Ina Garten Serves Up These Store-Bought Hors D'oeuvres At Her Dinner Parties

In one memorable "Spongebob Squarepants" episode, a stressed-out Patrick Star is seen running around his house, preparing for a visit from his out-of-town parents. When Spongebob comments on his pal's frantic demeanor, Patrick sarcastically quips back, "We don't have any work to do! Life is just a big bowl of fancy assorted cashews!" Indeed, hosting a houseful of guests can bring on the tension like little else. Although, it can still be a bowl of fancy assorted cashews — especially with Ina Garten's most crucial advice for hosting a stress-free dinner party.

For quick, headache-free hors d'oeuvres (or canapés — there is a difference), opt for simple snacks that don't require any cooking or preparation to enjoy as-is. The tip comes from a YouTube short posted by the Barefoot Contessa herself. In the video, Garten shared, "When I have friends for dinner, the last thing I want to do is spend a lot of time making fussy hors d'oeuvres. So, I choose simple, no-cook things that I can serve with drinks." The celebrity chef then proceeds to list some of her go-to "favorites," including artisanal potato chips ("you know, store-bought is just fine"). 

Garten even serves them in a high-shine silver bowl for elevated presentation and easier snacking. She also offers salted cashews with an extra sprinkle of sea salt, and fresh, raw cherry tomatoes, all displayed in aesthetically-pleasing dishes. "Choose delicious things that you can serve as-is," the cook advised. "Present them in really pretty silver bowls, and everybody's going to have a really good time — including you."

The function of hors d'oeuvres is to stoke the appetite before a big, main-event meal. The name "hors-d'oeuvre" itself is a 1500s French architectural term meaning "outside of the work," a nod to the snacks' place outside of a multi-course meal. In the architectural tradition, an hors-d'oeuvre might have referred to an outside gazebo or pool-house. On your dinner party table, hors d'oeuvres should be small portions of highly flavorful finger foods. While cheese plates and charcuterie spreads don't require any cooking, assembling an artful board requires at least a few minutes of hands-on prep work. For even easier hosting, the most attention to detail should happen during your shopping trip. 

Keep an eye out for flavorful snacks that are ready to enjoy straight out of the packaging. Hosts could follow Ina Garten's trio of fancy chips, tomatoes, and cashews, but whatever specific snacks you choose, always keep variety in mind and offer a few different options. Hors d'oeuvres are traditionally savory, so other veggies like piquant pickled peppers or bold seasoned cucumbers could perform well here. Foodies might even slice up a few Anjou pears and plate them beside a small log of goat's cheese for a subtly sweet primer. 

Whatever you choose, be sure to display them on an eye-catching platter. For even more professional advice for elevating your dinner parties, we've rounded up eight more game-changing hosting tips we've learned from Ina Garten.