If you enjoy feeding your favorite people, then nothing is more fun than hosting a dinner party, especially in the fall. While you might be well-versed in having people over, you can always use some tips to help make your next dinner party the best ever. Continue reading to learn how.
Start with the Right Kitchen Tools
Pulling off the ultimate cozy fall dinner party always begins with your kitchen essentials. Use only top-rated Dutch ovens to create the best Bohemia Big City Chili recipe. Having the right cookware will help you prepare hearty autumn meals for a crowd. Their wide array of colors lends itself to functionality and acts as a beautiful decor item on your dinner table.
Dutch ovens are great for a wide variety of foods, from game day chili recipes to hearty soups and stews. They are also perfect for baking rich and crusty bread at home instead of buying it at the store. Even better, pair your favorite bread recipe with chili, and you have a great meal for a cool fall evening dinner party.
After you have found the right Dutch oven for your needs, look for serving utensils that will handle high heat, heavy serving portions, and will not scratch your cookware. Once again, the cooking utensils you choose can act as decor. When they are all cleaned up after the meal is over, place them in an old-fashioned crock with the rest of your cooking utensils and set it on the counter to show off your culinary designs.
Invite an Electric Group of People
The people you put on the invitation list can make your dinner party better than ever. You can always go with your family, whom you love spending time with. Or consider extending the family guest list to include your extended family, including people you have not seen for a while, so you can have an opportunity to reconnect over a delicious meal together.
As an alternative to family, look at your list of friends. Bring together an eclectic group of people to create a dynamic evening full of conversation and merriment. Do not worry if your entire list of invitees does not know one another. Sometimes, that makes the experience even better. This will be a fun opportunity for a meet and greet and great conversation.
Pull Out the Games
Everyone likes fun games. Adults and kids alike enjoy them. Whether you are bringing your whole family together for food and fun, or are inviting your couple friends who have children, setting aside some games will be a win.
Pull out trivia games, standalone trivia questions in a variety of genres, and Minute to Win It to pull people out of their shells and keep the conversation flowing in the right direction, along with a lot of laughs.
Games are great for the kids, too. Set aside some old-school handheld video games, a deck or two of cards, and an array of board games to keep them busy. Games are especially helpful if you have pre-teen or teen guests who have never met or do not know one another very well.
Set the Mood with Music
Think about offices you have visited and movies you have watched; one thing that ties them together is the music. Music has a way of adding a certain mood, depending on the type of music being played.
Spend a few minutes curating a dinner party playlist. Pick your favorite songs, songs from your past, or contemporary ones that everyone will know. Be mindful of your guests and what their preferences might be, or you can introduce them to tunes of your choice.
Set up portable wireless or Bluetooth speakers around your home so the music will flow seamlessly as people move throughout the area. Add a few songs for later in the evening to either pump up the mood or slow things down for easier conversing.
Make Your Guests Feel at Home
If the weather is nice enough, consider eating outside. Alternatively, retreat to the backyard once dinner is over. Serve warm drinks and settle in together. Light a bonfire or start up a gas-powered fire pit. Set out a basket of cozy blankets and soft pillows. Pull up some chairs and relax.
As the evening wears on, bring out all of the ingredients to make s’mores. Add unusual ingredients to the mix beyond the traditional Hershey’s chocolate bar, marshmallows, and graham crackers. Be creative with the addition of vanilla wafers, bananas, strawberries, peanut butter, and Nutella. Oreos, Ritz crackers, and anything else you can think of will inspire new culinary creations and even some laughs.
Prepare for the Unexpected
Every good host should prepare for the unexpected when it comes to hosting people at their home. Keep your guest room sheets and blankets clean and ready, just in case. Stock your bathroom cabinets with extra towels, essential toiletries, such as extra toothbrushes, small tubes of toothpaste, and anything else an overnight guest who does not have any luggage might need.
This is especially important if you serve alcohol. Always ensure your guests do not drink and drive. By being prepared, you can keep them, their loved ones, and anyone else on the road safe, and they will have a comfortable place to sleep until morning arrives.
In the same vein of thinking, it will be helpful to have breakfast food ready for unplanned guests. Always keep a frozen breakfast casserole ready, a few containers of frozen muffins, along with some cereal, and extra coffee.
Watch this short video for fun tips on how to host the ultimate fall party.
Get ready to host an enjoyable and memorable cozy fall dinner party by incorporating some or all of these tips into your next event. You and your family will have a wonderful time, and so will your guests. Make it a tradition, and before you know it, everyone will be asking when you are hosting your next party.
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