Fall is here and the winter holidays are just around the corner! Hosting a party for omnivores and vegans, featuring a plant-based menu, can be a challenge. The first step toward serving an delicious vegan spread, is to focus on an enticing eco-friendly tablescape to impress your guests the moment they arrive. Whether you are hosting your soirée in a small apartment, or large home, here are some of my best tips for creating a “WOW” setting for your “plant-full” meal.
You may be asking…What is a tablescape? Creating an ideal “tablescape,” is a term coined by the British designer, David Hicks, and it entails using interesting floras and artifacts, integrated with your own collections. The idea is to create an inviting, cost effective, and environmentally conscious ‘green’ tablescape, that is pleasing to you and your guests. Here are some of my basic tips for eco-chic dining, throughout year!
Casual Family Dining, or Weekend Specialty Meals
1) To set an eco-casual table, place everyday cloth napkins alongside (or at the top) of your dinner plates and glasses. Mixed and matched dinnerware is just fine these days, and inexpensive items purchased from a local thrift shop, antiques store, or flea market can certainly make a colorful setting.
2) When setting a family brunch, lunch, or supper table, make an easy, eco-friendly centerpiece by simply displaying a pretty decorative platter or pitcher in the center of the table!
3) You will find my casual family themed menu, with recipes HERE!
Buffet Style Meal
1) Consider serving buffet style, so your family or guests can enjoy choosing the foods they like. Provide a stack of large plates, forks, spoons, knives, and napkins arranged at the far end of your table. Present plenty of large serving utensils.
2) A large dresser, long dining table, or kitchen counter provides ample space to serve as your buffet. Cover the surface with a decorative tablecloth, crisp bed sheet, colorful runner, or vintage quilt.
3) Set up a “self serve” bar nearby, offering various beverages.
4) Consider displaying a variety of desserts like petite organic dark chocolates, homemade vegan pudding or cake. Set up a pot of coffee with cups, saucers, spoons, various dairy-free creamers, and sweeteners. Provide hot water in a thermal carafe and set out a basket containing a variety of tea bags.
5) You will find my brunch buffet-style menu, with recipes HERE!
Fall Themed Table Décor
1) Decorate your fall tablescape with freshly fallen pinecones and/or jewel colored leaves, or display an array of small seasonal squash, arranged in baskets, on a cake pedestal, or large bowls.
2) Serve apple cider as folks arrive, warmed and served with a cinnamon stick. Center your menu on all of the seasonal produce found locally, depending upon the area of the country that you live in.
3) You will find my fall menu, with recipes HERE!
Winter Holiday Entertaining
1) Prepare your eco-chic holiday table in an elegant manner by showcasing your favorite mix-and matched dinnerware, silverware, linens, and cloth napkins.
2) Design your centerpiece using seasonal squash, fruits, and vegetables as your focal point, enhanced by greenery placed all around. Or feature a bowl of seasonal fresh fruits for guests to enjoy, rather than shelling out the big bucks for an expensive floral arrangement!
3) For a cocktail party, serve food on reusable hors d’oeuvre plates. Arrange plates on a table set up near your bar and supply plenty of recycled napkins.
4) Make sure to provide an area for guests to recycle trash!
5) You will find my holiday menu, with recipes HERE! You will find my Thanksgiving menu, with recipes HERE!
New Year’s Eve Gala
1) A new-year gala shared with special company is an event that many people look forward to throughout the holiday season. Greet guests with champagne or a nonalcoholic sparkling beverage and an array of light vegan hors d’oeuvres.
2) Lower the lights and place earth-friendly candles around your home and play festive music like holiday classical selections.
3) Dress your festal tablescape with sparkling vintage glassware, elegant table coverings, and fancy cloth napkins.
4) Offer a place card made from recycled cardstock or last year’s holiday cards. Display party favors at each guests setting, such as; a large square of vegan chocolate wrapped in unbleached parchment paper and tied with a recycled ribbon.
5) You will find my vegan AND gluten-free New Year’s Menu, with recipes HERE!
Spring Themed Get-Together
1) When the green of spring arrives, refreshing menu ideas and airy décor welcome guests into your home. Spring garden meals focus on early spring crops and fresh tastes.
2) Enhance your spring tablescape with any early flowers or bits of freshly budding twigs collected from your yard.
3) Integrate pastel colors into your table setting, using a variety of dinnerware, silverware, or glassware that you may already have on hand. A crisp sheet or lacey tablecloth paired with pretty cloth napkins, serves as the perfect backdrop for this naturally inspired setting.
4) Play seasonally motivated classical music like Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring or Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.
5) You will find my spring themed menu, with recipes HERE!
Summer Outdoor Party or Picnic
1) The greenest choice for serving outdoors, is to use your everyday dishes, or other re-usable options. For disposable choices, use earth-friendly dishware made from bamboo, compostable plastic, recycled, or other biodegradable materials.
2) If you are picnicking, consider packing your tableware in a wicker basket or hamper, making sure to include washable cloth napkins (or the recycled paper variety), tablecloth, blankets, utensils, and tableware.
3) Pack your cold food and beverages in coolers housed with plenty of ice packs or ice, keeping them away from direct sunlight and insects.
4) You will find my summer picnic menu, with recipes HERE!
Valentine’s Day
1) Valentine’s Day is the perfect day for hosting a party, after the stress of the November/December holidays have passed!
2) Present festive décor adorned with red colored or romantically inspired accents like solid or floral red colored napkins, place mats, stemware, and tableware.
3) Create individual place cards out of recycled Valentine’s cards by cutting, folding, and writing each guest’s name on the front.
4) Offer both alcoholic and non-alcoholic sparkling wine as guests arrive along with a few simple appetizers. Play classical music or smooth jazz throughout the evening.
5) You will find my Valentine’s Day menu, with recipes HERE!
Ladies Luncheon Menu
1) When entertaining your girlfriends, focus on feminine touches that add charm and sophistication to the meal. Use an assortment of vintage china, silverware, cut glassware, flea market finds, and lacey table coverings.
2) For cost effective table decor that doubles as an eco-chic take home gift, try displaying (at each place setting) a small plant like a miniature African violet, or tiny pot of organic herbs such as basil, parsley, or mint. Or, try placing a tea candle in a vessel for each guest to take home.
3) You will find my Ladies Luncheon menu, with recipes HERE!
Whatever the occasion for hosting a fabulous plant-based party, always keep in mind that we Eat With Our Eyes first, so offering your guests an attractive table setting, along with a festive atmosphere, happily invites them to your delicious, “plant-full” meal!
