Happy & Healthy

7 X HOSTING A DINNER PARTY WITHOUT STRESS

I can now say that I am quite experienced in hosting dinner parties. I really haven't seen the disco from the inside for a long time, but nowadays I see the light coming on in my own living room, because dinner parties get out of hand and because I am dating someone who always panics before the guests arrive: ‘Do we have enough wine? No, right? I'll just grab a box for a moment. A BOX. So that means it never runs out and everyone knows that, so the doorbell definitely rings a few times in the evening with: ’Hello, we're just coming by for a nightcap.“ Those are nice evenings. The next day is a bit less, but that's beside the point.

Do you ever host a dinner for friends? I'll give you tips on how not to be stressed. That would be a shame.

– Don't make it too difficult for yourself. Don't try things for the first time when you have a lot of guests, because that causes stress. Don't set the bar too high.

– Make sure you have enough drinks at home. Of course: when it's gone, it's gone, but it's a shame if that happens during the main course. So get just a little more than you need, then you'll always be fine. And what you have left can also be used for another time.

– Start cooking early in the day. The earlier, the better. If you have a tight preparation, you'll be less nervous and stressed, because you'll be ready when your first guests trickle in.

– Provide a cozy aperitif and a small snack. People are always happy with that for a while, and then you can dive back into the kitchen for the final touches.

– Call one of the guests in advance and ask them to help a bit, so you're not alone. And no one sees that as a problem, so don't feel guilty.

– Also prepare some dishes that you can serve cold. Getting everything warm on the table at once is an art, especially when you're cooking for a lot of people. Don't make it too difficult for yourself.

– The dessert really doesn't have to be elaborate. Coffee and good chocolate are often already very nice. Then you have one less stress factor.