Wondering what to bring to a dinner party? From someone who loves to host, here are thoughtful, easy gifts that will make you the guest everyone remembers.
In Girl World, dinner parties are a big deal. We obsessively plan every detail, we happily spend the whole day slaving over a hot stove. If your love language has anything to do with food, you know the feeling. So much goes into putting a dinner party together, and we’d hate to see the hard work of a host go unnoticed. In order to save you and rescue you from showing up empty handed – or worse, bearing the wrong gift – I’m here to help you be everyone’s favorite guest: here’s what to bring to a dinner party.
A Word from Ina Garten
There’s no one better for hosting advice, right? Ina once shared her top tip on selecting a thoughtful gift for your host:
“I don’t bring something that the hostess or host feels that they need to serve,” she says. Instead of a predictable bottle of wine or charcuterie board, she chooses to bring “something that they’ll enjoy another time.”
That’s a great starting point! In a world where there is Anthropology, William Sonoma, and Zara Home – to name a few – there’s no shortage of fun, enjoyable gifts to choose from. In fact, the opposite is true: there’s so many choices, taking the time to pick a gift can quickly turn into an overwhelming experience.
But have no fear. Here are a few gift ideas for any and every host in your life – and hopefully, they’re Ina-approved.
Homemade Edible Treats
There’s something special about a gift you’ve made yourself. Homemade treats show thoughtfulness and effort, and they always feel personal, like a little piece of you on the table.
Nothing says thoughtful like something you made yourself. Homemade treats are personal, delicious, and always appreciated.
Giving something you made yourself is gifting someone your most finite resource: time. And that says a lot. Of course, most people don’t have extra time to plan, shop, and make edible gifts, but some don’t require much effort—things like chocolate bark, infused honey, and fudge are fairly quick and easy to make.
Classics like cookies, biscotti, and artisanal chocolate are always welcome but more pricey and laborious.
Some homemade treats I like to bring to hosts are homemade jams and something unexpected, like this smoky marinated feta. It fits snugly in a little jar and makes a wonderful little antipasti or snack. The infused olive oil is delicious, and everyone enjoys a fun condiment.
A couple of other equally delightful and thoughtful ideas are a handwritten recipe card with one of your favorite dishes or perhaps little jar of your favorite homemade spice blend.
Gourmet Pantry Staples
Items that elevate the kitchen are a classic go-to. Affordable, practical, and useful long after the party ends.
Olive oil, flavored vinegars, hot honey, Maldon salt, a jar of fancy mustard. There’s plenty of gourmetified options out there.
Starting with just $6.99, a classic: Maldon sea salt flakes. Any host would love having a little container of sea salt flakes in their kitchen. That way they can – with only a pinch – enhance the flavors of desserts, their breakfast eggs or toast in the morning, or whatever their heart desires. A simple, but treasured gift.
Another simple, affordable, but no less desirable gift is Mike’s Hot Honey. I myself have given it to many a host. It’s a staple in my own kitchen for its versatility factor. It’s a flavor booster and you can drizzle it on pizzas, galettes, add to salad dressings or over fruit.
Olive oil is increasingly and rapidly becoming a luxury item. If you’ve been on social media lately, you’ve probably seen this Graza olive oil everywhere and… I’m here to say it’s worth the hype! The squeezable bottle makes it easy to drizzle it on everything as a finishing oil, from soups to chocolate mousse. It’s a fun, useful, and slightly luxurious gift!
Now, hear me out: a basil plant! This must sound a little crazy, but there’s something very wholesome about a small potted herb – and so useful! Think of it as a tiny bouquet of fresh flowers in a vase and I can almost guarantee your food-obsessed host will love it. Why gift someone expensive flowers with a very short lifespan when you can give them a whole basil plant?
I can’t tell you how convenient it is to have your own basil plant sitting on your kitchen counter and they’re incredibly resilient and easy to maintain (in the summertime, of course) – so you won’t be giving them something that requires a lot of work. Besides, it’s cheap and you can even put them in a nice vase to complete the gift.
Unique & Quirky Gifts
For a little fun, consider gifts that spark joy. These are memorable, conversation-starting, and show you put thought into something unusual.
Some gifts are meant to be fun and unique, like this exciting Recipe by Mail subscription. What a wonderful idea! I would love to get this one myself. What makes it even more special is that they’re not regular recipes, but detailed replicas of real handwritten recipes from names like George Washington and Emily Dickinson! Whoever your host is, I’m certain they’ll treasure this one.
Scandals make candles that look like feasts. They’re so realistic-looking, you’ll want to take a bite out of that tomato. They’re gorgeous and a fun gift idea that would make any host happy.
And lastly, I love this ingenious stoneware strainer. Keeping berries clean and fresh is not easy, but this little guy is a game changer: you can leave your berries safely draining on your counter without them getting moldy and it looks cute, too!
Useful Hostess Essentials
Sometimes the best gift is something genuinely useful. Hostess essentials are practical, thoughtful, and always welcome.
A classic linen apron is always a safe bet for a host. It’s practical, timeless, and something they’ll reach for often. For a more personal touch, these cotton aprons can be customized with up to nine characters, which makes the gift feel thoughtful without being over-the-top.
You truly can’t have too many linen napkins. These are simple enough to work with any table setting, well-made, and the kind of everyday luxury hosts actually appreciate.
And what about oven mitts! Every host needs them, but not all of them are nice to look at. These Zara ones are functional and pretty, which means they’ll actually stay out on the counter instead of being shoved in a drawer.
Fancy Splurge Gifts
Sometimes the occasion calls for something big. These gifts are for when you really want to really impress.
Let’s get a little more sophisticated for a second: it’s the holidays, and maybe you feel like splurging. If that’s the case, I present to you…
The entire Anthropologie website. Just get anything from Anthropologie, and your friend will be more than pleased. Also, would Anthropologie like to sponsor me? Adopt me? Hire me? I’ll take anything.
This wine glass set is so fun and unique. And I don’t need to expand on that—unless you want me to use all the same adjectives over and over again: beautiful color palette! Fun design! Bla bla!!
Maybe you don’t want to do a whole set of wine glasses. In that case, what about a timeless, classic cake stand? Or perhaps a two-tiered stand?
Or what about the entire candle holder collection? Just a thought…
Well, I hope you have enough inspiration to be the best guest you can be and know what to bring to a dinner party. Happy shopping and happy eating!
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