I love an over-the-top party theme as much as the next girl. Iâve thrown breakfast, ball (lol), and Jesus-themed parties, not to mention my fair share of weekend-consuming dinner parties. But, with food, decor, and booze for a half a dozen people, at-home socializing can now cost upward of $200. In this economy?
This year, weâve hosted more than ever, and to do so, I have drastically changed my approach to make it a less exhausting and less expensive endeavor. Hereâs how.
How to host without breaking the budget
Iâm a home, not a restaurant
Have you had a home-cooked meal during a long stint of traveling and restaurant food? Itâs so relieving and comforting, and I think the same spirit should be extended toward hosting. There is so much home food that isnât quite fancy enough to fit into a dinner party theme or a restaurant-style, multi-course meal. The type of meals you make yourself or your family weeklyâwhy not make that for your friends? Like, a huge pot of your favorite soup, perhaps serving (or delegating) a green salad and biscuits or cornbread.
One evening, I had a few friends over for a quick dinner before heading to a nearby barâI made them grilled cheese sandwiches on sourdough. The bread was from the bakery, though I could have used homemade, and I had two cheese options, plain cheddar and a pepperjack, to choose from. I also cut up some fruit for guests to snack on while I made the grilled cheese to order. It was simple and easy!
Use what I have
One night, I challenged myself to make dinner for friends with only what I had in the fridge and pantry. I pulled together a taco bar using Carmelo tortillas and cooked Rancho Gordo beans, which I thawed and turned into refried beans. I used zucchinis from the fridge to make crispy âfishâ using this recipe via The Dinner Plan. I had a can of jackfruit that Iâd been meaning to use for far too long, which I turned into a jackfruit taco topping, and then I made some crispy tempeh, as well. I pulled out hot sauces, made some quick-pickled onions, and cilantro. All this prep work took less than an hour, and I didnât spend an extra dime.
During the abundant garden or CSA season, too, this is also a way to keep produce from going to waste!
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Have my guests contribute
I always ask guests to bring a bottle of wine, and Iâm not shy about asking for a specific type, like an orange or white. Guests want to bring something, and a little direction takes off some of their decision fatigue.
I also like to outsource simple sides, like when I made macaroni and cheese as a main, and I had each friend bring cut fruit or a vegetable/dip situation.
Embrace a low-stakes potluck theme
One of my favorite potlucks was a salad party that I hosted. We did some light coordination in the group chat, but we all settled on bringing a different type of salad: a potato salad, a cucumber farro salad, a fruit salad, and a green salad. We still talk about the salad party!
Other ideas: sandwich bar, DIY pizzas, or waffles/pancakes.
My unsolicited hosting advice.
My advice includes the obvious: do everything you can ahead of time, or the day prior. Make the pie dough a few days in advance, the cake if possible, and maybe even the soup. I also recommend cleaning a few days before, too, focusing on the big stuff like the bathroom and mopping. This way, you can enjoy your clean home and focus on food on the day of. During cold and flu season, I bring our bedroom air purifier ($100) into the main entertaining area. Canât hurt.
Compostable paper plates ($21 for 100) and paper wine glass tags ($10 for 100) make hosting easier, though I prefer to use real silverware, drinking, and wine glasses. Some time, Iâll write about the serving dishes and tablescape decorations I reach for every time, if that is of interest!
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I have been trying to host more (and also stick to a budget) -- this one feels like my therapist sitting me down for a firm but kind talking to and I so appreciate it. so many good tips I will absolutely be implementing for an upcoming dinner!
sandwich bar dinner party would be so fun!!!