Dinner Party Ideas for Seasonal Eating

Here's something you might not know about me - I LOVE cooking. As the summer crawls toward a close I've been thinking nonstop about hosting family and friends over to eat while fresh ripe summer fruits and veggies are still in season. Every season brings on change in our diet at home and when it comes to hosting guests - I love showcasing seasonal finds and really letting them shine! So in todays post I'm sharing some simple ideas for incorporating fresh produce and flowers when hosting - be sure to also check out my Farm Map Link to find great sources for local goodies.

I hope the below will inspire you started but I also highly recommend Pinterest as a source for recipes and table decor ideas! I also like to set the tv to Martha Stewart Living and Barefoot Contessa reruns!

🐝 SPRING: Fresh produce in this season includes strawberries, leafy greens, carrots and peas. Flowers in season include peony and tulips. Decor themes can be light and colorful, reminiscent of easter featuring bunnies, ladybugs, clover, ect. Prep honey-sweetened tea, strawberry lemonade or simple syrup for a drink mixer. Garnish glasses with a sprig of mint or half strawberry on a mini skewer. Include fresh greens in the main dish or sides. Thin slices of radish or beet over salad. Pasta salad with pesto and peas. Frosted carrot cake or strawberry topped honey cake for dessert.

🍅 SUMMER: Fresh produce in this season includes a wide range of juicy fruit and fresh veggies. Think strawberry, cherry, watermelon, blueberry, raspberry, peaches, plums, corn, tomato, zucchini, bell pepper, ect. Flowers this season include sunflower, zinnia, cosmos, gladiolas, roses and much more! I love decor pieces with strong reds or yellows this season! Prep fruit syrup for fresh fruit tea or mix it up with tropical drinks including coconut water or mango! Garnish drinks with edible flowers like dainty chamomile or slices of fresh fruit and berries. I love a colorful fruit salad as an appetizer! I also see lots of grilled peach slices over a cheese topped slice of baguette. For the meal you might stuff and bake tomato or bell pepper for a picture-perfect plate! Also don't be afraid to get outside and grill! Great season for grilling steaks and burgers and outdoor hosting. Summer afternoons are great for getting the pizza oven going too! Prep dough and chop veggies in advance and let guests get creative! Dessert can consist of fruit tartes, fruit topped cakes, strawberry shortcake, peach pie or berry cobbler topped with ice cream!

🥧 FALL: Fresh produce in this season includes pomegranate, pears, fig, persimmon, apples, pumpkins ect. Flowers this season include marigolds, black-eyed-Susan's, sunflowers, and chrysanthemums. Candles are a must for me this season! Color themes can bring a thanksgiving feel with rich greens, reds and oranges. Imagine a filling hearty meal with meat and mashed potatoes. Break out the roasts! Just the other day on Pinterest I saw a roast pork dish with stewed apple slices! Incorporate fruit like pomegranate for meat marinades and salad toppers. Roast winter squash or puree into a soup. Core and stuff apples with sugar and nuts to roast in the oven for dessert or prep a pumpkin cheesecake in advance. Don't forget this is THE season for pies! Apple pies, pecan pies, pumpkin pies, put your own twist on it! Stock up on cinnamon and nutmeg!

🍋 WINTER: Fresh produce in this season includes lemons, oranges, limes, cranberry, cabbage, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and kale. Flowers are running low this season so work with greens like evergreen tree and shrub clippings. Snapdragons are also a great tall flower for bouquets although pick them super fresh because they fade faster than other flowers! Pansy and viola are colorful and easy to grow edible flowers this season! Use pansy or viola to top drinks or freeze into ice cubes, brings a bright colorful garden vibe even in the dead of winter. Top a crisp salad with orange slices and more edible flowers! Color themes can mimic holiday tones with red and green or mimic nature with white, blues, greens and browns. Line the center table runner with bright citrus and cranberries! This is another great season for nourishing soups and stews or hearty roasts with potatoes. That being said, don't forget, folks are craving warmer weather this time of year so celebrate the fresh fruit available with lively cranberry and citrus punch mixes! Garnish drinks with citrus wedges or twist of peel. I've been seeing lemon, orange, lime and mandarin possets online and they make a stunning display for dessert!

Other Fun Ways to Celebrate the Season!:

Flowers/ Table Centerpieces:

As you can see from above, any season you can have great bouquets to decorate the table! I've been known to collect handfuls of citrus branches for a vibrant green and wonderfully scented centerpiece! Pickup fresh flowers from local markets or you-pick stands no more than 2 days before your event. Use the colorful flowers to tie into the theme of your food and decor; for example, red flowers, red tablecloth, red wine, wow stunning! And don't feel locked to the table space, leave a bundle in the living room, entryway or even on the kitchen counters and windowsills, you can even make elaborate fresh flower garlands or greenery garlands (pine and holly looks festive in winter!) to hang over the kitchen cabinets or fireplace.

When I set the table I like to cut flowers stems short to make it easy to see guests over the bouquets. Its also really fun to line a runner down the center of the table with fresh fruit surrounding the serving dishes. Imagine bright lemons and oranges arranged together in a bowl or clustered around the table in winter, or peaches and nectarines in the summertime.

Play with vases! Clear glass can be used to make interesting underwater displays, I've seen folks use lemon or orange slices to decorate the water under a flower bouquet. I've also seen spring bouquets where carrots with their green tops still attached are put into a water filled glass vase with just a few simple booming flowers like baby's breath stuck into the greens! Very cute!

Tableware:

This is another really fun element of hosting! Paper plates and napkins will certainly work but serving with pretty sets of placemats, dishes, serving bowls and fabric napkins really elevates the feel! But you don't have to break the bank on it! Hit the thrift store and pickup items like these, sometimes you'll get lucky and find a perfect full 12+ piece set, other times you may only find pairs, get creative and match plates with similar shapes, colors or designs to make a unique mix-matched collection! Aim to first get simple glass, ceramic or metal sets that will go with any color scheme!

Also consider quantity, for example, my dinner table comfortably sits 4-6 people so I aim to get sets of 6 but if you have lots of friends and space for 10-12, aim for that instead. Don't forget to utilize what you have too, you don't need 10+ new glasses if you already have 10 that match (or at least mostly match).

Basic beginner sets should aim to include small appetizer plates, a water glass, a cocktail or wine glass, a full/regular size bowls or plates and silverware. As you build your collection you may also like to add cloth placemats, charger plates, napkin holders, drink pitchers, serving bowls, serving utensils, coasters, ect.

Mood-Setting

A Party isn't set without music - you can easily search great playlists on Youtube or Spotify to match the vibe you want to create. Upbeat oldies are playful and energetic while soft jazz and classicals are relaxing and elegant. Pre-listen to some mixes while you plan the party and vet out the best - you may even want to create your own unique mix!

And last but not least - CANDLES! The dim warm light of a candle is so inviting! As your guests arrive, light some candles, turn down overhead lighting and flick on low or mid-height lamps (swap them out for warm toned bulbs in advance if you don't already have those!). Candles can be used to make all sorts of wonderful displays. From short votive candles in glass holders to tall taper candles on risers, scatter a few throughout the space for an casual yet elegant feel or cluster them in groups for something more stunning! We also really like collecting vintage oil lamps from yard sales or thrift stores, they can be easily set working again with a fresh wick and bottle of kerosene (just make sure there are no holds or cracks in the base where the oil goes).

Well, did you pick up any new ideas? What are your favorite dishes to serve for guests?! Comment below!