Hosting Diwali is an art form that is all about gracious hospitality, lively conversations, and lots of festive treats. Yet, even experienced hosts tend to commit some typical errors that create unnecessary kitchen hassle for the hostess and make guests feel suffocated or hungry. Be it too much sugar on the coffee table or lukewarm appetisers, little oversights can upset the festive balance. With some forethought, you will be able to keep food service smooth and easy without worrying about being away from the kitchen with your guests. These are seven food serving mistakes to be avoided while hosting Diwali.

Hosting Guests This Diwali? 7 Food-Serving Mistakes To Avoid

1. Front-Loading Too Much Sugar

Welcoming guests with such heavy sweets immediately ruins the appetite for the entire evening. Once someone eats kaju katli and gulab jamuns, they will start craving something cool and savoury rather than dinner. It is better to keep the heavy Indian sweets for the dessert counter after dinner time. Instead, greet your guests with cool drinks like aam panna, shikanji, or warm saffron badam milk along with some savoury snacks.

2. Serving Fried Starters Lukewarm

Delicious starters such as cocktail samosas, paneer tikka, and kebabs become instantly unattractive when they become cold and oily. Never try to deep-fry or grill everything in advance one hour before the guests arrive. You can quickly warm up food in an air fryer without using oil, or you can simply reheat small portions in a preheated warming tray.

3. Ignoring Dietary Variety and Heavy Cream Overload

Menu items consisting purely of cashew-based gravies, fried bread dishes, and heavy side dishes may make the guests feel heavy. Make sure to maintain diversity while choosing items: complement an indulgent paneer or mutton dish with refreshing side dishes, such as a roasted pomegranate salad, cucumber mint raita, or even stir-fried seasonal vegetables. Always double-check whether any guest is on a vegetarian or a festive fasting diet.

4. Bottlenecking the Dinner Buffet

Putting all the plates, forks, napkins, hot foods and water in one tight bunch causes confusion in lines, as people bump into each other. Make sure you separate the drinks and desserts counter from the main dining table. Dinner plates and napkins should be placed at the entrance of the table and breads/rice at the end.

5. Overcrowding the Living Room Tables

A coffee table full of bowls of dry fruits, snack plates, diyas, and drinks will make no space available for your guests to place their empty glasses and plates. Decorate the table in a compact way that is also fireproof, and have another side table to put away all your used toothpicks, tissues, and empty glasses.

6. Getting Trapped at the Stove for Fresh Rotis

Preparing individual rotis on a tawa in the midst of your guests creates a barrier between yourself and your own guests. It is wise to select bread items which will retain heat well and keep everyone happy, such as layered kulchas, stuffed naans, or pooris kept in insulated casseroles, or make your main course of dum biryani or pulao.

7. Running Short on Ice and Filtered Water

Undoubtedly, one of the most common mistakes in hosting is forgetting about the basics of hydration. In the festive rush of tasty and aromatic treats and cosy lighting, guests drink much more water and ice than expected. Prepare lots of water dispensers and keep ice bags prepared in the freezer well ahead of time.

Image credits: Freepik

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