This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Tyson Foods, Inc. The opinions and text are all mine.
Can we talk about entertaining for the holidays for a minute? You know what I’m talking about. The parties that pop up every week that have us rushing to the market for menu items and ideas. We scour Pinterest to try something fun and fresh and mix things up.
And all of that is great. I love entertaining. Heck, I am always decking out a bar cart for a signature cocktail or setting out all the plates and trimmings to create a casual cozy space for everyone to mingle.
But….
Confession….
I also love grab and go shortcuts that help me breeze through entertaining like these NEW Hillshire® Snacking Social Platters. And, now through 1/27/19 you can save $2.00 off your purchase of one Hillshire Snacking Social Platter. Check out the offer here! They’re chef curated and made with unique flavors and premium quality ingredients.
Here are my top tips for a quick and stress-free party plan that always gets me through!
How to Plan a Holiday Party?
1 Week out:
- Start a week ahead by planning the full menu based on the number of people who have RSVP’d to the party: grocery list, plan the décor and clean the house.
1 Day Before:
- Lay out the table. Organizing the table with all the plates, glasses and silverware. If it is a buffet, do this too. This makes setting the table a breeze. Have everything you may need ready so you have time to shower and relax.
1 Hour Before
- Lay out the table, tucking in those perfect holiday platters here and there for guests to nibble on while they mingle.
- Chill wine or mix a batch of cocktails
15 Minutes Before
- Place the hot and cold food trays on the table. This is when you can set out your Hillshire Snacking Social Platter so it’s ready when your guests arrive. This should be simple as you just flip and serve on the tray it comes with!
- Turn on music, light candles and get ready for guests who arrive early!
What are Good Appetizers for a Holiday Party?
As for the menu, I try not to create full-on sit-down menus anymore. People like mingling and coming and going. If it’s more than 2 or 3 other couples, it’s time to bust out the appetizer table!
- Hands down, grab the NEW Hillshire Snacking Social Platters for a picture perfect cheese tray. It comes ready to serve on its convenient flip and serve tray so prep work is simple. I found mine at my local Albertsons in the refrigerated deli aisle.
Seriously, these tricks and tips save me every time. Now, whether I have over one additional couple or 25 of my closest mountain biking buddies, I can entertain without stressing over a thing.