12 Things You Should Never Do The Day Of A Dinner Party

There are plenty of things you might not want to do before company arrives, but when it comes to hosting a dinner party there are even more things to add to that list. Truth is, hosting is not easy but it can be enjoyable if you plan it right. Preparing a meal, setting the table, and cleaning your house on top of daily life is a bigger feat than just having a few friends over for a glass of wine at the end of a long day. So the next time you're hosting a dinner in your home, keep these tips in mind for a stress-free evening. Here are 12 things you should never do the day you're hosting your affair.

1. Cook And Clean Everything On The Same Day

Avoid leaving your whole to-do list for the day of hosting because something is bound to be forgotten or done improperly. “Don’t wait to clean your house until the day you start cooking,” says hosting pro and Senior Editor Ivy Odom. “Either cook the day before and clean the day of or vice versa.”

2. Start Planning Your Menu

Don’t wait to make a plan for everything the day company is coming over. Deciding on your menu ahead of time gives you time for proper meal prep. It also allows time to make a list of groceries needed and to consider what serving pieces should be pulled out. You can also designate jobs ahead of time—like asking someone to bring ice so no one is bombarded by a last-minute request on the way to the party.

3. Or Worse, Change The Menu At The Last Minute

This will only cause stress. Stick to your plan and everything is bound to be delicious! 

4. Have A Full Dishwasher

Whether it’s dirty and needs to be run or clean and needs to be emptied, you should always to start the day of a dinner party with a ready-to-load dishwasher. You’ll want to have it unloaded before meal prepping so you can toss any dirty dishes out of sight before guests arrive in order to have a tidy kitchen. 

5. Do All The Grocery Shopping

Putting off a trip to the grocery store until the day of hosting leaves room for too many errors and often forgotten ingredients. Once your menu is set, plan to do your grocery shopping the day before your gathering. Before heading to the store, take inventory of what you already have in your fridge and pantry to determine what you still need to prepare.

6. Wait To Set The Table

Setting the table the night before (or even sooner if your space allows) ensures you aren’t hurriedly trying to do so just as your guests are about to walk through the front door. It’s an ideal task to do in advance, giving you plenty of time to press linens, polish silver, prep any flowers, and more. Bonus: It’s one less thing to do the day of.

7. Send Out Invitations

Plans should be clearly established well ahead of time. Plus, it helps to have a number of guests you're preparing to cook for. Sure, a few extra guests are never a problem but there is a difference between dinner for 6 and 16. Even if you’ve made a plan with guests in person, don’t expect them to remember everything. Send out a proper invitation (paper mail, evite, or a nice text or email) days in advance with details regarding anything guests may need to know, especially the time.

8. Deep-Clean Your Oven

Avoid deep cleaning any major appliance, especially your oven, the day of cooking a big meal. While the cleaning products you use in your kitchen on a day-to-day basis should be food-safe, not everything is and sometimes smelly fumes can linger.

9. Wait To Select Serving Dishes

You don’t want to be caught empty-handed so it’s important to take inventory of what serving dishes you have the day before in case you don't have one that’s needed or want to use something that requires a little polishing. This also extends to serving utensils. To further take the guesswork out, put sticky notes on each dish designating it to each menu item. 

10. Make Everything From Scratch

Even if you’re an ‘I can do it all’ host, that doesn’t mean everything should be done the day of. “Make some stuff ahead to save yourself time in the kitchen on the day of,” suggests Deputy Editor Lisa Cericola. Desserts are a great menu item to get out of the way ahead of time and can easily be heated up as needed during the meal. 

11. Attempt To Hurriedly Thaw Things 

Trying to quickly thaw a dish or ingredient at the last-minute can be a recipe for disaster and potentially lead to undercooked food. Be sure to pull anything out of the freezer that you’re planning to cook or reheat the day before.

12. Lose Your Cool

While you want to make sure your guests are taken care of, that doesn’t mean running around and not enjoying your own party. The key to not panicking when it comes to hosting and enjoying a stress-free evening is proper preparation. If you’re not the best cook or don’t love to cook, consider outsourcing some of the dishes from your favorite local spots or talented friends. Just remember at the end of the day the reason you’re hosting your dinner party—to spend time with friends and family around the table.