Ina Garten's Most Crucial Advice For Hosting A Stress-Free Dinner Party

Hosting a dinner party is one of those occasions that can understandably elevate stress levels. Catering to dietary preferences, planning guest lists, and sourcing ingredients in advance can add a significant amount to an already demanding to-do list. Thankfully, we have experienced hosts like Ina Garten to share tips on how to alleviate some of these pressures so that when the first attendee walks through the door, the setting is primed for revelry, sans unnecessary worry.

On her Barefoot Contessa blog, Garten reveals that advance prep work is key to organizing an evening that runs more smoothly than anxiety-inducing. While she admits that even she has had meltdowns in the kitchen, a thoughtful grocery list and an intentional menu can be the ticket to reducing unpleasant surprises and mood-ruining mishaps. "Sometimes the hardest thing about throwing a party is just planning the menu," she writes, explaining that she first notes which ingredients are in season and builds out her menu from there.

When planning an assortment of dishes to serve to guests, Garten considers any dietary requests of the expected attendees and plans recipes according to the way in which they can be prepared and served. By listing out options of food items that can be served hot, at room temperature, and those that can be made in advance, Garten looks to eliminate some needless scurrying around the day of the dinner event. 

When organizing a dinner party that would take place during warmer months, Garten leaps at the opportunity to host the event outside and plans her al fresco menu accordingly. Setting out guacamole and tomato feta salads allows guests to help themselves as they please. Platters of oven-fried chicken and grilled New York strip steaks can keep carnivorous friends satisfied, while salads made with farro, heirloom tomatoes, and blue cheese are sure to keep vegetarians content.

Garten is also a fan of batch-making cocktails, like watermelon mojitos and sangria, so friends can refill their drinks on their own time. This strategy serves to reduce some of the hands-on effort that might be required during the dinner. Lastly, for dessert, Garten is a fan of serving seasonal fruit pies, shortcakes, and ice cream sandwiches, which can be quickly plated and garnished with accoutrements like fresh mint leaves and berry compote prior to serving. When a dinner event is approached with this kind of tactical strategy in mind, the energy of your next house party can be kept high while stress levels stay low.