8 Tips For Hosting A Healthy Dinner Party

Sharing meals with family and friends is a great way to enjoy good food and good company at the same time! Many of you who follow me on social media know that I follow a Mediterranean-style diet which involves lots of platters and dishes to share. 

You can still maintain a healthy lifestyle with your friends and family when you entertain! Here are some tips and recipes I’ve prepared, with the help of my team of nutrition specialists, for hosting a healthy dinner party. 

How to host a healthy dinner party

Here’s a list of my top recipes for creating a healthy spread for friends and family!

Have healthy snacks for grazing

When family gatherings last all afternoon, it’s always a good idea to have food on the table to see your guests through until their main meal. Prepare some healthy snacks to share that won’t spoil anyone’s appetite for dinner! 

Olives, nuts and fresh fruit can be great additions to a grazing plate. I also enjoy sliced raw vegetables like carrot, cucumber, celery and capsicum with a hummus dip. 

Keep a jug of fruit infused water topped up

For a healthier alternative to alcohol or soft drink, try preparing jugs of fruit-infused water instead — your guests will appreciate the fresh option! Drinking water is the best way to stay hydrated and maintain a healthy lifestyle, even during a big gathering. 

Serve something green!

Serving plenty of fresh vegetables will ensure your guests are feeling satisfied with delicious, healthy food. 

This Panzanella Salad is a great way to use up any day-old sourdough bread, and it pairs well with just about any main!

Make an impact with this visually stunning Grilled Eggplant Caprese Salad with mozzarella and balsamic vinegar. It’s the perfect dish for summer entertaining!

Another delicious way to incorporate greens into the meal is with a Greens Salad — serve this with or without prawns to complement the other dishes in your spread.  

Make healthy sauces and dressings

Use vinegar, olive oil, spices and lemon juice to create your own salad dressings and sauces for mains. The dressing or sauce you choose can make a huge difference to the nutritional value of the dish — did you know that store-bought salad dressings and sauces usually contain large amounts of processed sugar and unhealthy fats? 

If you’re making a pasta dish, try using home-made pasta sauce instead of a store-bought version. These sauces are so versatile and can be used for more than just pasta — use them with baked potato and other dishes too!

Creamy Thai Peanut Sauce is another favourite that you can use for dipping to pair with skewers or Rice Paper Rolls.

Include lean protein

A balanced meal should include lean protein to keep your guests feeling satisfied! 

In Australia, a backyard BBQ accompanied by an array of fresh and yummy salads is a popular way to share food in summer.

Instead of using traditional BBQ meats, try grilling fish, or making healthy Vegetarian Haloumi Fritters.

Skewers are another favourite of mine! You can make them with chicken, shrimp, or just about any lean meat you like! I love making skewers because it’s a great way to experiment with different flavours and an opportunity to taste a bit of everything.

Fill up with plenty of vegetables

Add some Middle-Eastern flavour to the meal with a Grilled Eggplant side, or try something different like Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms. 

You can even sneak vegetables into more traditional foods to share, like this Mac and Cheese with a healthy twist. 

Serve fruit with a healthy dessert!

By the time you get to dessert, your guests should be feeling satisfied — but there’s always room for a sweet treat! 

Surprise your guests with these Vegan Cheesecakes — even if they don’t follow a vegan lifestyle, I bet you’ll have at least one person ask you for the recipe!

Serving fruit with dessert will help your guests to reach their recommended daily intake of fruit and vegetables — especially any kids who are fussy eaters. A fruit platter can be visually pleasing and healthy at the same time!

In summer, cool down with some Healthy ‘Nice-Cream’ and a fruit salad — the perfect finish to a satisfying meal! 

Finish the meal with coffee or herbal tea

Peppermint tea can be the perfect conclusion to a delicious meal shared with friends and family. 

Peppermint tea can help aid digestion and soothe the stomach, while the slight sweetness of mint can help curb sugar cravings.

But for those who are still craving something sweet, it also goes well with some dark chocolate!  

Try these dinner party ideas and share your healthy lifestyle! 

Being healthy should never get in the way of enjoying quality time with your friends and loved ones! Sharing food with the people you love can be a great way to introduce them to the healthy changes you are making in your life. You might even inspire them to make healthier choices too!

Use these recipes and ideas to put together a healthy dinner to share for your next gathering, and stay on track with your fitness goals!

Do you have a favourite healthy meal to share? I’d love to hear it, let me know in the comments below!