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Parties start in the evening and go on till the wee hours of the night, and the food that accompanies card games, family celebrations and parties must keep flowing too. People love visiting each other before and after the puja too. If you have a late-night plan including the card party, you will need to make sure that there is ample food and no one leaves without eating anything.
What to Serve Your Loved Ones on Diwali
When you host a celebration or card party at home this Diwali, keep the menu simple yet appetizing. Include traditional favorites and decide when you will serve each item. Remember that some of your guests may not eat non-vegetarian food or consume alcoholic drinks on Diwali. If you have hired a caterer for large gatherings, discuss the list with them in advance.
Card parties could go on till late at night, so should the feasting!
Here are some ideas and tips for what to serve your friends, family and loved ones this Diwali:
- Welcome Drinks: Choose a welcome drink that is refreshing and delicious. Fresh lemonade, Jal-jeera or mint mocktails are a good option. Use herbs to give these drinks a special flavor, and to be on the safer side, go for at least two variants. Unless religious beliefs prohibit alcohol, you can serve some lovely flavorsome cocktails too.
- Snacks: Try to keep a variety of light snacks ready to serve, like sandwiches, dhokla, pakodas made of different vegetables, cookies, chips, etc. Make sure that you have enough ready-to-eat foods or finger snacks available so they can be served while playing cards till late at night!
- Meals: Diwali lunch or dinner should basically consist of traditional Indian food, but it’s a good idea to keep a few other dishes that everyone would like. Quality and taste matter as much as the quantity. Along with the meal, keep salad, papad, raita and other side dishes that are an important part of every Indian festive meal.
- Desserts: No Diwali party is complete without sweets, so choose at least 2-3 different sweet dishes for guests to dig into after their meal. Choose all-time favorites like gulab jamuns, kaju katli, cakes and ice-cream or go for seasonal items like ‘gajar ka halwa’ or even moong dal halwa. If you want something different, go for flavored or chocolate sweet paans that everyone will enjoy!
- Diwali is the perfect time to indulge in sweets and rich food
Useful Tips
Make this Diwali special by ensuring that every guest enjoys the food. Make the list of what your friends and loved ones like to eat and start with the preparations in advance. While deciding the menu, you need to keep all your guests in mind, so follow these tips:
- If you are buying Indian sweets, make sure that you choose a reputable sweet shop. This is essential to get good quality and adulteration-free items.
- These days, people have become very health-conscious, so offer healthy and low-fat foods or dishes in addition to the heavy traditional ones.
- Instead of serving super-spicy food, keep it simple. This is especially important if you are expecting small kids or guests who are not used to Indian spices.
- Offer savory chutneys of mint and tamarind, spicy pickles and other meal complements so that people can add desired flavor to their plate
Fresh salads, chutneys and other add-ons will round out the perfect meal
Dress Right for the Occasion!
Whether you’re a host or a guest, dressing for festival celebrations is always fun, since you get to show off colorful attire, accessories and jewelry that you may not be able to wear on a daily basis. Traditional festive outfits and party wear go hand in hand with Diwali foods, since they reflect your cultural heritage while allowing you to get all dressed up too. They also make a lovely gift idea for friends, family and loved ones over the festive season.
