There are so many opportunities to catch up with family and friends over the summer months – whether it is New Year’s, Australia Day or just a lazy hot weekend. We have a lovely backyard and installed a pool last year, so our home has become a great spot to entertain family and friends during the summer months.
However, entertaining and food comes hand-in-hand, so we have had to come up with some affordable ways to feed groups of people. I am always looking for easy food ideas as well, because we don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen for long periods when we could be enjoying the company of our friends. These are some of our go-to food ideas when entertaining during
the hot season:
The BBQ
It is little surprise that barbecuing is always such a popular way to cook over the summer months – it means that all that heat from the cooking stays outside, and it is a great way to feed the masses. We like to mix up the sausages a bit, choosing to purchase pork sausages and flavoured varieties over the plain beef. And although BBQs have a reputation as being
the easy entertaining option, it often isn’t once you include all the side dishes, so we always try to keep it simple by just buying some buns, chopping up a fruit platter and making a simple green salad. Easy and delicious!
The slow cooker
Our slow cooker was always my go-to during the winter months for soups and casseroles – that was until I realised how easy it was for entertaining during the summer! One of my favourites to cook up, which is always enjoyed, is a slow cooked shoulder of pork, served with bread rolls, gravy and coleslaw. Delicious! The slow cooker is also a great option to
cook up a hearty curry to serve with pappadums and rice when you are feeding a large group.
Finger foods
A selection of finger foods are great to keep in the freezer for when unexpected guests drop by (or if you are having so much fun that lunch guests end up staying over for dinner!). Meatballs, sausages rolls, pies, quiches and spring rolls are perfect for entertaining and don’t take long to heat up.
Entertaining doesn’t have to be difficult – try these easy food options and enjoy the company of your friends!
