entertaining

Easy Entertaining with a Dinner Group

Sara {Go Gingham}

Easy Entertaining with Go Gingham

Here’s what I love about being in a dinner group – it’s easy entertaining. It’s not elaborate. This is the key to stress free entertaining – keeping it simple.

Peppers for appetizer Go Gingham

When you have to cook everything – appetizers, entree, sides, and dessert – it’s a lot and for some people is too much. They skip entertaining all together.

Appetizers at Dinner Group

But there is another way to see your friends, slow down, and enjoy a great meal.

Appetizer Gazapho from Go Gingham Organize a dinner group and share. Take turns with the “main dish” cooking and assign side dishes for friends to bring. Schedule up some easy entertaining.

Ready to entertain Go Gingham

Stir things up and rotate. We take turns hosting and do you know what that means? You don’t have to clean dishes as often.

Tracy and Sara Go Gingham
I love how Tracy and I are just sitting down and chatting here!

Find an entree that sounds good and can feed 6-8 people. Invite some friends and assign appetizers, salad, and dessert.Dinner Group Go Gingham

Next thing you know, you’ve got a dinner group.

Honey Pie Go Gingham
How about a honey pie, honey? Yes, please!

That’s how our dinner group works. Need more fun at a dinner party? How about an activity – wine tasting, play a game like charades, grab a copy of “The Book of Questions” and have a lively discussion – that doesn’t revolve kids, work, and regular life. Make it fun – and enjoy.

Here’s what I don’t like about our dinner group — we haven’t met since the end of August! Come on, people. I need some fun over here!

What’s your favorite easy way to entertain? Do you like to entertain?

Go Gingham related links:

How to organize a dinner group – why not start one? It’s fun!
Our dinner group followed Bon Appetit’s menu last fall
The last time we hosted dinner group – in between decorating seasons
Dinner group in spring – well, it felt like winter
Dinner group at Robin and Greg’s pretty house – mid-century style abounds!

Published by Sara {Go Gingham}

Sara, creator of Go Gingham, writes about real food, green living, and a healthy lifestyle - on fewer resources - {Stylishly Frugal Living}. She loves gingham - but tries to keep that in check.

8 thoughts on “Easy Entertaining with a Dinner Group”

    1. Why thank you, my dear! It’s still getting tweaked a little by my site designer – she’s slow with projects and because she’s older her brain isn’t as quick as a 20-something-year-old… 😉 I can say these things because it’s ME!! I’ve been working on it for several months!
      My dinner group people need to get scheduling our next gathering. I’ll be working on that today. We need our fun!
      BTW, Brad had no idea that Michigan was called the mitten BUT he is ready to scamp the Scamper on up there! xoxo

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  2. Admiring your outdoor dining. That’s just a far-away dream for us!

    We don’t have a dinner group but we do enjoy having friends over for meals occasionally. When my kids were small, I decided it was less stressful to have people over (where the kids could run free after the meal) than to try to keep them happy and occupied at a restaurant. The kids are older now, but we are still much more likely to host or be hosted at friends than we are to go out to eat.

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    1. Oh, Kris that is not my beautiful deck and outdoor area….that’s my neighbor/friend’s who is in my dinner group! I only get to pretend that it is mine. Because our group rotates, we get to experience everyone else’s space. I wish we had a deck or easy access to our backyard but we do not – and we may never. I’m just hoping for a bathroom upstairs with all of our bedrooms! 🙂 Someday….
      Honestly, I much prefer cooking/eating at home or at a friend’s to going out. It’s much more relaxed, healthier, and there’s no bill at the end of the night!

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      1. I have The World’s Ugliest Patio and Backyard. If you ever bring your Scamper to the Mitten, you may discover that for yourself. 😉

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      2. Oh, that Scamper is headed to the Mitten!! If you have a driveway (and maybe an electrical outlet? or perhaps a shower?) count on it! I think it would be awfully fun to do a tour and stop along the way…First, I’ve got to get it road ready and then get my husband to learn how to tow it. 🙂

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  3. We’ve also done progressive dinners around the neighborhood. same idea, but each couple hosts a course (and a cocktail – yikes!). It’s much less stressful to only have to do one part of the meal.

    Nice new blog format!

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    1. Ah, yes, the cocktail – a lovely addition! Another reason to keep it in the neighborhood – walking is the form of transportation and not driving. Smart! 🙂
      Thanks about the web design….it’s getting there.

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