How to entertain on a budget

Once upon a time dinner parties were a big thing. In my parent’s generation, it was de rigueur in middle-class circles to invite people to your home impress them with a posh dinner party.

In the 1970s and even 1980s, cookbooks were full of tips for entertaining at home. Sometimes it would take all day to cook and prepare your home so that you could be the perfect host (or hostess). People did fancy things like folding napkins to look like bishop’s hats (or even swans), lighting coloured candles in tall candelabras, baking liqueur chestnut chocolate cakes adorned with purple coloured crystallised violets, preparing soups or mousses for entrees and baking meaty main meals like lamb chops with frilly little paper things to cover the bony bits.

I now have in my head visions of salmon mousse and the grim reaper – Monty Python fans will understand. Or worse, the British Come Dine With Me comedy series, where five contestants host dinner parties for each other in a competition for the best event, making snarky comments at other hosts in the process.

I’m finding a trend in Australia towards going out to restaurant dinner rather than having elaborate three (or four) course dinner parties.

In part, this reflects changing social trends. We are working longer hours than ever and commuting more, too. Fewer people are able or willing to cook fancy dishes such as souffles that might fail at the last minute. And often, we are worried about what people will think of our (less than perfect) homes. I’ve often heard it said that the most effective house cleaning is often done an hour before guests arrive. This is often true of me when friends are coming over.

All of this is changing how and where we socialise. One of the hardest parts of living on a budget is that sometimes you can feel locked out of social situations because of the price tag. “Let’s go out for dinner” is fine for many, and in many ways more equitable and easier than the often reciprocal dinner party circuits of the past. But it’s hard for people who don’t have much cash to splash on restaurant dining.

And it also means that on some level, by not inviting people into our homes, we are holding back a part of ourselves. Our friendships are more planned and organised and less spontaneous and impromptu. It’s much harder to chat until the earlier hours of the morning when a restaurant is about to close, and it feels much less intimate.

How to break the cycle and entertain frugally, yet well?

I find the starting premise is that hospitality comes from the heart. When friends or family visit me, or I visit them, it is because we have a connection. We are part of the same family or community. I take them as they are, and they accept me as I am. Of course, I (or more likely my husband) still run a vacuum cleaner over the floor and spend time cleaning up. I might even put fresh flowers in a vase. And I prepare food that are special and, hopefully, yummy. No one has ever starved at my place – often they go home with leftovers.

Pie maker pepper beef meat pies

Homemade is best

But I don’t entertain in a conventional way. I take a fishes and loaves approach to entertaining. I don’t panic and buy a lot of expensive things like imported cheeses and smoked meat. Instead, I take stock of what I already have, and think about what I can make instead. Homemade is always best, and it always works out cheaper. If I buy things, usually I will try to buy from local producers or artisans because I believe in supporting my local community.

2. Keep it communal

For me, entertaining is about spending time with people I like. So, my focus is on communal meals and interaction, and less about sitting down to a formal and rigid set of meals. We enjoy a BBQ on our balcony, making pizzas, tasty pies in our pie maker, or even presenting a large platter with a roast and vegetables. For entrees, I’m likely to serve homemade olives with homemade focaccia, perhaps with homemade hummus or other dips.

3. Bring a plate

Last night we went to dinner at a friend’s place. Our contribution was sourdough baguette with local olive oil, balsamic vinegar, homemade spring onion and basil dip and a refreshing bottle of rosé from a local winery, plus beers. My husband noted that I took rather a lot – being a frugalista I’m often conscious of not appearing to be a Scrooge!

I especially like pot-luck style events. Beyond saving money, it also means that guests feel less like interlopers and like more participants in a shared meal. When my husband and I got married last year, we even went as far as to ask guests to bring a plate rather than a gift. And the best part about that was the variety and choice it offered. One friend even made wontons; other friends pitched in to help him, and they chatted and folded hundreds of dumplings. There is a sense of pride in cooking and presenting, a cherished dish that is homemade with love.

Serina’s top frugal entertaining tips:

A good homebrew is rarely refused
For non-alcoholic drinks, instead of soft drink offer home-made cordial bubbled up with a SodaStream or a homemade iced tea punch
Homemade dips are cheap and delicious – and healthy if you include carrot and cucumber sticks
Antipasto is interesting and can be made at home cheaply – I often serve my homemade olives, which are a talking point, or new season sliced tomatoes drizzled with olive oil
Include some healthy options like strawberries or slices of watermelon
And a few treat food options such as fried arancini balls or a decadent, pre-made dessert

I hope we begin to see a trend of inviting people back into our homes. And not just for dinner. I was talking to friends this morning about the re-emergence of board game parties (think 1980s retro classics plus #oldskool games).

I invite you to invite over friends and family for other events, like watching the grand final on television together (especially if your team is playing), playing cards or a killer game of Monopoly, group batch cooking parties, or baking biscuits together at Christmas or making hot cross buns at Easter.