Creating party menus for a crowd is the best part of hosting. For over a decade, I have been creating menus for home-hosted events, weddings, church events, and other special events. Here, you will find menus already put together for your next party, tips for hosting, and suggested supplies.
5 Best Dinner Party Menus Ideas
The food on the table is where the party starts, especially if you're invited for dinner. Some people look forward to the meal, and some don't know what they are missing until they start eating, and you see that big smile of complete satisfaction on their face because you surprised them with the best meal they've had in a long time. I mean, that is the goal anyway, right? At least for me, it is.
Here are some crowd-pleasing party menus I have served to my guests that were hits.
Nacho Table
This menu is a fun Mexican dinner party menu for kids and adults alike. If you are looking for great birthday party menus, this one is a hit! There are so many toppings you can add, and everyone can create their own nacho table bowl in their space.
This is also an easy menu to make for your guests, leaving not only their bellies happy but also an experience to remember.
What You'll Need: taco meat, tortilla chips, cheese sauce, salsa, and fresh veggies—lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and carrots.
Prep your taco meat ahead of time. Here is my recipe for crockpot taco meat.
Homemade cheese sauce beats any you will ever buy at the grocery store. Not only is it healthier, but it also tastes better.
You can cut, dice, and slice all the veggies ahead of time.
Fettuccine Alfredo Table
Italian food is always a hit with any crowd. This is a simple but elegant party menu that not only tastes delicious but also looks irresistibly so.
What You'll Need: fettuccine noodles, heavy cream, chicken breast, ceaser salad.
Get the best Italian noodles you can find in the grocery store. I used the DeLallo brand at one of my hosting parties, and they were a crowd pleaser.
The quality of your chicken breast will determine the flavor of your meat. Air-chilled chicken is always better than regular chicken breast. Much tastier and not as rubbery.
There is nothing crazy that needs to happen with the white sauce. Add some heavy cream to the sautéed chicken pieces and cook until it thickens, about 3 minutes. Wala! You have white sauce that's better than store-bought—season to your liking with salt, pepper, and garlic.
For the salad, grab your favorite bagged ceaser salad to make it easier, or create your own ceaser salad by picking and choosing your favorite ingredients and combining at home.
Italian Sausage Table
Another great Italian dinner that is easy to make and a crowd-pleaser.
What You'll Need: Rigatoni pasta, Italian sausages, ceaser salad, red sauce, and mozzarella cheese.
Always use the best brand of pasta. Delallo is my recommendation.
Costco currently sells sweet Italian sausages that are tasty and not super expensive.
Ceaser salad can be purchased bagged and ready to go, or create your own by combining your favorite greens, cheese, croutons, and your best ceaser salad dressing.
If you have any red sauce recipes you love, make your own. If not, I recommend purchasing a great Italian organic brand. The flavor of organic red sauce is always tastier.
Freshly shredded mozzarella cheese is where it's at! No cakey additives to prevent it from melting on your sauce, and it tastes absolutely delicious.
Game Night Table
Football season calls for buffalo chicken dip. This one is so easy to put together and keeps the crowd munchin' all evening.
What You'll Need: buffalo chicken dip, fresh veggies, tortilla chips, crackers and sourdough bread.
Buffalo chicken dip is a win on any day of the week. I will be posting the recipe soon here for you to enjoy with your family and friends as well.
Pick your favorite veggies and cut up to dip in the buffalo sauce.
I love a fresh sourdough loaf in this meal. For those who want something healthier to munch on, this is a great option. I make a few loaves ahead of time, pop them into the freezer, and thaw them the day of the party to add to the table.
Tortilla chips and crackers are classic dipping sides for the buffalo chicken dip. Grab your favorite brand and plate it beautifully.
Pierogi Dinner
After owning a pierogi business for 8 years, I have mastered a good Polish or Ukrainian meal.
What You'll Need: pierogi, sauerkraut, kielbasa, a fresh garden salad, sauteed onions, and sour cream.
Pierogi must be homemade or purchased from your local pierogi shop. This is a big game-changer for a good pierogi dinner. Inna's Pierogi Shop is local to us, so we always get fresh pierogi there. If you want to make them at home, I have a fantastic potato onion pierogi recipe passed down from my grandma that you can use.
Good kielbasa can be found at your local butcher shop. One of our favorite butcher shops is Breakaway Farms. Always fresh and supporting local.
In my childhood, I grew up having pierogi with sauteed onions and sour cream. Don't skip these toppings. They make this party meal stand out.
Salad choices can be sauerkraut or a fresh garden salad. Not everyone loves sauerkraut, so make sure you know what your guests like. If you are serving kraut, get something local and not from a bag. My favorite local brand is Oak Lane Kitchen. I am very blessed to live in an area that supports small businesses, and we have the best food businesses that we can source from.
Tools Needed to Host Well
I am pretty sure you have heard of the saying, "people eat with their eyes first." That means presentation matters. If it looks good, your guests will most likely finish the meal and go for seconds for sure. Here are few key things to have in your kitchen to make hosting the best experience for you and your guests.
Dinnerware Set. Invest into beautiful plates, cups and silverware. They don't need to be expensive, but something that represents you and matches your style. I am big fan of color, flowers and representing my culture (Ukrainian). A modern twist is the Pioneer Woman dish set. I was able to mix and match all the plates and cups and make my table super colorful with class. What is your style?
Serving Platters. What are you going to serve your food in for the guests?Most of my serving plates were white and created a neutral look in the middle of the table. The food, dinnerware and the color from the rest of the table was the highlight, so my serving platters are simple and different shapes.
Table Runner, Mats and Napkins. Style the table with a themed runner, napkins and table mats. These are fun to change up seasonally. Because my plates have so much color, I am able to easily change up the rest of the pieces on the table to make it fit every season.
Are You Ready to Host?
Hosting a crowd is fun to plan. Grab a few recipes, run to the store for the ingredients, start cooking, set the table and have a good evening with your friends and family.
