While a dinner party often makes for a lovely evening with friends or business partners, there are some etiquette mistakes you should avoid. For instance, you don’t want to be the one to make things awkward with an inappropriately timed or themed gift. This was the topic of discussion for professional cook and cookbook author Ina Garten and journalist Willie Geist during a live Sunday Sitdown on “Today.” At one point in the interview, Geist emphasized that dinner party guests should not bring “a gift that messes with the plan of the evening,” and Garten agreed. The “Barefoot Contessa” noted, for example, that there are certain kinds of foods you shouldn’t take to the party. You also don’t want to inconvenience the host by giving them like flowers without a vase.
Garten told Geist, “There are two things that I don’t think you should ever bring to a dinner party, and they’re so common, is something that the host feels like they should serve. I mean, starting with, like, Jell-O salad. What are you going to do with that?” She added that any flowers should be brought in their own vase so that the host doesn’t have to fuss about locating a container while other guests are arriving and need to be greeted. This can create unnecessary stress.
Gifts to bring to a dinner party instead
In a video posted on Instagram, Ina Garten emphasized that when you show up at a dinner party with food as a present, it should be “something that they’ll enjoy another time.” This allows the host to keep the food they’re serving cohesive and controlled while still showing your appreciation for having you over. The examples she provided include homemade granola, tea or coffee, or Fran’s Chocolates, a brand also beloved by chef Bobby Flay.
Of course, other food experts may have different ideas on the perfect dinner party gift. For instance, in an interview with Food and Wine, Martha Stewart said she likes to bring a carton of fresh eggs to a dinner party. While certainly distinct from Garten’s suggestions, it does still fall in line with the Barefoot Contessa’s rule that it shouldn’t be an item the host needs to serve. Those eggs can be used to cook up a different dish later. You could also consider trying some of our top picks for dinner party gifts you don’t need to cook.
