It’s summer, so you know what that means: it’s time for dinner parties! The sun is shining, and all the family is off on vacation. Why not have some fun and throw themed dinner parties this summer season? Here are 25 dinner party ideas to get you started!
1. Around the world
One of the easiest dinner parties to throw is an “around the world” theme! Choose a few countries and cook some of their national dishes. This could be a Spanish paella, an Indian curry, or Mexican tacos! The world is your oyster!
2. Literary Lunch
Skip the cookbooks and create dishes inspired by your favorite books! Try making Butterbeer from Harry Potter or the garlic-garlic-roasted turkey from Little Women. There are so many incredible dishes from classic literature to try, so try this unique dinner party idea.
3. Time Travel
This one is super fun! Pick a random decade and ask your guests to dress up in that decade’s fashion, and hilarity will ensue. As for dishes, choose some ingredients or meals that were famous in that era. For example, the 50s was a big decade for Jell-O (including salad Jell-O)!
4. Alphabet Soup
If you’d like to throw a potluck, this is a fantastic dinner idea. Each guest will bring food that starts with the same letter as their name. So, for the name Alex, they could bring apple pie, Alfredo pasta, or arancini!
5. Rainbow
Bring the color this summer season with a rainbow-filled dinner party! Each dish represents a color of the rainbow, making for a bright and fun dinner. This idea is also great for potluck parties with friends.
6. Cafe night
Instead of waiting in line for an overpriced coffee, turn your home into a mini cafe for friends and family. Fill the counters with your favorite baked goods and drinks, and decorate as you like! It’s your “business” for the day!
7. Cookbook
Do you have a new cookbook that you want to test out? If so, this is the dinner party idea for you. Have each of your guests choose one recipe from a cookbook of your choice to cook and bring to dinner. That way, you can try many recipes at one time!
8. Picnic
Picnics aren’t just for the outdoors. You can turn your dining room into a picnic space with a few small decorations! Make a few picnic staples like sandwiches, fruit salads, and fresh juice for the perfect “picnic” party. If you have the outdoor space, definitely take it outside!
9. Casino Night
Skip the flight to Vegas and turn your kitchen into a mini-casino. Get your closest friends and play Blackjack and Poker until you run out of “chips.” It’s some light-hearted fun that is only amplified by scrumptious finger foods.
10. Farm to Table
There is nothing better than a meal made from fresh, organic ingredients. Check out your local farmer’s market to find the best locally-grown ingredients and create dishes solely from those ingredients. If you don’t have a garden, this is an awesome way to get farm-to-table dining at home.
11. Movie Night
Doesn’t the food in movies always look so scrumptious? Well, why not make those same dishes? Skip the popcorn and make gumbo from “Princess & The Frog” or the extravagant desserts from “Marie Antoinette.” The options are endless!
12. Tea party
Turn your house into the tea party scene from “Alice in Wonderland,” with light sandwiches, scones, and pots of tea. The best thing about having a tea party is you can make it however you like. The finger foods and tea options are all up to you!
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13. Beach Time
There’s nothing that screams summer more than the beach. But what if you live far from a beach? Well, bring the beach to you! Decorate your space with floaties and seashell-themed decor to make it feel like you’re at the beach! Cook some seafood dishes like garlic butter shrimp.
14. Specific ingredient
This dinner party theme could be a bit challenging, but that’s what makes it fun. Choose one ingredient you love (i.e. potatoes, carrots, or chicken), and a bunch of dishes that highlight this one ingredient! You can make desserts out of the savory ingredient, too! Check out this sweet Turkish Chicken Breast recipe to prove that anything can be a dessert.
15. Breakfast for Dinner
Flip the script on the typical dinner party by making breakfast! There’s nothing better than breakfast for dinner. Make your guests fluffy pancakes, perfectly crisp bacon, and scrumptious scrambled eggs to make the brinner (breakfast-dinner) unforgettable.
16. Cooking Contest
Live your “Master Chef” dreams and turn your kitchen into a cooking competition show! Each guest will bring their best dishes to the table. Once everyone has tasted all the dishes, pass around little pieces of paper where they will write their vote for Best Dish! The winner will receive glory and bragging rights for the night.
17. Game Night
Break out the board games from the closet and bring them to the table! Munch on finger foods and easy eats while you dominate the Monopoly board and Uno battles.
18. Family Recipes
Family recipes hold a special place in our hearts. Why not share them with your closest friends and loved ones? Experience your friends' cherished family recipes and share your memories with them as well. It will be a beautiful way to share food with the ones you love.
19. Blind Taste Test
Add mystery to your dinner party by hiding a secret ingredient in your dishes. Sneak some peas into your dessert or cauliflower into your curry sauce, and see which guest can correctly guess what is hidden in your dish! Feel free to make a paper chef’s hat to award the winner!
20. Surprise Ingredient
This is an awesome dinner party idea for when you want to cook with your loved ones. Have everyone bring one surprise ingredient and make a dish solely from what everyone brought. See what kind of wonderful experiments you can come up with together!
21. Build Your Pizza
Everyone loves pizza, but we all like it with different toppings. Prep the dough, sauce, and toppings ahead of time to make cooking easier. People can choose whichever toppings they like and how much cheese they want! No need to fight over pineapple on pizza at this party!
22. Minor Holidays
We all have dinner parties for the classic holidays like Christmas, but what about those smaller holidays like Pirate Day? If you’re looking for some inspiration for your next dinner party theme, check to see what minor holiday is celebrated that day! For example, March 28th is Something on a Stick Day, so you could make every dish something on a stick! It’s a fun, light-hearted celebration that everyone will enjoy.
23. Taco Bar Night
Another great way to host a DIY dinner party is with tacos! Prepare some tortillas, chicken, beef, and toppings, and let the crowd go wild. They can add all the salsas they want or don’t want! The possibilities are endless.
24. Craft Night
This one may get a little messy, but it will be oh-so fun. Before starting dinner, get together and make crafts together! Guests can take them home, or everyone can bring them back for the next dinner party. Here is a list of craft ideas for your next dinner party.
25. Childhood Favorites
Why not feel like a kid again with your best friends? Ask your guests to bring their childhood favorite dish to the dinner party and relive those younger years together.
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