When it comes to holiday hosting, expectation versus reality can hit hard. That fantasy you had of serving up three perfectly prepared courses to a crew of smiling guests, seated around a magnificently decorated table? It can quickly turn into “Why is the turkey still pink?” and “Who spilled the cranberry sauce all over the white tablecloth?” and “How have they eaten all the mixed nuts already?!”
That’s why DoorDash is here to say: Fork it, do things HoliDifferently this season. The on-demand delivery heroes are spreading a message of glad tidings and embracing the unexpected, especially when it comes to the beautiful chaos that hosting can be.
“It’s inevitable that something will go wrong,” says DoorDash hosting expert Michelle Rabin. “I’ll forget to buy an ingredient, a guest will have a dietary restriction I am not aware of, or I’ll simply plan too many dishes and run out of time to get everything done.”
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When this happens, Rabin leans on DoorDash, a one-stop shop for anything that you might need in a holiday-hosting pinch, including everyday essentials like groceries, alcohol, gifts and even decor.
Ran out of twinkle lights to finish the staircase? Forgot that your cousin is vegan now? With DoorDash you can have it all, with just a few taps of the app and a massive sigh of relief.
“In these moments, I turn to DoorDash as my last-minute hosting saver and simply order what I need to get the job done,” says Rabin. Read on for her top holiday hosting tips and tricks.
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Outsource what you can
Rabin is all about delegation, starting with the grocery shopping. “Whenever I’m at the grocery store shopping for a crowd, my head is so busy dreaming up my final dishes that I always end up forgetting a few ingredients,” she says. “Instead of leaving things up to chance, I’ve started to order my groceries for delivery from DoorDash, having them conveniently delivered straight to my doorstep on the day of my party.”
To ensure her list is complete, Rabin likes to do an inventory of her cupboards a few days in advance, cross-referencing it with her planned menu. “Then, I plug it all into the DoorDash app and schedule a convenient delivery from my grocery store—plus, delivery of decor from some of my favourite local stores.”
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Minimize the time you spend in the kitchen
There’s nothing more stressful than hovering over a stove while your guests are left to entertain themselves. The only thing worse is spending the entire day in the kitchen beforehand, meaning you’re exhausted before the party has even started.
Rabin avoids this pitfall by being very strategic about the menu items she chooses to make herself. “Less time in the kitchen, more time with guests” is her motto.
“I put limits on what I make from scratch, and what I buy from the store pre-made,” she says. “For example, I love making homemade cookies and then ordering ice cream from DoorDash to make ice cream sandwiches à la minute for my guests. No need to stress over a homemade pie—I find my family actually prefers this fun dessert.”
Another example: Rather than prepare a second main for vegetarian guests, she orders something veggie-friendly from a local spot instead. “There’s a fabulous Thai place near me that’s available for delivery on DoorDash, and I usually order a vegetarian pad Thai from them for the table—which actually goes great with turkey, by the way,” she says.
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Free yourself from tradition
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“Tradition who? Turkey! Ham! Mashed potatoes! All the fixings! Not only is this so much work and costly, it usually turns into leftovers, and maybe waste,” says Rabin, who’s embracing a joyfully unexpected menu this year.
“I’m planning to make three different hearty salads and a beautiful charcuterie board, and also order pizza for my guests. No worrying about overcooking or undercooking a bird, getting everything hot at the same time, or 100 dirty dishes,” she says. “DoorDash has me covered in the food department, and I can even add some wine to my order.”
But if you’re part of a family that will stage a mutiny if there isn’t some form of traditional bird on the table? Make the turkey—and outsource the rest. “Try grabbing some side dishes from local restaurants to complement your hard work,” says Rabin. “Instead of worrying about timing all the sides, you can sip on cocktails with your guests as parts of your meal arrive on your doorstep.”
This content was created by The Kit; DoorDash funded and approved it.
