Parties are good times to come together and celebrate different occasions and achievements. They could be birthdays, seasons like Christmas and thanksgiving, farewell parties at work, graduation parties, weddings, and homecoming parties. Food plays an important role during such times, and without it, people will feel fed up and may probably never want to come back. The best foods for parties are those that do not take so long to cook since you want to make the best of this precious moment. This article looks at examples of great foods for parties.
- Appetizers
These are light meals taken before the main course is served. They may be taken some moments before the main course comes along, say 30-45 minutes before. People could be coming to the party straight from work and are obviously so tired. These are perfect to welcome your guests and make them wait for the main course. They are usually put in a tray so that guests come in hand picking them.
- Confectioneries
These are home baked foods that mainly comprise of sugar and wheat, such as cakes and cookies, which are baked at home in ovens. Confectioneries are recommended for parties where people are involved in bits of physical activities like dancing since they will replenish the energy lost in the process. They are also friendly with kids, if you have some around.
- Convenience Foods
Also known as processed foods, convenience foods are those that come ready to eat, and do not need any further preparation for people to start eating, for example pizzas and soft drinks. These can be said to be the perfect party foods since these allow you to utilize the time with friends so that you do not miss anything from such precious times.
- Desserts
These are the types of foods that are served at the end of a party or an event; say an hour after the main course. They play an important role if the party is going until late at night. You do not want your guests return to their homes to cook. It could be that they took the main meal hours before midnight and the time is now 3am. The fact is that they are now hungry again and it is a good time to have that snack before they leave.
- Fast Foods
These are highly recommended for a party that involves young people and a lot of dancing and merry making. Why? It is because fast foods are high-energy content foods and your guests will need this energy to make the most out of the party. In addition, they involve little or no cooking at all for example preheated vegetables, hence allowing the host enough time to interact with the guest. An example of fast foods is cheeseburgers.
- Sandwiches
These are combinations of preheated foods such as bacon and other meats and some bits of vegetables put between two or more slices of bread. These are good for parties where you have a few people conscious of diet or are watching weight. This is so because they have a combination of vegetables and snacks in them. As you watch your diet, you also get to enjoy the sweetness of bread in the process. In fact, this is a perfect example of a balanced diet if you use a brown bread.
- Stews
These are made at home by following a menu about the preparation method. It involves many ingredients and some meat. These are the best way to complete fast foods and snacks when you do not want to do much of cooking. They also do not take much of your time and have an easy short recipe, hence you will get to enjoy the moment with friends or family.
The secret to having a great party is to have some great food, one that will make people talk for the longest and make them want to come back next time you invite. As you have noted above, this article has concentrated more on high energy content and ready foods or those that involve little cooking. You do not want to spend most of the party time cooking for your guests. Again, you cannot cook overnight because some foods like snacks will be stale by the time your guests start arriving. To avoid all this hustle and leave you with all the time you so much want with friends or family, hire a caterer. They will not only do the job for you, but they will also do some great meals that will make your guests happy.