SKL Posted June 9 Share Posted June 9 I am not good at this! Yesterday, I had my dad and sister over (post-graduation for cake), and I realized way too late that I had not thought to have food to offer. My kid saved the day with some leftover pasta we happened to have. I agree with the idea of keeping fun freezer food. They have stuff like TGIF appetizers that you can keep in your freezer until an occasion arises. Or frozen pizza. For a longer visit, even a frozen casserole may come in handy. And unopened bags of snacks like chips, pretzels, etc. should last a long time. Also, we keep a variety of drinks that can be prepared / served at any time. Different teas, coffees, hot chocolate, powdered lemonade and similar. I also keep this for people who like carbonated drinks: https://www.amazon.com/Sparkling-Raspberry-Antioxidants-Vitamins-Bottles/dp/B003P02EGU?pd_rd_w=73WZN&content-id=amzn1.sym.b46c8fe2-d558-44b6-a291-82096c829da9&pf_rd_p=b46c8fe2-d558-44b6-a291-82096c829da9&pf_rd_r=253GWKQK8FRPND68W856&pd_rd_wg=5cRvN&pd_rd_r=96f430b1-117d-49d5-95fd-d0123ed019f5&pd_rd_i=B003P02EGU&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_d_grid_rp_0_1_ec_pr_pd_hp_d_atf_rp_4_i 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances Posted June 9 Share Posted June 9 (edited) Do you live anywhere near a Trader Joe’s? They have tons of frozen appetizers and there are lots of online reviews of them to help you choose. Growing up my mom always kept either homemade frozen pies or the ingredients and crust frozen separately on hand, as pie and coffee was a common offering for unexpected guests (which were very common). Edited June 9 by Frances 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teachermom2834 Posted June 9 Share Posted June 9 (edited) Some of our grocery stores have take and bake breads that I can put in the freezer and take out and bake and in 30 minutes have a fresh baguette or cibatta that, to me, is better than just a frozen bread. A jar of some kind of spread and some cheeses is an easy idea. We mostly have kid guests and have a corner of the garage with chips and sodas that just sit there until some group comes over. If you have freezer room and an air fryer all kinds of appetizer type treats can go in there. I keep chicken tenders and fries for teens. If you have the room, which I don’t, I think frozen pizzas and flatbreads are nice to keep on hand. Sometimes you can get a fancier looking one or some special topping. I had a friend once who kept frozen chicken biscuits for this reason. I wouldn’t have thought of it but it was her answer to this question. Edited June 9 by teachermom2834 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted June 9 Share Posted June 9 I always keep frozen quiche in the fridge. They come two in a bundle. It’s such an easy thing to throw into the oven and have a great thing with tea/coffee. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarita Posted June 9 Share Posted June 9 https://www.recipetineats.com/naan-recipe/ I made these the other day. I had it proof in my oven @100° and it only took 30 minutes for the dough to double in size. They were pretty good with some chives mixed in. DH would make a flavored melted butter (microwave butter with flavorings) and spread it on top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted June 9 Share Posted June 9 3 hours ago, goldberry said: Like soft pretzels? Where do you get these? In the freezer section of the grocery store. There are a couple of different types. Try them and pick your favorite. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted June 9 Author Share Posted June 9 3 hours ago, Frances said: Do you live anywhere near a Trader Joe’s? They have tons of frozen appetizers and there are lots of online reviews of them to help you choose. Growing up my mom always kept either homemade frozen pies or the ingredients and crust frozen separately on hand, as pie and coffee was a common offering for unexpected guests (which were very common). I wish! About an hour away though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootsie Posted June 9 Share Posted June 9 I always keep some crackers in the pantry. I can serve with cheese and cut fruit, or whatever I have on hand--even PB&J. If I have made chicken salad, I can serve it with crackers. If I have some cream cheese or sour cream, I can whip up a quick dip to serve with crackers. We also always have picante sauce and chips--If I have some Velveta, I can make some queso--either add some salsa to the melted Velveta or a can of chili to melted Velveta makes a good cheese dip. For a sweet snack, we always have some ice cream in the freezer. If I have some strawberries, or other fruit, I can top the ice cream with it. Chocolate sauce is easy to keep on hand. A cherry, a sprinkle of nuts, or a wafer cookie turns the ice cream into a real treat. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted June 10 Share Posted June 10 I think sharing what you have is fine and should be more the normal 😞 if you eat fancy so do your spontaneous guests - if not it’s fine. I have a friend who serves bread and cheese sandwiches if that what’s prepared and it’s just nice to enjoy their company. The thing I find harder is not being embarrassed if my house is not pristine (and it’s usually a long way off) but I’m working on that as well. I also feel pressure to serve something amazing when we have guests but I’m trying to remind myself that the scripture injunction was just “a cup of cold water”… so offer what you have that people need and don’t be too proud to show that it’s all you have. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted June 10 Author Share Posted June 10 16 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said: I think sharing what you have is fine and should be more the normal 😞 if you eat fancy so do your spontaneous guests - if not it’s fine. I have a friend who serves bread and cheese sandwiches if that what’s prepared and it’s just nice to enjoy their company. The thing I find harder is not being embarrassed if my house is not pristine (and it’s usually a long way off) but I’m working on that as well. I also feel pressure to serve something amazing when we have guests but I’m trying to remind myself that the scripture injunction was just “a cup of cold water”… so offer what you have that people need and don’t be too proud to show that it’s all you have. Yes, I FINALLY got over the spotless house requirement. I had a good friend who always had me come over, and her house was always a hot mess! I never minded, and that's what got me over it. I just enjoyed the company. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted June 10 Share Posted June 10 16 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said: I think sharing what you have is fine and should be more the normal 😞 if you eat fancy so do your spontaneous guests - if not it’s fine. I have a friend who serves bread and cheese sandwiches if that what’s prepared and it’s just nice to enjoy their company. The thing I find harder is not being embarrassed if my house is not pristine (and it’s usually a long way off) but I’m working on that as well. I also feel pressure to serve something amazing when we have guests but I’m trying to remind myself that the scripture injunction was just “a cup of cold water”… so offer what you have that people need and don’t be too proud to show that it’s all you have. The things I mentioned we can serve at the last minute are definitely things we keep in stock for ourselves. They're easy, snack-type food, not so much meals. I no longer worry about pristine... just a quick bathroom check to make sure it's not bad. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.