We are searching data for your request:
Upon completion, a link will appear to access the found materials.
Enjoy a night of fine dining without ever leaving the house
svetikd/E+ via Getty Images
Plan the menu
Lisegagne/E+ via Getty Images
Just like a restaurant, start with a good menu. While not necessary, you may want to pick a theme like the best Italian restaurant, then plan on serving perfectly cooked pasta and other Italian specialties.
Go to the store
Roy JAMES Shakespeare/DigitalVision via Getty Images
After planning your menu, it’s time to shop. Make sure you get all the ingredients ahead of time at the grocery store. Since you’re swapping a dinner out for a dinner in, don’t be afraid to spend a little more on groceries worth the splurge, like real maple syrup or a good olive oil.
Prep the food ahead of time
Wundervisuals/E+ via Getty Images
Create a special playlist
Richard Drury/DigitalVision via Getty Images
There’s nothing like music to help set the mood. Many of the best restaurants in America have specially curated playlists to help create the perfect atmosphere for guests and you should too.
Use your favorite table linens
Tempura/E+ via Getty Images
Using tablecloths or placemats for meals is just one of many dining etiquette rules that should make a comeback and is essential if you want your dinner to have a true restaurant vibe. Some of the oldest restaurants use antique linens to create a sense of nostalgia. So, if you’ve got your grandmother’s tablecloth, put it out.
Break out the china
Eclipse_images/E+ via Getty Images
If you have it, your good china is probably gathering dust somewhere in a cabinet. Why let your best dinnerware go to waste? Unless you’re eating at a food court, it’s unlikely that your favorite restaurant is going to serve dinner on a paper plate and you shouldn’t either. Break the china out, give it a deep clean and enjoy using it.
Decorate the table with flowers
svetikd/E+ via Getty Images
You don’t need to run out to your local grocery store or even leave the house to create a centerpiece for your dinner table. If you’ve got flowers growing in the garden, cut a few and put them in a glass or vase. No flowers? No problem, just be creative. Bunches of green leaves, candles, fresh fruit in a bowl or even a pile of books can all get the job done.
Print out menus
Tempura/E+ via Getty Images
To really give it a restaurant feel, print out some menus and outline each course. Design your own or search online for inspiration. You can make it fun by adding food facts or trivia like how every state got its nickname.
Candles and lighting
Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVision via Getty Images
According to a study by the Cornell Food and Brand Lab, diners enjoy food more in soft or dim lighting. It also suggests that dining in that relaxed environment can lead to greater satisfaction, which explains why even the most expensive restaurants on Earth keep the lights low. Dim the lights or use candles to set the mood. It doesn’t have to be fancy — putting a few votives on a plate will do the trick. Just make sure the candles are unscented.
Place cards
Regine Mahaux/Cultura via Getty Images
Using place cards is just one of the biggest wedding trends through the decades. They lend an air of elegance to dinner at home. Write or print off names of guests, even if it’s just two of you, and attach them to napkins, shells, pinecones, wine corks or anything else you can think of to add an element of whimsy to your dinner.
Pour a signature drink
CatLane/E+ via Getty Images
Every good restaurant offers a signature drink and you should think about having one too. Make coming up with ideas part of the fun. If you’re having burritos or other Mexican-inspired dishes, then specialty margaritas are in order. If you are more of a beer person, find a craft beer or IPA to serve.
Have a good bottle of wine
Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVision via Getty Images
Your wine doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive, just mindfully chosen for the occasion. Consider trying something new or, if you’re serving boxed wine, put it in a nice glass, which is one of the ways to make a cheap date not seem cheap.
No athleisure allowed
Hybrid Images/Cultura via Getty Images
If you’re cooking for an anniversary or special night, dressing inappropriately for dinner is one of the worst dating etiquette mistakes you can make. Either way, much like the china, your finest clothes probably get worn just a handful of times. So, take your favorite dress or suit out of the drycleaning bag and go all out.
Start a fire
Hill Street Studios/DigitalVision via Getty Images
What makes some of the best historic restaurants so charming is a fireplace. If you’re lucky enough to have one of your own, lighting a fire is a great way to elevate dinner. No fireplace? No worries, both Netflix and YouTube offer hours-long fireplace videos (sound included) to play on your TV or computer screen.
Power down
chee gin tan/iStock via Getty Images
Whether you’re out at a restaurant or at home, checking your phone during dinner is one of the worst etiquette mistakes you can make. So, seriously, put it down. Also power down computers and TVs, and remove other distractions in order to stay in the moment.
A breadbasket
Luis Alvarez/Vision via Getty Images
Arguably, one of the best things about eating dinner out is the breadbasket. If you’re ambitious, try making your own bread. Otherwise, heat premade rolls or bread in the oven and serve warm in a basket.
Appetizers
zoranm/E+ via Getty Images
Everyone knows that ordering an appetizer to start off the night is essential to eating out and being home is no excuse to skip it. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Whip up your favorite go-to party dish or recreate a vintage appetizer recipe from days gone by. Make sure to serve it early so you’re not full before the next course.
A special main course
Marcelo Silva/E+ via Getty Images
An impressive dessert
Lara Hata/E+ via Getty Images
Dinner isn’t complete without a dessert to share when it’s done. If you have the time and energy, make a tiramisu or trifle or another one of those desserts that are difficult but impressive.
After-dinner coffee
Ryouchin/Digital/Vision via Getty Image
Linger
nd3000/Shutterstock
One of the best parts of having dinner out is that it feels like a leisurely occasion where no one’s in a rush to be done. Adopt that same philosophy at home. Instead of being in a hurry to get through each course, take time to linger and enjoy it, just like you would if you were enjoying a meal at one of the hardest restaurants to get a reservation at.
Leave the dishes
Savusia Konstantin/iStock via Getty Images Plus
16 Helpful Tips for Home Cooks of Any Level
Whether you’re brand new to cooking or already well-versed in the virtues of meal prep, chances are you’re spending a lot more time doing it than normal right now. Regardless of which scenario applies to you, there are a few things we could all remember to do to keep things in the kitchen—and in your fridge, freezer, and pantry—more manageable, and more delicious (duh!), too. From the right methods for freezing pretty much anything to the best way to keep your tender herbs fresh, here are 16 tricks of the trade to help you feel empowered while cooking at home.
16 Helpful Tips for Home Cooks of Any Level
Whether you’re brand new to cooking or already well-versed in the virtues of meal prep, chances are you’re spending a lot more time doing it than normal right now. Regardless of which scenario applies to you, there are a few things we could all remember to do to keep things in the kitchen—and in your fridge, freezer, and pantry—more manageable, and more delicious (duh!), too. From the right methods for freezing pretty much anything to the best way to keep your tender herbs fresh, here are 16 tricks of the trade to help you feel empowered while cooking at home.
16 Helpful Tips for Home Cooks of Any Level
Whether you’re brand new to cooking or already well-versed in the virtues of meal prep, chances are you’re spending a lot more time doing it than normal right now. Regardless of which scenario applies to you, there are a few things we could all remember to do to keep things in the kitchen—and in your fridge, freezer, and pantry—more manageable, and more delicious (duh!), too. From the right methods for freezing pretty much anything to the best way to keep your tender herbs fresh, here are 16 tricks of the trade to help you feel empowered while cooking at home.
16 Helpful Tips for Home Cooks of Any Level
Whether you’re brand new to cooking or already well-versed in the virtues of meal prep, chances are you’re spending a lot more time doing it than normal right now. Regardless of which scenario applies to you, there are a few things we could all remember to do to keep things in the kitchen—and in your fridge, freezer, and pantry—more manageable, and more delicious (duh!), too. From the right methods for freezing pretty much anything to the best way to keep your tender herbs fresh, here are 16 tricks of the trade to help you feel empowered while cooking at home.
16 Helpful Tips for Home Cooks of Any Level
Whether you’re brand new to cooking or already well-versed in the virtues of meal prep, chances are you’re spending a lot more time doing it than normal right now. Regardless of which scenario applies to you, there are a few things we could all remember to do to keep things in the kitchen—and in your fridge, freezer, and pantry—more manageable, and more delicious (duh!), too. From the right methods for freezing pretty much anything to the best way to keep your tender herbs fresh, here are 16 tricks of the trade to help you feel empowered while cooking at home.
16 Helpful Tips for Home Cooks of Any Level
Whether you’re brand new to cooking or already well-versed in the virtues of meal prep, chances are you’re spending a lot more time doing it than normal right now. Regardless of which scenario applies to you, there are a few things we could all remember to do to keep things in the kitchen—and in your fridge, freezer, and pantry—more manageable, and more delicious (duh!), too. From the right methods for freezing pretty much anything to the best way to keep your tender herbs fresh, here are 16 tricks of the trade to help you feel empowered while cooking at home.
16 Helpful Tips for Home Cooks of Any Level
Whether you’re brand new to cooking or already well-versed in the virtues of meal prep, chances are you’re spending a lot more time doing it than normal right now. Regardless of which scenario applies to you, there are a few things we could all remember to do to keep things in the kitchen—and in your fridge, freezer, and pantry—more manageable, and more delicious (duh!), too. From the right methods for freezing pretty much anything to the best way to keep your tender herbs fresh, here are 16 tricks of the trade to help you feel empowered while cooking at home.
16 Helpful Tips for Home Cooks of Any Level
Whether you’re brand new to cooking or already well-versed in the virtues of meal prep, chances are you’re spending a lot more time doing it than normal right now. Regardless of which scenario applies to you, there are a few things we could all remember to do to keep things in the kitchen—and in your fridge, freezer, and pantry—more manageable, and more delicious (duh!), too. From the right methods for freezing pretty much anything to the best way to keep your tender herbs fresh, here are 16 tricks of the trade to help you feel empowered while cooking at home.
16 Helpful Tips for Home Cooks of Any Level
Whether you’re brand new to cooking or already well-versed in the virtues of meal prep, chances are you’re spending a lot more time doing it than normal right now. Regardless of which scenario applies to you, there are a few things we could all remember to do to keep things in the kitchen—and in your fridge, freezer, and pantry—more manageable, and more delicious (duh!), too. From the right methods for freezing pretty much anything to the best way to keep your tender herbs fresh, here are 16 tricks of the trade to help you feel empowered while cooking at home.
16 Helpful Tips for Home Cooks of Any Level
Whether you’re brand new to cooking or already well-versed in the virtues of meal prep, chances are you’re spending a lot more time doing it than normal right now. Regardless of which scenario applies to you, there are a few things we could all remember to do to keep things in the kitchen—and in your fridge, freezer, and pantry—more manageable, and more delicious (duh!), too. From the right methods for freezing pretty much anything to the best way to keep your tender herbs fresh, here are 16 tricks of the trade to help you feel empowered while cooking at home.
