Tips for Hosting the Perfect Dinner Party

According to this TED Talk, people with the longest lifespans have the following life habits:

• Moving naturally (regular walking or bike riding)
• Having the right outlook in life (having a life purpose)
• Eating wisely (a plant-based diet with minimal meat eating)
• Connecting with others (having a strong social circle)

The last point about connecting is what we will focus on for this week’s blog. If you enjoy socializing and hosting dinner parties, then we have some excellent tips for you. Not only will these inspire a fun night filled with laughter, but when used over time they will inspire a fun life filled with laughter.

Here we go:

• Cook what you know
  • Cook recipes that you have successfully made in the past. If you were hoping to reinvent an old recipe or experiment with something new, try doing that on a night where you aren’t trying to impress your dinner guests.

• Breaking from tradition can lead to fun (and tasty) results
  • Having a formal dinner party can always be fun, but so can an informal dinner party that focuses more on socializing and less on remembering to keep your elbows off the table. Either way, knowing your crowd will guide you in the right direction.

• Dip into something that makes your taste buds explode
  • Want to impress? Try a variety of fresh breads from the bakery, great olive oil for dipping and pickles, olives, roasted peppers, and a platter of local cheeses from the grocery. In fact, a lovely party can be made solely of flavorful nibbles from your favorite specialty grocer without the laborious main dish.

• Take people up on their offers
  • Even if you don’t ask guests to bring something, if someone offers to, politely say yes. People typically enjoy performing favors for others and the additional food will diversify what’s already in store.

• No match? No problem
  • A cacophony of different styles of plates, bowls, glasses, and dishes can clash, but it can also reassemble itself into a beautiful symphony of various styles. Put on your creative thinking cap, mix and max your styles, then find something that works.

• Travel for the right meal
  • If you are not sure what to cook, try traveling to another region – not literally, of course, but a finding a recipe or set of recipes from a particular region will not only help you settle on what to cook, but will also lend a fun, creative element to your dinner party.

• Plan ahead, clean ahead, and enjoy ahead
  • If you really hope to enjoy yourself as much as you want your guests to, plan ahead so you can enjoy yourself ahead. In general, people are not bothered by the fact that a person has not dusted their bathroom or behind the bookshelf before the dinner party, but be sure to pick up any clutter that may create some eyesores throughout your home.
  • Find an enjoyable music selection and have it playing when guests arrive to prepare a sociable setting. Make sure the table is set as well.
  • The more you have planned and prepared ahead of time, the more you can enjoy yourself; and the more you can enjoy yourself, the more your guests can enjoy themselves in turn.

Now that you have some tips for the perfect dinner party, you can create the perfect atmosphere for socializing that is conducive to a long, happy, healthy life.

Do you have any dinner party tips that have worked in the past for you? Please share them in a comment below.