5 Successful Dinner Party Tips

From Reader’s Digest Britain, October 2003Updated: Mar. 20, 2019

Hosting a party can be a bit daunting if you don’t know where to start. If you need some help planning your evening, keep these five tips in mind.

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With the right preparation, your dinner party will be enjoyable and stress-free.

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1. Plan well ahead

Choose the main course first, as the other dishes shouldn’t overpower it.

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Special Diet Needs

Do your guests have any special diet needs?

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Aim for Variety

For the other courses, aim for variety between hot and cold, rich and light and the textures you get from different cooking methods: steamed salmon has a very different effect to pan-fried.

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List all the work involved.

How much can be done in advance? What must be done just before serving? Ensure your plans are feasible and make a timetable.

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Balance

Check there’s a balance between meat, fish and vegetables. Look at herbs and spices and try to avoid repeating flavours.

Originally Published: January 28, 2011