Planning a family meal together can be a great experience for kids and parents alike. You can turn an everyday dinner into a dinner party with just a few simple steps…
Preparation Timeline
Plan your menu.
- Check out cookbooks, websites, and family recipes for inspiration.
- Remember to balance the plates appropriately and include lots of fruits and vegetables.
Make lists of everything you need.
- Ingredients that you need to locate (ie pantry staples that are probably somewhere in your house, like pasta, rice, and spices).
- Ingredients that you need to buy.
- Equipment that you need to have at the ready.
Go shopping for the ingredients and equipment that you need.
On the Day of Your Party…
- Prep everything (that you can) ahead of time — pre-chop, even pre-measure if possible.
- Cook the food.
- Serve it to your guests.
Elements of Stylish Gatherings
If you want to have a remarkable meal together, a few simple changes can really make a differenec.
• Set the table with…
- All the silverware that you would need to eat all of the dishes.
- Nice glasses for water.
- Napkins — decide whether you need cloth or paper options.
• Consider adding…
- A nice centerpiece — try flowers, candles, or an arrangement of glasses.
- Placemats.
- A tablecloth.
- A runner over the tablecloth.
Basic Dinner Party Building Blocks
Number of Guests
- A dinner party typically involves 6 to 8 people, but make exceptions as you see fit.
Courses
- A simple dinner party may limit itself to salad or soup, a main course, and dessert.
- You could also include amuse-bouches, appetizers, or even palate cleansers.