Design & Wine Entertaining Essentials | 9 Must Have Serving Dishes
Shop My Faves
This weekend as we prepared to host friends to watch the Kansas City Chiefs play in the Super Bowl, I found myself reaching for my favorite serving dishes which I use on repeat. This week I am sharing what I consider to be the basic essentials to have on hand to easily host a small gathering with friends. All of these items are affordable, classic dishes purchased at Crate&Barrel.
Disclaimer:
Home with Booz may earn compensation from several affiliate advertising programs. This means if you click and/or make a purchase through certain links on this site or any related social media platforms (including Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook) I may make a commission at not cost to you. All opinions are my own and products I recommend are ones I use or plan to purchase for our home.
Serving Bowls
Serving Bowls have endless possibilities for use around the kitchen both for function and form. I use bowls in a variety of sizes to help set out finger foods for our guests to munch on while we entertain or around our kitchen to hold fresh produce. I have a few favorite bowls I primarily use for serving dishes and several others I use on a daily basis. If you are looking for a classic, multipurpose serving bowl to add to your household or to gift to a friend, you can’t go wrong with these selections!
Fruit Bowl
I like having lemons or limes on hand throughout the week for various recipes we eat often. I love the look of a fruit bowl on display and use this classic French kitchen marble fruit bowl to hold our weekly stock.
Swoop Bowl
These swoop bowl (medium) and swoop bowl (large)are from our wedding registry almost 15 years ago! They are in constant use at our house and most often are used in the pantry to hold some of our staple produce items.
Footed Bowl
We eat more fresh fruits when I have this set out on the table for easy access to healthy food choices. This footed bowl is a great size and easily holds a bag of apples with room for additional fruits to be piled on top for a nice display.
Serving Dishes
When it comes to serving dishes, I almost always purchase our dishes in white. I think any type of food has an elegant presentation against a crisp white background. I have three different types of serving dishes which I have found work for any occasion and both big or small gatherings. Investing in any or all of these items will set you up for success the next time you host a party and want to have a few appetizers out for guests.
Modular piece serving set
I use this modular serving set all the time around our house. I shared in this post why this item is one of my favorite things and one I often gift to others as I love both the versatility and display of food in this serving set.
Platter
A basic rectangle platter is a good investment piece for anyone’s kitchen. You can’t go wrong with this choice and the platter can be used for appetizers, side dishes or a modern look for a charcuterie board.
Bowls with Tray
On any given weekend, we get out this set of bowls with a tray to pull together an easy afternoon snack. I like how this set is easy for our daughter to use on her own and I always enjoy seeing her selection of food items when she’s in charge.
Cheese Boards and Knives
If you’ve visited this blog before, you know we love to enjoy a good glass of wine! And the best appetizer with wine, is a simple cheese board! I’m always envious of the big charcuterie boards I see with a variety of foods to satisfy any appetite, but on an average Sunday this is way more food and work than what is needed. Most days I like to keep It simple and create a smaller sampling board for a light snack.
Slate Cheese Board
A quick and easy appetizer is a simple display on a slate cheese board. We always have a variety of our favorite cheeses on hand making it easy to set out an appetizer when hosting friends.
Acacia Board
This is last year’s board from the Super Bowl. I love playing around with different finger foods on a large acacia boardto have out with a football theme while we cheer on our Kansas City Chiefs! Let’s go!
Cheese Knives
If you have a cheese board, you should also invest in a good cheese knife. This smaller knife set makes it easy for guests to cut their own servings, which means less prep time for you!
Final Thoughts
It’s Wine Time
Last, but not least, it’s wine time! We always select a special wine at the start of the football season and have a tradition of drinking the same wine throughout the season as a way to support our Kansas City Chiefs. While I don’t think their success is based on our contribution, it’s a fun tradition we’ve done for many years!
I hope this list of essential serving dishes helps you the next time you are ready to invest in a good basic for your kitchen. If your kitchen is well stocked, send this list on to a friend!
This post pairs well with a K Vintners Syrah which was our selected wine for this year’s Chiefs football season. If you found this post helpful, consider sharing it with others on Pinterest! Cheers!
I’ve been search for a fruit bowl and really love the one you feature here! Shopportunity! 🙂
I didn’t know there was that many choices for serving dishes! Thanks for sharing!
All great options! I never know how to serve the prepared food and make it look good! Great ideas. Thanks for Sharing.