When you sit down to plan the food for your upcoming party, whether it be a family reunion, the holiday get-together or hosting a baby or bridal shower, you are constantly thinking about what you should serve to your guests. But do you really stop to think of the things you should not be serving at your party? Sometimes, it is just as important to know what not to serve to your guests as it is figuring out what you will feed them.
Here are some foods that are served during a party, but should not…
1. Tortilla chips are yummy and delicious when you are sitting around with your family watching your favourite sports team or just wanting to munch out with some salsa. However, do not serve them at your party. They look cheap like you did not care enough to think through putting out a snack or appetizer. Opt for water crackers, sliced bread, or pita chips instead.
2. Bowls of nuts are another item that might seem easy to put out and spread around for a crowd, but it is another way of dialling in your snacks and appetizers during a party. Besides, many people are allergic to tree nuts (pecans, walnuts, pine nuts, almonds, etc.) or peanuts. Avoid serving these in your dishes, on platters as a decoration, or in the desserts. It is just easier to stay away from the possibility of putting any of your guests into anaphylactic shock.
3. Fish is delicious, flaky, and mouthwatering. However, it is not the best thing to serve during a party because it can smell up your house when you cook it. That is a smell that nauseates a lot of people. Even if you fry it, the oil smell stays in the air, as well. It is best to avoid serving fish unless you are hosting a seafood themed party. In that case, purchase pre-made fish dishes, cook outside, or poach a day ahead to give the odour time to dissipate.
4. Who does not like corn on the cob? But at a party? This is not the most practical food when it comes to a casual get together or party. Since it takes two hands to eat, corn on the cob does not lend to standing up with your appetizer plate. You also need salt and butter and napkins, and it is just impossible to have a conversation when you are fighting your corn. If you want to serve corn, use kernels of it in a corn and black bean salad.
5. Avoid giving guests bad breath by serving garlic and raw onions. Sure, these are tasty items when added to many dishes, but you pay for it with the after-effects. You do not want to cringe away from guests whose garlic breath overpowers you when you are talking. Just keep your recipes, snacks, and appetizers free of these items.
6. Do not serve dips or dressings laced with poppy seeds, spinach, or anything else that might stick in teeth and cause embarrassment to the person who has eaten it. The worst thing at a party is talking to someone who has got the party food stuck in their teeth. Think of this when you are designing your menu and the appetizer or main dishes that you will serve at your party. It may seem silly at first, but it can be a conversation killer.
7. Try not to serve anything that will stain too badly. Stay away from tomato sauces, salsas, red wine, or anything else that can spill, fall off a plate, or end up on the carpet only to leave a permanent stain. Your guests do not want to leave their mark on your home, so do not give them any ammunition in the food department that might make for a disastrous situation. And this goes for spaghetti too. While it is a delicious family meal, it is not the best thing to serve at a party unless you pass and cover the carpet with polyethene.
8. If you are planning to have desserts at your party, refrain from getting heavily frosted ones from cake delivery in Chandigarh services.
So, keep things simple and elegant for your party and be sure not to make the mistake of serving something that should not be at your party.