Movies and television shows make it seem like throwing a dinner party is a way of life. Couples clean their homes, spend a few hours cooking and have an amazing time with their friends. Those films and shows rarely focus on the time spent actually getting ready for that party. Anyone who ever threw a dinner party before knows that it can take a lot of hard work and still not go the way they wanted. With three easy tips, you can make your next dinner party a smash and save some time too.
Order Food Online
Ordering food online saves you from those endless trips to the grocery store and those fruitless searches for all the ingredients that you need. Depending on where you live, you can even order fresh food that you can’t find in your local store. With fresh seafood delivery, companies will deliver oysters, salmon, scallops and even swordfish right to your front door. Pop that seafood in a marinade the night before, and cook right before your guests arrive. You’ll have dinner on the table fast with minimal effort.
Look for Shortcuts
Even if you order your protein online, you may still need to pick up some ingredients from the store. Look for packaged foods and short cuts that save you some time. Salad bars offer salad ingredients in the perfect sizes, but you can also pick up mushrooms, tomatoes and other ingredients that you need for other dishes that come already prepped. Bagged salad mixes and canned stock are some other great short cuts. If your grocery store has a hot bar, you can find marinated olives, roasted red peppers, hummus and other dishes that make great appetizers.
Work in Advance
Getting your home ready is one of the hardest parts of throwing a dinner party. Instead of waiting until the last minute and rushing around in the days leading up to the party, create a schedule that you can follow in the weeks beforehand. You can clean the furniture one day, make side dishes the next, vacuum on another day and weed the garden or mow the lawn the next. Diving up all the work that you need to do prior to the party can help you get everything done without going crazy. Using these tips can help you relax and actually enjoy your dinner party.