Planning Your Dinner Party Menu: A Brief Guide

Planning a dinner party can be stressful. This is because there are so many different elements to consider; one of the biggest is obviously, the menu. Dinner parties tend to centre around the food, hence the name. Thinking about what to serve can take time. There are a lot of things to consider, not least your own skill and budget. So read on for all the advice you need when planning your next dinner party menu.

Your Guests

First things first, you need to think about your guests. Some people have food allergies or intolerances, which should be taken into account when planning your menu. You can either choose to avoid those ingredients altogether, or you can make modified versions for the guests that need them. If you know your guests well, then you could also take into account their likes and dislikes.

Your Skill Level

 The next thing you need to consider when planning a dinner party menu is your skill level. There is no point in planning to make dishes that are beyond your skill level and capabilities. How often do you cook? Do you perhaps have any dishes that you enjoy cooking and are good at? If so, it makes the most sense logically to stick with those, as long as they go with the theme of your dinner party and what you are trying to achieve.

Research

The internet is a great resource; use it. It can prove invaluable when it comes to coming up with a menu and finding inspiration. For example, you can look up recipes to try out. Or, if you want to incorporate a specific ingredient, then you can find things that go with them. For example, Forman and Field have a great blog on smoked salmon pairings and ways that you can incorporate the ingredient into your menu, not to mention all of the great food products they sell, which can make pulling off your dinner party a snap.

Think Seasonally

When planning your dinner party menu, you should do your best to think about what produce is in season. This makes your dinner party cheaper and often easier because you aren’t struggling to find ingredients that aren’t in season. Including seasonal produce in your dinner party menu is a nice touch, and it ensures freshness within the ingredients too.

Textures, Flavours & Colours

The next consideration you should make when planning your dinner party menu is what textures, flavours and colours you are going to go for. Texture is crucial, not only for the dishes individually but also for the menu as a whole. Variation is key; try not to plan a menu that is too samey. The flavours of each dish need to work as a standalone, but you should also consider the flavours of the menu as a whole. Are they complementary? Some people prefer to try to keep their menu within a certain theme.

If possible, you should try to avoid repeating flavours. There is a difference between finding complementary flavours and being repetitive. Finally, the colours and the first impression of your menu will be visual. People eat with their eyes, which is why presentation matters. Try to ensure that your dishes are bright and vibrant – using seasonal produce can help to this end if you can try to avoid making any dish that is too boring or beige in colour.

Serving Options

The next thing you should take into account when planning your dinner party menu is how you are going to serve the food. Are you going to opt for a buffet-style, where you simply place the dishes on the table and allow your guests to help themselves or do you plan to plate the food? This matters because if you are plating the food, then you can make sure that it looks good when serving. If you are planning to serve the food buffet style, then you might want to consider the aesthetics before cooking. Pre-portioned dishes might be a little easier.

The Accompaniments

Planning the dinner party menu goes beyond the food. You also need to think about when drinks you are going to serve alongside the food. Will each course have a wine pairing? What are you going to serve to the non-drinkers? You also need to think about the nibbles that you are going to serve while the guests are arriving. This could be as simple as putting together an antipasto board for your guests to help themselves.

Summary

Dinner parties are a great way to spend time with your friends in a more intimate setting. Planning the menu can take time because there are a lot of things to consider, but it is worth putting the work in. Use the above guide to help you when it comes to planning your next dinner party menu.