Casual Dining: Dinner Party Tips for Teens

Are you having people over and are afraid that everyone will get bored? Here are some guidelines for a nice get together that is not boring and you get to have fun.

Try not to be stuck in the kitchen all night - so prepare things like salad and cheese and cracker type platters in advance as well as dessert so you can spend as much time as possible with your guests. Make sure you have enough glasses and plates in advance so you do not waste time looking for something so you can serve your guests while they sit in there waiting to see you.

Let's say the party starts at seven PM. Escort your guests into the room you chose to entertain and serve drinks and simple food like pretzels for a casual group or cheese and crackers and fruit for a more formal grouping. Regular deli cheese (not American) and crackers that are unusual looking (not saltines) work fine - they do not have to be expensive and are usually available at a supermarket. Don't forget to put out napkins. If you have not done so already, ask a guest to select some music for the evening.

Mingle and introduce people who do not know each other. Introduce guests with bits of information that might give them a topic to discuss, such as if they are both Red Sox fans, or if they both have similar careers or other interests. If you can't think of anything they remotely have in common, perhaps you can mention that one or the other of them tells a funny story (if they are indeed funny and tell a funny story) as an ice breaker. Do not worry if you can't think of a good introduction, hopefully these people have actually left the house before and can talk amongst themselves for a few minutes. If you are afraid that they cannot, leave out a few games to play.

After about a half hour of mingling or when people look a bit bored, invite them into the dining area. Let them get settled and talk. Unless you have a grand plan to introduce two specific people, let people sit where they want, since they probably have already decided who they wish to talk to and you do not want to appear to be playing favorites. If someone seems left out of the conversation by the time you sit down, that seems like the person to sit next to since they likely have not struck up a conversation with anyone else or ran out of things to say to strangers. But they do know you so they likely will do better once you sit.

Have some food on the table like a dip and vegetables or something to eat quickly while you get the food. If that will not work, have something interesting to talk about on the table or nearby.

Bring out the entrée within about ten minutes of bringing people into the room. Either serve each guest individually or ask them to help themselves. If you do not know your guests well, make sure you have a vegetarian option like salad and pasta side dishes to whatever meat based dish you might serve.

When it looks like everyone is done, wait five more minutes and start to clear. Let a friend help if they offer to keep things moving along.

Suggest a game or activity. Continue to offer beverages and serve dessert towards the end of the game or activity to signal when the event is over. People usually get the idea when you start clearing away dishes.