Frugal and Simple Hospitality

One of my goals for 2009 is to practice hospitality more, and to be generous even in difficult times. We used to have tons of people over but then we had kids, and then we lived in a teeny, tiny place and so we got out of the habit because at times it just felt too overwhelming with cranky kids after church or I felt a little embarrassed to invite others to our tiny place. We had close friends over now and then but didn't really branch out and ask folks from church whom we didn't know.

But, the Lord provided a cute, little house for us to rent with a somewhat bigger kitchen and after the holidays and the fatiguing newborn stage, we began inviting people over regularly again. During this time my hubby broke his wrist and we were all of a sudden unsure how we were going to make ends meet. But God has truly taken good care of us! I thought back to my goal of being generous even in difficult times and realized this would be a perfect opportunity to practice that. I began brainstorming ideas for how to entertain and be frugal and this is what I've come up with:

*Invite folks over for lunch instead of dinner as it's a lighter meal. Or, if you do a dinner, do a simple, light supper. If a meal is too overwhelming, try inviting a family for brunch or just dessert. Dessert and games is just as much fun as a meal and a brownie mix costs a buck or less!

*Ask everyone to bring something to contribute, potluck style! Because of doing this we have gotten to try Shiloh's awesome poppyseed salad dressing, Faith and Crystal's amazing no-recipe-we-made-it-up-ourselves Appaloosa cookies, and Mary's yummy ice-cream pie. Sharing the work load makes it much easier to entertain!

*Serve something simple. For a few weeks in a row we served potatoes! Baked potatoes are wonderful because you can leave them baking in the oven while you are at church and when you come home with company you can eat right away! We can often find them for $4 for 20# or some such deal and this makes for a thrifty lunch for a crowd. And everyone can top them how they wish, with bacon bits, onions, ranch sauce, cheese, etc.

*My thread titled "Cooking" on my sidebar is chock full of yummy recipes that are simple, frugal, and delicious for company. Leave chicken barley stew in the crockpot or make chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes. Have a Plowman's share casserole slowly cooking in the oven or make Power Pizza the night before and bake after church. Authentic Mexican enchiladas are a frugal crowd pleaser too! I'm going to experiment with making spaghetti and lasagna in the crockpot for future meals for company after church.

*Fill 'em up with homemade bread! This is a common tip but it does take a little prep work. Last Sunday I had french bread baking in my bread machine and it was done about the time we got home. We paired it with homemade chicken and noodle soup, which is very easy and delicious especially in the cold wintertime. The bread machine is an overworked appliance at our house! We use it all the time and it helps make entertaining easier. These rolls are a major hit with company too! Homemade bread is inexpensive and delicious and filling. Most people we know don't make homemade bread so it's a lusious treat for them if we serve this!

*Serve ice water/iced tea or homemade hot cocoa if milk and juice are too expensive for you to serve.

*Show guests honor by adding in some little touches that make the meal seem special even if the food is simple. Cloth napkins, flowers from the yard, a pretty table cloth, a lovely pitcher for the water, some candles or placecards made by your child, etc. will really make things special. I often use paper plates for guests to make clean-up simpler but I still try to make the table look nice and inviting.

*Don't be ashamed of simple fair. Some missionaries we used to spend lots of time with had 5 kids and a very low budget. They got most of their food from a dated goods food pantry in their local church basement. They were some of the most hospitable people I have ever met and everyone loved to go to their house because it was the fellowship, conversation, games, and love for God that drew us in, not the food. Of course Mrs. Hickman was a wonderful cook too and made delicious meals out of the simple fare she had on hand, but it wasn't about the food so much as the invite. They taught us a trick of crushing saltine crackers over ice-cream to make what they called, "missionary peanuts." These taste exactly like nuts (with a lot less calories and for a much lower price) and if you closed your eyes you'd never know the difference! My memories from around their table remind me that people are honored to have an invite no matter what you serve them. We may not be able to afford to grill steaks, or even chicken breasts for company, but we can serve them a good baked potato and take the time to get to know them! So, relax, and work with what you've got! And if all you've got is pancake mix, then serve breakfast for dinner! Scrambled eggs, hard-boiled eggs, waffles, and hashbrowns are also very cheap made from scratch!

*I've really enjoyed the Cooking With Clara videos on youtube. This cute gal in her 90's demonstrates how to cook some of the main meals they ate during the depression years. If you need really cheap meal ideas she will inspire you!

*Consider making a separate meal for the kids. We normally expect our children to eat what's put before them but in instances where you have lots of little children to feed, it may be wise to fix a pot of box mac n' cheese so that the children all eat, don't waste food, and allow you to utelize the more expensive fair for the adults.

*Prep for hospitality all week long. When we were jumping back into the world of having folks over who we didn't know well, it felt like running a marathon. I suddenly found myself on Saturday night having to clean the entire house all at once, scrubbing floors, prepping food, washing dishes, etc. On Sunday I was busy prepping food, doing last minute cleaning and getting everyone ready for church and I felt like a truck had run over me! So much for Sabbath rest! I realized that my standards had to be relaxed and that I needed some better planning. So, if we're having company for Sunday lunch, I'm now thinking about it all week long. Making sure we have ingredients when I do my weekly shopping, staying on top of the dishes so that by Saturday they are mostly done and easier to do that evening, not packing my day with too many errands/activities, not staying up late watching movies, washing and chopping the food in advance, sticking with a very predictable and easy meal to plan, doing a 10-minute swipe down of the bathroom instead of a major cleaning, de-cluttering on Saturday morning, spot-mopping or skipping mopping if I don't get to it, etc.

*Try outdoor entertaining in the warm months. Now that we have a yard we are excited to host some picnics where we can invite bigger crowds and keep an eye on lively children. Have people bring their own camp chairs if you need more seating or search for cheap outdoor furniture at yard sales. One friend recently had us over for a fire and s'mores. It was so relaxing and a very frugal and stress-free way for her to entertain!

*Let your guests help you. I love passing Justus off to company and they absolutely love it too, especially if they are single, have no children, or have grown children. Let them help set the table or toss the salad so they feel useful!

We have been blessed so much as a family to share meals with new friends and old. Just because you are going through a tough or lean time doesn't mean you can't entertain! I only wish I could have all of you blogreaders over for brunch someday......that would be fun!