How To Host A No-Stress Fancy Dinner

Tips, tricks, and simple solutions to host a 5-course fancy dinner without stress… how to plan and host a no-stress fancy dinner the easy way!

How to host a no-stress fancy dinner…

Yes, tell me! How can we host a 5-course fancy dinner without stress??

Well, my friends, it’s possible!!  All you need to do is plan a little!  And good news, I will help you plan that lovely fancy dinner!

This post will talk about the main reasons we all stress about!  And, of course, I will share simple solutions to make it easier for you! I am pretty sure that I will convince you that hosting a 5-course meal is fun and easy to do…without stress!!  😉

And in my next post, I will share the full 5-course dinner menu, all recipes, plus all the planning… Sounds too good to be true? Absolutely not!!            So stay tuned!!  You don’t want to miss it!

…I know that you’re a little worried about hosting a fancy dinner…

…But, what are the things that stress you out?

Over the years, I realized that we’re all stressed out for the same reasons! And believe me, the more you will host fancy dinners, the less you’ll stress! Just like me, you will discover special tricks to help you keep your stress level low…

 

***  **   ***

So let’s talk about all those things that stress us so much…

The main reasons why hosting a fancy dinner stress us out:

…hold on because I’m sharing simple solutions right after!! 😉

You will find out that hosting a fancy dinner is much easier than you thought!!… And that maybe you are worrying too much…

How to host a no-stress fancy dinner: Top 6 main reasons why hosting a fancy dinner can stress you out

1- Your meal:

Of course, the meal itself is the biggest concern when the time to host dinner comes. Here are the biggest fears:

• All the cooking and baking to do
• Choosing the right menu, knowing what to serve
• Fear that everything won’t be ready to serve at the same time
• The fear of running out of food
• Ruining a dish
• Running out of wine
• Serve a dish that your guest won’t like
• Much too complicated to serve everyone at the right time
• Overcooked roast or potatoes…
• All the dishes to do and cleaning your messy kitchen

2- The ambiance:

For some reason, we often think that we have to do all the talking and entertaining…

• You’re afraid that your guest will not feel comfortable or that no one will know what to say to keep the conversation going
• You worry about not choosing the right music that will please everyone
• Or maybe you’re afraid that your guests will be bored and want to leave early

3- Your house and decor:

…way less critical than you think! Even though your house is not a castle!!

• You think that you need a magazine decor table to impress your guests
• Maybe you think that your house is not pretty enough…
• Or that your house is not big enough
• You’re afraid of having not enough place to seat everyone around the table
• Or that all won’t be able to sit comfortably in the living room at happy hour time
• You feel that it’s always nicer elsewhere…

…more reasons…

4- The costs:

Of course, you will have to spend some money to feed everyone… but maybe not as much as you think! 😉

• The meal is too expensive
• Wine, cocktails, or drinks cost too much
• You don’t want to spend money on a fancy table decor

5- Bickering between guests:

Yes, it sometimes happens, even in the best families!

• You’re afraid that you won’t be able to calm your guests down
• Or to find the right words to manage the situation
• And what if one of your guests wants to leave because of a dispute? How to handle that?

6- All the planning and organization:

Many of you are scared about this…but it’s by far my favorite part!! 😊

 

I like planning so much that I plan a complete party! 

 

Let’s get back to our planning!

• All the things to buy ahead
• So much food to prepare
• The house to clean ( before and after! )
• What to cook and when…
• The quantity of food, wine, and beverages to buy

Did you recognize yourself here??

Is one or many of these reasons are why you’re afraid to host a fancy dinner?  If so, keep on reading because I’m sharing some simple solutions to help you overcome your fears and help you offer a wonderful fancy dinner to your guests!!  … Without stress!

---

 

How to host a no-stress fancy dinner: My best advice

You’ll see that hosting is easy with a bit of practice and good planning!  And so fun! Trust me! Once you’re organized and that all your meal is well planned, you will enjoy your evening as much as your guests 😊

First, stop thinking that hosting is a competition!!

We all have a sister-in-law, a cousin, or a friend that is a “hosting queen, “… if you know what I mean… Her decor is always nicer, her meal is always better, her kitchen is always clean…and even worse, her outfit is always perfect!… how we hate them for that!! ha! ha!….

… but take a second to think about it. Do people prefer to go to her place instead of yours because of all that?  Of course not!!

…Sometimes, when everything seems too perfect, people don’t feel comfortable… the decor is perfect, the meal is perfect, but something’s missing. What they need is a hostess that really cares for them! Who cares if your table decor is not perfect as long as they feel that you’re happy to host them 😊

Hosting is not a competition or a show but an opportunity to spend a great evening with people you like. No one will complain if the carrots are a little crunchy!

Remember, No competition. No Perfection.

Your only goal is to have a great evening with your guests!

 

My best advice here is to keep it simple!! Your dinner can easily be fancy… and simple!! 😊

With that being said, let’s now dive into it. I promised you tricks and simple solutions to help you, so here they are!

—   —   —

How to host a no-stress fancy dinner: Simple solutions

Hosting a fancy dinner is a bit of work. You will have many things to prepare, cook and bake, but again, a little planning will help you a lot! 😉

Tips and solutions for your meal:

• Try to select dishes that you can bake ahead: at least half of your dinner should be make-ahead… but it would be even better if you could do more than that
• Simmered dishes, braised, casserole, or gratin are the best for those occasions
• Slow-cooker is your best friend! Use it for your main-course dish; it is so much easier to manage!!
• Prepare everything else in advance. Everything that you can’t bake ahead should be ready-to-use, washed, diced…
• You can also start some of the other items, such as your sauce base, pre-cook pasta, rice, veggies, or potatoes. Having only to reheat them before serving will save you a lot of time…and it will be easier to handle. Plus, knowing that almost everything is done will keep your stress level low!
• Keep a list of your entire meal close to you at all times so you’re sure you won’t forget anything. I like to stick it inside one of my kitchen cabinets doors, easy to access, so only I can see it! 🙂
• Also, keep a list of cooking time and oven degrees for each element of your meal. * My best trick is writing beside each item when I have to start heating it: let’s say  I want my potatoes to be ready 45 minutes after serving the appetizers; I would write it down on my list. And just beside the sauce, I would write: heat sauce 35 minutes after starting the potatoes… and I go on and on for each plate 😊 that sure is my best trick to stay calm!!

Your meal… a few more tricks:

 

• Read all recipes before so you know exactly what you need, but most importantly, you’ll also know what to do
• Make sure that you have enough pots and pans and all the utensils you need
• Try to clean the kitchen and dirty dishes as you go. A cluttered kitchen is one of the biggest sources of stress!!
• Select dishes that you tried before to avoid surprises unless they are easy recipes
• Choose a fancy salad as one of your starters; very easy to prepare ahead, easy to serve, and won’t take too much time
• A nice potage is also very easy to manage and so easy to make ahead!
• At least one of the two starters should be make-ahead and ready to serve.
• Try to choose not more than one plate that requires more attention just before serving time… think that you’ll probably have a sauce to make and side dishes to take care of
• Unless you know your guests very well, try to stay away from exotic plates! Choose things that we all usually like, such as chicken, pork, beef, pasta…

And some more good tricks:

• Cook a little more… just in case. But serving a 5-course meal allows you to do smaller portions
• Same with wine. Calculate one bottle per person…even if we rarely drink that much. And don’t forget to serve cold water too!
• Having one or two bread baskets on the table at all times will ensure that everyone is full and eating their fill
• Feel free to bring the dishes directly to the table, everyone will be able to serve themselves, and this will avoid you a little stress when the serving time comes
• Finally, the dessert must be a make-ahead dessert!!  🙂 Have a look at my Top 10 make-ahead desserts to find great ideas

Or if, just like me, 10 desserts are not enough, have a look at my Make-Ahead Dessert Big Book! Tons of fabulous desserts to choose from!

 

—   —   —

Now, simple solutions for the ambiance:

• Don’t worry too much about the conversation; it always turns out well! 🙂 There is always someone happy to entertain the group!!
• At happy hour time, make sure that all have a comfortable seat, cushions, coffee table, or at least a place to put the glasses and appetizers
• Choose and mark the place of your guests around the table…placing one person who talks a lot next to one that speaks little will help keep the conversation going
• And choosing your own seating arrangement will prevent two people with different opinions from being seated next to each other…that will avoid disagreements…if you know what I mean…
• A playlist with quiet music, not too loud, should please everyone
• Use candles and greenery to create a centerpiece that makes a statement! Candles are so good for creating the perfect ambiance!… but don’t forget to dim the lights too!
• And please, unless it’s a game night, don’t turn the T.V on!!

—   —   —

Simple solutions for your decor:

• As I said earlier, candles are the best to create fabulous decor! Add some here and there
• Don’t spend a fortune on your decor; shop the dollar stores to find great ideas at a really low cost
• Don’t forget that you will spend most of the night sitting at the table, so better focus on your centerpiece. There are so many possibilities! Have a look here to find the perfect table decor; you’ll see that you sometimes don’t need much to create a beautiful table and make your guests feel welcome
• Remove what’s in the way and move some furniture if needed to make room, and you’ll see that your house is just the perfect size!

—   —   —

How to host a no-stress fancy dinner: Simple solutions…

…The costs: 

Again, my best advice is to keep it simple!! Remember that it’s not a competition!!

• Balance the cost of your different plates: if your main course is costly, serve low-cost dishes for starters and appetizers
• Home-made desserts will make you save a lot! What a great way to end a perfect fancy dinner! Of course, make-ahead dessert is even better! 🙂 I have a few ones that you might like!!
• Braised, casserole, or au gratin, are the best to cut costs
• Even your decor can be created from very non-expensive things… browse Pinterest to find plenty of ideas
• Not only choosing to serve 2 or 3 different kinds of liquors and drinks will help you save on cost, but it’s also easier to handle!
• Wine is one of the most expensive parts…so choose good wine well paired with your meal, but no need to pay too much for a fancy bottle that most people won’t appreciate at its fair price anyway!

Of course, hosting a fancy dinner will cost you a bit more… but there is always a way to reduce the costs of your fancy dinner…have a look at my best tips to save money on your next fancy dinner. Be creative!

Fancy doesn’t mean expensive!!

—   —   —

Simple solutions…to avoid bickering between guests:

Obviously, none of us likes when that happens! So here are some simple tricks to prevent it…

• First, remember that it’s your house and your dinner party!
• Select the right persons to invite, and don’t feel guilty if you prefer to ask one person over another; you can easily invite that person another time!
• As I mentioned earlier, choose and mark the place for each one around the table
• Try to avoid topics of conversation that are too delicate, or that may arouse too much passion on the part of some
• Don’t be shy to ask for help from your other guests to defuse the situation…none of them wants the evening to turn into a nightmare!! They’ll all be glad to help!
• If you feel a little tension in the air, keep your guests busy: ask them to serve the wine or cut the bread… there is always something to ask to keep them busy
• …And in case it gets really bad, don’t be afraid to ask them to leave! Don’t forget that it’s your party!! For this reason, you have the final say!!

But don’t worry too much, it rarely happens!  By choosing the right guests to invite, you won’t have to face that situation! 😉

—   —   —

How to host a no-stress fancy dinner…Simple solutions…

For planning and organization:

That is by far my favorite part!! Planning is my thing!!  I like to plan almost everything!…

And I can’t tell how much I love lists!!

Of course, hosting a fancy 5-course dinner party is a bit of work…but it’s much easier than you think! The key is to plan everything!  And I mean everything!…choosing your menu and recipes, meal prep, grocery list, list of non-food to buy, cleaning the house…

 

• Starting, of course, with your menu! Select dishes that are easy to manage and that you can make ahead
• Read all recipes well and separate each step. Many of these steps can be done ahead of time. Use these steps to create your tasks list
• Then, use that tasks list to create a planner. Having everything organized in your planner will save you a lot of time and a lot of stress!! …that planner doesn’t have to be fancy! I use just a plain paper sheet most of the time, and it always works well!

Once you start using a planner, you’ll see that you just can’t stop and start making planners for almost everything! 😊 it makes our lives way much easier!!

• Build your grocery list accordingly to the chosen recipes
• Build a separate list for everything else you’ll have to buy, such as wine, drinks, liquors, coffee, things for your decor…
• Add on your planner all you’ll have to do, from cleaning the house to baking your dessert or ironing your tablecloth

You will find out that everything looks easier once everything is written down on a planner! Always knowing what to do is the best best way to keep your stress level low!! And it also prevents unpleasant surprises… Trust me, hosting a fancy dinner without a bit of planning can quickly turn into a nightmare! So better be ready!! Have a look here to find many other great tips and tricks to help you keep total control of your party… so many great ideas there!! 😉

—   —   —   —   —

How to host a no-stress 5-course fancy dinner… The full menu!

Finally! Here is the menu I’m proposing to you. I chose that menu because it’s easy to bake, serve, and manage!! And above all, almost everything can be done ahead…which I love!!

1. Appetizers: Peach and bacon bites with balsamic coulis
2. Starter 1: Escargots turnover with garlic cream sauce
3. Starter 2: Palm hearts salad with creamy vinaigrette
4. Main course: Thyme and wine chicken casserole with potato cakes and green beans
5. Dessert: Pecan and caramel frozen terrine

…I won’t share all the planning and recipes here because that article would last forever! But I promise you that I will do it, so hold on to my next post 😉 you will find all these easy fancy recipes and, of course, all the planning! I can assure you that you will host your next fancy dinner like a pro!!

 

How to host a no-stress fancy dinner:

In conclusion:

• First, plan and make lists!
• Select dishes that you can bake ahead. At least half of your meal should be make-ahead, but even better if you can do more
• Remember that simmered dishes, braised, or au gratin are the best for those occasions
• Slow-cooker is your best friend!
• Dessert must be a make-ahead dessert!
• Prepare in advance everything that can’t be baked ahead; at least, everything will be ready to use
• Having only to reheat a few dishes will be much easier and way less stressful!
• Keep a list of your entire meal close to you so you don’t forget anything
• Salads and potages are great starters and so easy to make and serve
• Also, try to select dishes that you tried before
• Choose a simple table decor
• Make sure that you invite the right people…
• Add candles to create a fabulous ambiance
• Choose a cost-balanced menu so you can save a little

And please, stop worrying too much about it!!  😊 the goal is to spend a lovely evening with your friends and family

***  **   ***

Keep it simple!  Don’t forget that the simple it is, the easiest it will be!!

Finally, remember that it really doesn’t matter if something goes wrong! It’s better to laugh about it…

Don’t forget that you are hosting family and friends…they will still love you anyway!!

To be continued…

As always, I would love to hear from you 🖤  Use the comment box to tell me what is your biggest fear about hosting a fancy dinner?… Or even better, use that comment box to share your best tricks and tips!  I’m such a curious girl, I just can’t wait to find out! I’m sure that it will help us a lot!!

*If you liked this post, let your friends know! 😉 Please, share it! 

Talk to you soon!

 

 

Related Posts:

-50 Tips For An (Easy!) Fancy Dinner

-How To Host Kids When You Have None