Guess What? You Don’t Have To Be A Chef To Host
I want to let you in on a little secret, I hate to cook. My motto is, “I only cook to keep my family alive”. So when I read hostess books, blog or instagrams, and I see recipes I kinda freak out. I used to think that I had to cook meals in order to host, and I would let that stop me from gathering people for a meal. Guess what? That is far from the truth, you don’t need to be a chef in order to host. There are those that love to cook and host, they are superheroes in my book. They make it look seamless and easy, I would be stressed and annoyed by the time my guests came. Please do not let the food part of hosting stop you from inviting people to your home. I agree that sharing meals around a table is a great way to deepen a friendship, but it’s not the food that does that. It’s the conversation. If you are flustered and worried about the food, it will be hard to be invested mentally and emotionally for your guests.
I have compiled some store bought items that look like they are homemade and taste great! (The key is to take any store bought items out of the containers and place on serving plates or trays):
Chicken Salad w/croissants – Sam’s Club has Members Mark Rotisserie Chicken Salad for $5.95/lb. Remove from plastic tray and put into a nice serving bowl. Cut the croissants in half, place on serving tray and voila!
Quiches – Costco has reheat-able frozen quiches that are great for brunch. La Terra Fina pack for $14.29. Or mini quiches from Cuisine Adventures, 72 for $17.19
Pizza – You can’t go wrong with pizza! Order from your local gourmet pizzeria. Make a salad from a bagged mix and heat some breadsticks in the oven.
Premixed Mimosas: Our local liquor store sells these amazing premade mimosas by Soleil. Not need to mess with champagne and juice. Place some berries in a small serving bowl so your guests can add them to their mimosas for nice finishing touch.
Charcuterie boards: This is my ‘go to’ for all events. See my article here on how to put one together.
Of course, there is so much more premade meals you can purchase at your local grocery store, these are just some of my favorites.
Excited to hear how your next dinner party goes! Happy Hosting!
