own-bowl option, Pamela can have plain mac-and-cheese, while my other guests can load up on the more adventurous toppings. When in doubt, go with dips!If you have combed your Pinterest boards, and are still not sure what you want to serve at your next gathering, you can always rely on chips and dip! Everyone loves to munch on chips and dip, so its a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Try to mix-up things up–hummus, guac, spicy sausage queso, inside-out crab rangoon, creamy buffalo chicken, cowboy caviar–the posibilities are endless!
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