Last week we had the privilege of being spoiled guests of our friend, Midge. Today I am sharing her winning formula for how to host the perfect lunch party for your girlfriends.
An invitation to Midge’s home is like a great big hug; warm, welcoming, leaving you feeling loved and cared for.
I was amazed and inspired by how she spontaneously invited us the day before yet still managed to prepare ahead and create a lovely and delicious meal.
Can we all learn to do this? Let’s find out!
More hosting and entertaining ideas
More menu ideas springtime lunch with friends
Midge in her beautiful kitchen
Ingredients for the Perfect Lunch Party
The first ingredient starts with your wonderful friends, of course!
Follow that with a flavorful but easy menu because the beauty of this lunch party is how quickly it can come together.
It’s all about artfully laying out delicious ingredients.
Begin by combining fresh store-bought items, a few select prepared foods, and pantry staples, and then narrow in on the best stores to meet your needs.
As a result, you can conveniently pick up everything in one shopping trip.
You will have fun putting it together, and your friends will be amazed at how beautiful it looks!
Keeping it Simple with Party Planning
For me, narrowing down my menu is the hardest part. This is not a buffet, so just remember, less is more.
It’s easy to become overwhelmed with all the different options you could offer your guests.
Yes, you could spend days preparing an intensive meal, but the best way to truly enjoy yourself and your guests is to keep it simple.
Midge’s table doesn’t look simple due to her planning and beautiful presentation.
Lunch Menu Ideas for Girlfriends
Here are a few ideas, but use your imagination to make them your own.
Entree Ideas
Choose one entree that does NOT involve cooking from scratch. Depending on the season, this could be salad, sandwiches, quiche, soup, or chowder.
Favorite Sides
Select one or two sides, for example, fruit, a vegetable, a simple side salad, crusty bread, or perhaps muffins.
Desserts Picks
Next, pick one or two different desserts that you can purchase pre-made and that you know are delicious.
The options are usually available at your local bakery, grocery store, or even Costco.
Favorites include cookies, cakes, sweetbreads, ice cream floats, and pastries.
If purchasing more than one, vary the flavors and colors for different preferences and visual appeal.
Beverage Ideas
Lastly, select a few beverages. One strategy is to pick one special drink.
Consider iced tea, lemonade, sangria, or a cocktail. Round out the selections with water (sparkling and plain) and coffee.
Remember to keep it simple and minimize your time investment here.
A day or two before you host the perfect lunch party, decide on your table decor and set your table.
Do your grocery shopping, too, so all you need to do on the day of your party is “assemble” your food.
The Art of Assembly for Party Food
Yes, Midge has all the skills for cooking and baking, but she is wise in choosing when and when not to use them.
What she chose to do for this party was the art of assembly.
Fast, delicious, and crowd-pleasing. This is a skill worth learning, and Midge has mastered it.
Since this technique is quick and healthy, it is also a great option for weeknight family dinners.
Arranging a Party Food Display
We eat with our eyes first, so think about design, color, and texture when you assemble your food for your luncheon party.
Just like Midge’s gorgeous garden, experiment with a good balance of color and various food textures to create mouth-watering combinations.
You may try to play with layering and stacking food for height or adding different garnishes.
Try to have an item or two that delivers a pop of color, whether it’s brightly colored carrots, cranberries, or sliced hard-boiled eggs.
Grab a photo from Pinterest for inspiration!
Midge’s Garden
Midge’s Luncheon Party Menu
Chicken Cobb Salad
Bread with Dipping Oils
Fruit Bowl
Dessert; Cookie, Lemon Loaf & Brownies
Drinks; Lemonade, Sparkling & Plain Water, Coffee
Grocery List
Cobb Salad for 4
Salad Greens
One Pound Seasoned & Diced Rotisserie Chicken
Shredded Carrots
Four Hard-boiled Eggs
Grape Tomatoes
One Cup of Feta Cheese
Two Avocados
Nuts
Seeds
Assorted Salad Dressings
Fruit Cups for 4
Bunch of Red Grapes
Four Kiwis
Raspberries
Blueberries
Blackberries
Bread Basket for 4
A loaf of Crusty Bread
Olive Oil
Balsamic
Desserts for 4 or more
Cookies
Lemon Loaf
Brownies
Menu for a Ladies Lunch Party
The choice is yours, but choosing a salad as the main entree, provides endless options, flexibility for food allergies or special diets, and loads of potential!
The Cobb salad is a great choice.
There are many other classic salads to consider, including the Caesar, Chef, Chicken, Chinese Chicken, Waldorf, Caprese, Tabouleh, Taco, Tuna and Panzanella, and Pasta Salads … to name a few.
Creating your Party Salad
If you do choose a salad for your main entree, select salad ingredients that hold up at room temperature.
This will ensure that food will last the length of your meal or party.
To mix it up and get creative with a traditional green salad, try including some of the following:
Salad Greens
Iceberg lettuce, watercress, endives, or romaine lettuce are lovely options.
Protein and Meats
Depending on the type of salad, hard-boiled eggs, cubed chicken (no cutting needed by your guests), steak, ham, shrimp, or bacon would all be delicious choices.
You can easily leave this out for vegetarian guests.
Vegetables
The list is endless! Consider tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, asparagus, avocado, peppers, green and red onions, or chives.
All are tasty options to make your salad healthy and beautifully colorful.
Cheeses
Find a good quality cheese that tastes great; shredded, cubed, or crumbled.
Ideas include Brie, Roquefort, Monterey Jack, swiss, cheddar, goat cheese, feta, Parmesan, burrata, mozzarella, blue cheese, or Gorgonzola.
Nuts and Seeds
Including nuts and seeds is not essential, but it can add delicate crunch, salt, or sweetness to your salad.
Maybe you already have these in your pantry; cranberries, raisins, pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, or almonds.
Salad Dressings
Vinaigrette or creamy dressings tie everything together.
No need for an elaborate homemade dressing; store-bought products can be delicious when chosen ahead.
For starters, choose from a balsamic vinaigrette, buttermilk, bleu cheese, Caesar, ranch, or olive oil.
Having a few flavor options for your guests adds to the fun.
The easiest way to serve your salad is to have it pre-plated as your guests arrive, as Midge did.
Have the table set with the food or store the plates in the refrigerator if necessary.
This frees you up to be relaxed and socialize without worry.
Other Hosting Ideas
Valentine’s Dinner Table Decoration Ideas
Entertaining Ideas
Kid Party Food Ideas
Carnival Themed Party
Kid’s Camping Party
Baby Shower Food Ideas on a Budget
Backyard Oktoberfest Party
More Ways to Gather Friends
Hosting a Birthday Lunch Party
Christian Women’s Retreat Theme where friends gather
I hope you are now inspired to invite your friends or family over!
A little more time for planning plus less time for cooking equals more quality time together to enjoy your VIPs. Isn’t that what life’s about?
Let me know when you host the perfect lunch party. Leave a comment below, tag me @bebraveandbloom, or use #bebraveandbloom.
xo,
Cindy
Table Setting Ideas
Looking for more hosting and entertaining inspiration? Below are links to other ideas for table decor, plus party and menu ideas.
More Hosting Ideas
Oktoberfest Party Foods
DIY Valentine’s Table Ideas
Spring Easter Tablescape Ideas
Pink Spring Table Setting Ideas
Camp-Themed Party
Food Ideas for Camping Party
Friends Spring Lunch
Black and White Table Decor Ideas
Fourth of July Tables
Thanksgiving Table Ideas
Elegant Christmas Tables
Rustic Christmas Table Ideas
Spode Christmas Table
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