How to Feed Unexpected Guests

Unexpected guests have a way of throwing you into a tizzy. Being a polite hostess means offering them food and drink, but you don't have anything prepared. It's easy to feed unexpected guests if your pantry is stocked and you stick to the basics.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Stock up. You may not be expecting guests, but you can always be prepared for the unexpected by keeping your pantry stocked just in case. You can store canned items like vegetables and mushrooms and ready-made sauces and dressings for a long time. Also be sure to keep plenty of pasta and grains such as rice in stock.
2. Stretch your menu. Bread, rice and pasta are good menu stretchers. If you'd planned to serve some type of meat and ended up with unexpected guests, you can always add a pasta side dish. If the meat you have defrosted is ground meat, add bread or rice to make a bigger meatloaf or more burgers.
3. Keep it simple. Unexpected guests get pot luck–they're lucky you're even offering them food. Reduce your stress by serving a simple meal. Make pasta, which is easy to cook and inexpensive to serve a large group. Use ready-made sauces and dressings to complete your meal. Hide the jars if you're self-conscious about it.
4. Promise nothing. Instead of advertising a great dinner when unexpected guests arrive, just put out some food. Make it a progressive dinner. Serve snacks like nuts, cheese and fruit first, to buy yourself some time in the kitchen and to reduce the hunger factor. Then, bring out some chips or bread wedges with a dipping sauce from your pantry. By the time you get to the main course, your guests won't be so hungry and will be thrilled with the simple fare you provide.

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