If you’re making one-pot recipes, such as a classic lasagne, test how many servings you'll get from each dish. One serving per person will do plus a couple of vegetable or salad side options, and a bread-based or soup-based starter. Most people won't come back for seconds. If you’re serving buffet-style finger food 8–12 nibbles per guest is a good guide, including crudities, dips, bread and desserts.
Tempting as it is to use entertaining as an opportunity to show off your skills, for the majority of us it’s wise to save culinary experimentation for a smaller group. To minimize stress make something you’ve done before or what you know will work. If you can’t resist, try a starter or dessert for the first time rather than the main dish.
Unless you know your guests' palates well, it’s best to stick to popular dishes that most people will like. If you’re making finger food you can risk a couple of unusual options but if you have a hero dish be wary of including an overpowering ingredient such as truffle, coriander (cilantro) or too much spice.
Anything that needs frying or sautéing in batches or you have to keep stirring will slow you down and keep you away from guests. Surprisingly, pizzas can also be tricky because although they’re quick to cook most ovens will only cook a couple at once so not everyone will get hot pizza at the same time.
It’s generally fine to double or even triple ingredient quantities in a recipe though be aware that the dish may take longer to cook, or need a longer resting time. This is especially true if you’re baking.
Casseroles, chillies, curries, pasta bakes, parmigiana, pies, quiches, ratatouille, soups and stews can all be cooked in advance and frozen. If you’re serving finger food, tartlets, mini quiches, mini muffins, mini pizzas, samosas, sausage rolls, arancini, sweet pies and tarts, brownies and cookies can all be frozen, or bought frozen. Try these caramelised onion and feta tartlets, these mini calzones or these beef sausage rolls.
If you plan to do the cooking that day, roasted meat such as a chicken, leg of lamb or a ham joint makes a great centrepiece and can be left to cook while you prepare side dishes and desserts. Try this roasted leg of lamb with garlic and lavender.
Using ready-made pastry and shop-bought blinis, canapés, crisps, nuts and ice cream isn’t a sin, and neither is laying out platters of cured meat or cheese so you have more time to socialise.
Sharing plates laid out on platters allow guests to help themselves to slices, portions or pieces of a one-pot or one-tray dish. A vegetarian tart or tear and share breads are ideal.
If you’re serving a buffet, grab-a-bite finger food that doesn’t need slicing or cutlery will make the meal run more smoothly. So crudities and these filled lettuce cups are in, but salads and coleslaw are out; tartlets and mini sandwiches work but not large slices that need a fork. Cheese straws and spring rolls are also perfect, and if you stick something on a cocktail stick all the better – think mini sausages, meatballs and baby potatoes wrapped in pancetta.
Providing cold dishes interspersed with hot options offers variety and you’ll avoid the headache of having to cook or reheat numerous dishes at once.
Most of us have vegetarian or vegan friends and even omnivores appreciate well thought-out (meaning not dull!) vegetarian dishes. Options should include at least one main dish such as a meat-free parmigiana or moussaka, curry or tart, as well as vegetarian sides. If you’re buying in check the ingredients, as some food that looks vegetarian or vegan may not be. This spicy bean hotpot is a sure winner.
To save costs and make room in your kitchen create nibbles from what you already have. Use that jar of gherkins lurking in the fridge to make crostinis topped with chorizo and sliced pickles; top those fancy crackers languishing in a tin with cheese and chutney; or spear fig quarters and Parma ham with cocktail sticks and drizzle over that balsamic glaze you found at the back of the cupboard.
Got a surplus of pasta sheets in the cupboard? Make a couple of large lasagnes – one meat and one vegetarian. Bags of frozen fish in the freezer? This comforting and creamy fish pie is an excellent choice.
Rich, fatty and protein-heavy dishes will satisfy guests quickly and they’re likely to need less, whereas very light nibbles will leave them wanting more.
Simple canapés such as ready-made blinis with smoked salmon and crème fraiche and, if you’re feeling generous, a little roe or caviar; or toasted ciabatta slices with a slither of smoked salmon, a dollop of horseradish and a squeeze of lemon, are impressive yet easy-to-make.
Cheese is a very versatile ingredient. A couple of whole baked Camembert cheeses served with redcurrant sauce and bread rolls, or a cheese fondue make brilliant centrepieces.
Get your guests to build their own tacos, fajitas or bruschetta by laying out the ingredients in separate bowls. We love these chicken fajitas with pineapple salsa.
A range of different coloured dips look lovely, don’t take forever to make, and suit all diets. Vegan hummus and guacamole are well-liked, as are the likes of creamy beetroot dips, baba ganoush and labneh.
It doesn’t matter if you’re serving finger food or a big batch dish always offer vegetable options. Vegetarians, vegans and omnivores alike will be grateful for the freshness and crunch of crudities, salads and vegetarian side dishes.
Answer these questions beforehand so you're prepared: do you know how many guests are coming? Do you have enough serving dishes, crockery, cutlery and glasses, or will you use disposable plates and cups? Will you need to wash and re-use cookware? Do you have enough fridge and oven space? Where will you lay out the food?
A microwave can be a master of convenience on the day. Use it to defrost or reheat ready-made food, steam vegetables, cook fish or bacon, and even make homemade potato chips – shortcuts that make the cook’s life easier. These are a few of our favourite microwave marvels.
If you’re baking a few items each dish may require a different temperature – keep this in mind if you want everything hot at once and consider changing certain dishes if you can’t get the temperature and timings right. Some people set a median temperature but this can result in unevenly cooked food.
If food is filling up the fridge keep drinks such as beer, fizz and white wine cold in a large bucket, sink or bath filled with ice and water. Alternatively, if it’s cold enough leave cans and bottles outside to keep cool.
It's also easier to let guests help themselves to drinks so you’re not running around in a fluster trying to keep people’s tipples topped up. Don’t forget to provide water, cordials and other non-alcoholic beverages for kids, pregnant ladies and designated drivers.
Stuffing the fridge without adjusting the temperature isn’t recommended as warm food is a breeding ground for bacteria. Other ways to avoid food poisoning are to prepare vegetables, meat and seafood with different boards and knives – the same goes for raw and cooked meat and seafood – and to wash your hands between handling. Check the internal temperature of cooked meat and fish before serving, and don’t leave food out for more than a couple of hours.