Do you love the idea of entertaining but feel too overwhelmed to invite others over? If so, my tips for simpler outdoor entertaining will help!
As much as it pains me to admit it, I do not describe myself as an overly amazing hostess.
I love the idea of entertaining big groups of people and being the “hostess with the mostest” who dutifully serves everyone else. But in reality, I’m not that nice!
I’ll make the food, I’ll stock up on water and paper products, and I’ll provide a location… but after that, I just want to hang out.
If I’m really honest, I feel claustrophobic when large groups of people are inside our home, the noise from so many children drives me crazy after a few hours, and I don’t like the clean-up.
Dave feels the same way.
So we usually stick to outdoor entertaining.
When we’re outside, even the biggest crowds can spread out in our large shady backyard, kids are free to be loud and crazy, and spills are rarely noticed.
Yup, outdoor entertaining has become our specialty.
Our Outdoor Entertaining Spaces
This year has been extra fun as we have the added bonus of our new pool, our (still-in-progress) deck, our new patio, and the attached outbuilding that we’re finally putting to use as a pool house!
Here are a few pictures of the progress (NOTE: nothing is 100% finished yet).
Like I mentioned above, none of the pool, deck, patio, outbuilding areas are complete — but I’ve been excited to share some of these updates on the blog! At least now you can get more of a feel for how things are shaping up with our pool situation.
I probably won’t be able to share the full “after” pictures until next spring/summer because some of our decking and railings have been back-ordered and we won’t get them until fall.
But, rest assured, we are loving the pool area, with or without the finished deck!
Back to my outdoor entertaining tips…
Although I might not be the world’s most amazing hostess — I am a practical one and I’ve figured out ways to host large groups outdoors with very little prep work, minimal expense, and almost no stress.
Here are a few of my tips for simpler outdoor entertaining:
Use quality paper products.
Costco is my go-to source for large quantities of sturdy paper products. I stock up every spring and enjoy hassle-free entertaining all spring, summer, and fall. (NOTE: We really like the Chinet brand of paper products — they are super durable).
I like to keep a variety of sizes on hand too — especially smaller cups and plates for younger kids.
Although it is more wasteful to use paper products, it saves a TON of time on cleanup at the end of the night.
Limit your drink options.
Drinks are almost always the most expensive thing on the menu (even if you buy them in bulk).
We’re not big on alcoholic drinks but even pop, Gatorade, juice pouches, and lemonade add up after a while. I suppose it depends on your crowd, but I definitely don’t think you should feel pressured to provide alcohol for your guests — especially not if you’re already providing the food and the location.
I often fill a large clear drink dispenser with lemonade or juice and another with water + various cut-up fruit (lemons, limes, orange, cranberries, etc). It looks festive and it’s super frugal.
I love the Mason jar set pictured below.
Then, set out colorful plastic cups with a Sharpie so people can write their names on their own cups.
We also have a bunch of plastic water bottles in our outdoor fridge for anyone who’d rather drink filtered water.
Plan low-maintenance, make-ahead foods.
Considering the weather is usually warm, I try not to serve high-maintenance foods like ice cream cake or a cheese platter — both of which get really soggy and melty after just a few minutes outside.
Instead, I like to utilize my slow cookers, plan food that tastes great at room temperature, and make side dishes that can easily take the heat and humidity.
Here are a few of my favorite outdoor entertaining foods:
- Pulled Pork and cheesy potatoes (both in slow cookers).
- Taco meat (in a slow cooker) for taco salads or a taco bar.
- Baked Ham and Cheese Sandwiches (they taste great at room tempurature).
- Pizza Sliders
- Pizza (ordered in, not homamade)
- Soup, salad, and bread (we’ve done this often in the fall).
You’ll notice that I don’t have burgers or brats on my list either — that’s because those usually require a fair amount of last-minute prep-work. Plus, they are somewhat time-consuming to assemble with all the toppings and condiments, and it really bogs done the buffet line (especially with kids!)
We find that meals run a lot smoother when we make something that can be fully prepared ahead of time and kept warm in a slow cooker or just covered in tinfoil.
Related Reading: 30 Easy Backyard BBQ Side Dishes
Related Reading: Our Favorite Make-Ahead Foods — perfect for entertaining inside or outside!
Make it a potluck.
Although I often enjoy making the majority of the food, I don’t think it’s bad to turn your event into a potluck and ask others to pitch in with the food (and drinks).
If it’s a smaller group, you might consider providing the main dish and sending an email, text message, or Google doc to the group so people can sign up for various side dishes and desserts.
If it’s a larger group, I’ve found that there’s always a great variety and no one goes hungry.
Related Reading: 10 Tips for Bringing a Dish To Pass
Make foods you enjoy eating as leftovers.
This tip might sound silly, but chances are pretty good that you’ll end up with a decent amount of extra food at the end of the night (I always make too much).
Our plan is to either freeze the food for later or eat it as leftovers the next day. Either way, I always try to make foods our family enjoys because we’re the ones who will be eating it as leftovers.
Of course, you could also send extra food home with guests — but sometimes that turns into a hassle.
Line all trash cans with 3 or 4 bags.
When it’s time to change trash bags, I don’t want to deal with leaking bags or frantically search for another trash bag.
As a result, we’ve developed the habit of lining each trash can with multiple bags so we can simply pull one bag out and be right back in business.
If by chance, the first bag leaked, we simply grab the next bag to catch the drips and we’re still good to do.
This is such a simple thing, but you’d be surprised how helpful it is. Someone almost always comments on how smart it is to have extra bags in the trash can!
Oh, and if you’re looking for a great outdoor trashcan, this one is really nice.
Outdoor Entertaining for the Win!
I know entertaining can often feel overwhelming and stressful — hopefully, these tips will help alleviate some of that stress for you!
Also, I’ve found that the more I entertain, the easier it feels… and the easier it feels, the more I want to entertain. So if outdoor entertaining is something you WANT to enjoy more, it might be one of those things that requires you to get out of your comfort zone and force yourself to do it a few times (even if it feels stressful or awkward).
With a little planning and some intentional thought, outdoor entertaining can be a lot of fun, virtually stress-free… with very little cleanup — now that’s my type of entertaining!
Ann says
My parents always did hamburgers when they hosted but now that I am hosting I find them to be so much work! My solution? Sloppy Joes in the crock pot! Fewer toppings needed, make ahead is easy, leftovers freeze well. (And a side bonus is that we tend to eat less meat with sloppy joes than we do with hamburgers which is a win in my book!)
Andrea says
yes, we grew up with hamburgers too — delicious, but expensive and time consuming. I’m much more a fan of brats (which you can grill ahead of time and keep warm) or something in a slow cooker (like you mentioned with the sloppy joes!
Lisa says
Umm . . . can you put your backyard building and pool on AirBnB? LOL. It looks so inviting and relaxing. You have created a great space.
Andrea says
haha — we’d love to make it into an apartment (even just for out of town family and friends) but there’s currently no bathroom in it. Maybe down the road someday 🙂
Ginger says
Andrea…I know you like to stay home…I see why! Your yard is fun AND beautiful!
Andrea says
awww.. thanks Ginger 🙂
Chris says
Your place is so beautiful! I love it that your kids have “all the fun stuff” right there at home. The yard is beautiful. I grew up in Pennsylvania with similar yards and flower beds. Now I live in Arkansas and the ground is SO rocky, my husband has to use a pick ax sometimes to plant plants.
Andrea says
oh wow — that’s tough (literally!)
We are blessed by 4 seasons (some longer than others) and great soil/climate to grow so many flowers, fruits, veggies, etc.
Beth says
Amazing space you have created Andrea. Would love details on the pool and deck.
Andrea says
Thanks Beth — more details will come next spring 🙂
Jessica says
This is a silly question, but I’m super curious what the previous owners used the outbuilding for! Weren’t they the original owners?
We don’t really have outbuildings like the here and I’m intrigued by it!
Andrea says
They used it simply as an extra garage and hangout space. It’s heated so they had a pool table and card table on one side — they didn’t have the kitchen though.
And our house is 130 years old, so the people we bought it from were not the original owners – although they were the ones who built the outbuilding. 🙂
Jessica says
Such a great space!
Andrea says
Thanks Jessica 🙂
Debbie says
The pool area and actually your outdoor spaces are looking so good already! Yay for outdoor entertaining indeed!
Andrea says
Thanks Debbie — they are looking good (but we still have a bunch of little things to wrap up, and we’re waiting on more railings and materials to properly finish the deck). It’s definitely usable for our family and friends though — I suppose that’s most important 🙂
Amy says
Would you be willing to share a video of your outdoor area? I’d love to get a better feel for the layout. We’re hoping to upgrade to a hard sided pool soon!
What ended up happening with plans for an in ground pool?
Andrea says
yes, yes! More updates will definitely come!
As I mentioned in the post, we’re (unfortunately) not finished with the pool/deck/etc. yet due to lack of supplies and lots of delays. Eventually (probably next spring/summer) once everything is actually finished, I’ll share more photos and specific details!
As for the inground pool… let’s just say “COVID happened”
There was a shortage of materials for the inground pool company, an increase in price, and a MAJOR delay as to when it could be installed (like almost 2 years). We were disappointed, but in the end, we saved a ton of time and money by going with an above-ground pool. We used some of that money for other outdoor updates. The rest we’ll just keep saving!
Samantha says
Love the backyard, Andrea! I know this took years and years to come together and it sure has paid off for your family. Great entertaining tips too. Enjoy the rest of your summer 🙂
Andrea says
Thanks Samantha… yes it’s been 8 years since we started our landscaping processes and we are so thrilled with the fruits of many summers of hard work!
Erica says
I am interested in your outdoor furniture. We’re currently getting our inground pool installed so I have been checking out lounge chairs, dining sets, chairs for around the pool. So many options with wood, wicker, aluminum, iron, plastic as well as cushions or mesh, umbrellas, storage. I’ll check out the trash can you posted. Do you have any guidance on how you went about choosing?
Andrea says
Yay for a pool! That’s exciting!
As for our outdoor furniture — I’m not usually one to “overthink” anything, so we literally just shopped Facebook Marketplace and got what we could find the best deals on 🙂
I got some for free, and we already had the picnic tables. I never buy anything new because our needs change so frequently that I like the flexibility of just selling it and trying something else — without worrying about how much we paid.
That’s just what seems to work best for me though — and we have a REALLY great used market on Facebook (so that might not be an option for you).
Hope this is a little helpful 🙂
Penny Doolin says
You’re blessed to have such a wonderful life.
Rhonda High says
Perfect timing! We are host family this Sunday for our church. I would like to think I’m my mother who can have 60 people over and not sweat it but alas, I am not! Thanks for your practical tips. I would echo the thought of just keep doing it. There are helpful lessons learned over time. Because of our house size I ask to be put on when the weather is favorable to be outside. And keep the menu simple!
Michelle Bonk says
What an amazing outdoor space!! I love all the separate seating/dining areas … so well thought out!
JoAnn C. says
Your backyard is amazing, fun, and peaceful. Thanks for sharing your pictures. I can’t wait to see what it looks like when you’re done.
Andrea says
Thanks JoAnn! I can’t wait to see what it all looks like when we’re “done” too! LOL!
Kim says
I don’t know where to begin! Your backyard is ……..beautiful, well planned, a child’s paradise, and a fabulous outdoor entertaining gem. So many projects have been underway. So many questions. Do you plan to do a post on various parts? Is the outbuilding separate from your garage or your garage converted? Was all that concrete poured this summer? Did you do all the landscape design around the pool yourself? It looks professional. Have you been hunting for all the furnishings in the outhouse for a long time? The cabinets in your outbuilding are very, very nice. Are they custom or big box store items? Has it been hard to find workers, as many have reported throughout the nation? Wow! Gorgeous! I’ll be sitting by the phone waiting for my invitation over. Hahaha
Andrea says
haha — yes, I will eventually (probably next spring/summer) do a more detailed post about everything — once it’s finished.
But for my extra-curious friends… the outbuilding is completely separate from the garage. It was here when we bought the house and we’re just finally putting it to good use. We still have our other 2-stall garage for the cars/bikes/etc.
We poured the concrete last fall — the same day we got the pool installed.
We always have all our big trees brought in by a local company (right down the road) but we do all the other landscaping ourselves.
The cabinets in our outbuilding are from Habitat For Humanity Restore — not custom at all… and SUPER cheap!!
As for the other furnishings — the furniture is from Facebook Marketplace (last summer) and everything else is stuff I had.
We haven’t needed to “find workers” this year as we’ve done everything ourselves, with the help of my dad for the deck.
And… if you lived closer, you could come any time!
Mily says
Hi Andrea. That’s a great sharing. So I can use your informative post to be my guide to make a family outdoor party. Moreover, I’m thinking to have BBQ for dinner, so I’m finding best charcoal grill for the party. I’m looking here https://www.eathealthyandthrive.com/best-charcoal-grill-under-200/. What do you think about it? Could you give me suggestion how to choose the best one? Thank you in advance for your suggestion.
Andrea says
I’ll give you tips to simplify your parties… but you’ll have to pick your grill on your own! I have ZERO knowledge of what to look for in a grill!
Trina says
I’ve referred to this post several times in preparation of an upcoming party. Very helpful.i always stress when company comes. I love having them, but worry about the food. I used some of your tips about prepping ahead and also on the appetizer board, (cheese, nuts, meats, etc.) and was so happy I did. My hubby said that it was a great idea and he thoroughly enjoyed everything. Thank you, once again you’ve inspired me.
Andrea says
This is so great to hear Trina! Thanks for sharing!
The appetizer board is such a great idea — everyone likes SOMETHING (even the kids) and it’s so easy to prepare in advance. Plus, I always think it looks fancy! LOL!!
Debbie says
I’m still a work in progress in this department. No matter how well I think I’ve planned things it seems like I always run out of time at the end. One of my stress points is when I’m still making a dish and the first guests start arriving. They can start having appetizers or drinks and my hubs and I usually chit chat with them while I’m still making the last minute dish but I’m definitely far from relaxed.
Andrea says
I hear ya! I hate making food when people have already arrived — which is one of the main reasons I try to do ALLLLLLL make-ahead stuff (cold or room-temp side dishes, slow cooker meals, simple desserts, etc).
Gabriela says
Perfect timing….I want to have some people over in August. July flew by so fast and we didn’t have time to entertain. Plus it’s been raining a lot this month – but very warm. Still very beautiful weather. I definitely need to print out a list ideas and have handy. I feel this will be the best for me. Something else I would like to do is have a tea-time with some ladies, about once a month. Still need to plan for that…. Thank you for so easy to follow posts… 🙂 God bless!!!
Andrea says
You’re welcome Gabriela! Happy party planning!
Jen says
We’ve entertained more since we moved last summer than we have in all our married life! Our new home and the southern warm weather lends itself to that, and we’ve enjoyed it.
That being said, my biggest advice is (speaking to Type AAAAA-self here!) RELAX. The more I’ve done it, the better I’ve gotten at relaxing, but we’ve found that our friends don’t care if the house is spotless or I’m serving prime rib, they just want something good to eat and to have a good time. I do enjoy making everything look nice but that’s for me. No one cares-and if they do, they certainly won’t say it! I’ve learned to stock up on fun paper products (Sam’s and Costco always have big packs of seasonal paper products, which I love, but aren’t necessary!) and not worry if we’re eating on paper plates! People just don’t care! We’ve been able to have lots of young couples, single guys, etc, and they are just happy to have a hot meal and a fun evening.
Andrea says
yeah… I’m continually getting better at relaxing, but I still like to make sure all my “ducks are in a row” when people come over. I just can’t stand it when the host is not prepared for the guests he/she invited over. It’s one thing to not be prepared for an unexpected visit, but when something is planned, it should be well thought-out and prepared in advance so the guests feel at-ease and the event is fairly low-stress.
Annette Silveira says
I love having people over, and playing host at my sister-in-law’s house too. This post will get bookmarked for the future. Thanks!
Andrea says
awesome! Thanks Annette!
Shelley says
All good tips! You mentioned lining the trashcan with several bags in a post awhile back and that was a game changer 🙂 Thanks!
Andrea says
yes! It’s such a little thing but really makes a difference when entertaining!