Don’t wait until Christmas to get the whole family together to enjoy a delicious home cooked meal – after all, they say, ‘a Sunday well spent, brings a week of content!’
Hosting can sometimes feel like a huge effort – especially the pressures of ensuring your roast dinner is cooked to perfection and your guests are happy. But, it can be simpler than you think… if you get organised ahead of the occasion.
If you’re still not sure where to start, we’ve pulled together our five top tips to impress your nearest and dearest, while making entertaining a breeze.
1. Setting the table
Admittedly, the bigger your table is, the better. Making sure you can easily fit all your food on it, as well as not make guests feel too cramped, means you can spend more time with your loved ones, rather than running back and forth to the kitchen to make space. Alternatively, if you’re tight for room, lay all your food out in the kitchen for a ‘buffet-style’ roast – if it’s presented well, it won’t dampen your guests’ overall ‘experience’.
And always consider investing in an extendible table, which can be reduced in size when everyone has left – and doesn’t encroach on your living are
2. Hitting the right notes
Music is a massive part of entertaining – and it really helps to set the mood for the afternoon. You’re going to be busy while your family is with you, and a good atmosphere helps to maintain the vibe while you disappear to prepare your delicious food.
Before guests arrive, put together a playlist that incorporates everyone’s favourite music and simply leave it to play.
3. Have a spruce up
Go around the areas of your home that people are likely to use – living room, kitchen and bathroom, for example – and make sure they’re clean and decluttered. After all, you don’t want your nearest and dearest to have to move things from your sofa before they’re able to sit down – it’s important that they feel comfortable and cosy.
4. Shopping for the right ingredients
Once you’ve prepared the home for your guest, the next important thing to think about are your ingredients – and the cooking, of course!
Visit your local farmers’ markets and butchers to see what vegetables and meat – or veggie and vegan options – they have available. It may cost you slightly more than purchasing the same thing from a supermarket, but the quality will really elevate the humble ingredients of a roast and impress your family at the same time!
There can be a lot of preparation involved in a Sunday dinner, so try to do as much as you can before anyone arrives, so that you can spend more time with them, and less time in the kitchen.
5. And… relax!
Dirty dishes have a way of dampening the mood after a delicious meal so – for the time being, at least – let them soak so you can relax with your family (or load everything in the dishwasher if you have one).
Ensure your living room is well heated with a cosy atmosphere post-food too. And get ready for coffee and nibbles later on in the evening – if you’re bellies aren’t too full!
Hosting – no matter the occasion – can be stressful, and you may find ordering a takeaway is easier when you have a number of guests around, but there is nothing more satisfying and comforting than a Sunday roast. Get organised and enjoy cooking up a storm in the kitchen!
