Dinner parties are just plain fun. I love having friends and family over for good food, drinks and conversation. But with our hectic and busy lives, prepping for them can become overwhelming. Here’s a few tips I’ve rounded up to set you up for guaranteed success!

Stick with What You Know

Don’t get crazy with it. Whip up something you’ve successfully made once or twice before and you’ll have less room for issues. If you really want to try something fancy and new, test it out a week to a few days before to make sure it's not a flop.

Do the hard work first.

Try to get as much prep work as possible out of the way ahead of time. Look for recipes that include instructions on how to “plan ahead” and mention what can be prepared (up to a day or two) early. Two easy tricks are to chop veggies the day before the party and to make baked desserts a few days prior to the big event.

Clean as You Go

Wash your cooking utensils and pots and pans as soon as you’ve finished with them. It may seem like a hassle, but you’ll be glad you did when you don’t have that pile of dirty dishes in the sink to get done 10 minutes before your guest arrive.

One easy tip to save cash on your dinner party is to share ingredients with other dishes. For example, if you’re using carrots in a stew for the main course, consider doing a shredded carrot salad. Making honey mustard chicken? Create a honey mustard vinaigrette for your salad.