Do dinner parties evoke images of fried foods and sugary sweets? Hosting or attending a dinner party doesn’t have to mean packing on the pounds. Various dinner party themes can be easily adapted to satisfy even the most healthy-conscious people, without skimping on flavor.
Barbecue or Summer Party:
The weather’s gorgeous, so you decide to keep things casual and serve and cook foods outdoors.
Keep appetizers simple by serving fresh veggies and fruits with a light sour cream or yogurt-based dip. Salsa’s a great option because it only contains about 5-10 calories per tablespoon. Make your selection extra enticing by including exotic fruits, such as papayas, berries, and star fruit.
Create extra-colorful salads (the more colors, the healthier). Aim for different with selections like an avocado fruit salad over spinach.
Grill chicken or turkey franks, and an assortment of fresh veggies (zucchini, squash, peppers, onion, and cherry tomatoes) on skewers.
Serve home-made punch with fresh fruits and other healthy drinks, like antioxidant-rich iced teas and wines.
Celebrate green in your home. For your meal, head to your local farmers’ market to select the freshest, organic ingredients. Keep your menu appealing and nutritious by selecting colorful produce.
Instead of using paper plates and plastic utensils, stick to your own plates and silverware. Another option is using biodegradable dinnerware that can be composted afterward.
For drinks that follow your green theme, serve organic cocktails and mocktails made from fresh fruits and vegetables. Add a mixture of mulling spices to inexpensive organic red wine for a warm mulled wine.
Go Ethnic!
Tantalize your guests’ taste buds with creative, healthy exotic dishes. From fresh coconut soup to light peanut and curry sauces and spiced fish and meat dishes, the choices are endless.
For ambience, decorate your home with candles, incense, and wall hangings. Place exotic, brightly colored flowers around the house or as centerpieces. Accessorize the room with cultural statues, bamboo, and wood ornaments. To complete the setting, play a variety of Asian music.
Dinner party themes can vary from fun to wacky to elegant. Once you’re set on your theme, it will be easier to plan your healthy menu around it. The secret to healthy cooking is choosing the right ingredients. Here are some easy tips that will be sure to help, no matter your theme:
Appetizers: Instead of greasy chips, leave out seasoned popcorn (with garlic or parmesan) or baked tortilla chips with salsa. Guacamole is high in unsaturated (“good”) fats and other nutrients.
Create mini pizzas using English muffin halves, tomato or salsa sauce, and healthy veggie toppings. Try making easy, stuffed veggies.
Drinks: Cocktails can be high in sugar and calories. Instead, serve different varieties of wines. Mix sugar-free sodas with spirits for a low-calorie option.
Main Course: When creating the main dish, always look for ways to cut down on fat and sodium content. Choose to cook with wholesome, fresh ingredients, and avoid heavy creams, sauces, preservatives, or heavily processed foods.
Opt for baking or broiling meats and fishes, and avoid frying the meal in butter or oil. Try a quick and easy whole wheat pasta toss with marinara sauce, or a little olive oil and garlic, and lots of fresh veggies. Avoid Alfredo and cream sauces, which are rich and high in calories and fat.
Sides: Serve salads with oil or vinegar instead of heavy cream dressings. Incorporate beans or legumes into dishes for a healthy dose of fiber that will also fill everyone up. Fill large bowls with colorful, cooked veggies, lightly salted and seasoned.
To get your guests into a healthy-eating mood, place baskets of fresh fruit, herbs, and veggies around the room, and have a small bowl of nuts and dried fruits available. As a party favor, hand out healthy recipes to everyone.
Help your guests exercise portion control. Serve sauces and toppings and pasta or rice in separate bowls so they can serve themselves, while choosing if they’d like to combine pasta or rice into the main entrée. And don’t serve your meal on huge dinner plates; your guests can always decide later if they’d like seconds. And to avoid over-eating at a dinner party, snack beforehand on a piece of fruit or salad.
Now that you've decided on themes and the menu, relax and enjoy an evening with your friends!
