One of my favourite things about the summer months is an open-door policy and endless socializing. Everyone seems more carefree and open to stopping in for a visit if they’re around.

If and when people show up at my door I like to make sure to have something to offer them. Something that says, welcome – stay a while. Wine [while always on hand, chilling in the fridge] isn’t always the appropriate option, so lately I’ve been serving up iced coffees. We’ve been loving Nespresso’s iced coffee capsules; both the long black and the flat white over ice for their taste + convenience.

I used to justify going to *ahem Starbucks and spending upward of $5, but those days are over. These days I don’t have to leave my house to enjoy a delicious iced coffee [$1.05] with the hit of a button. Just add ice to a glass, any creamer or milk alternative and press start to dispense the cold brew.

We always keep healthy baked goods in the fridge through the week (for my sweet tooth) but they also make for a nice little spread if you need to throw something together.

My pal Erin Ireland, founder of To Die For Fine Foods has some amazing products that truly hold up to their name. Some of our favourites include; her signature Banana + Lemon Loaf, Coconut PB Power Balls & her breakfast cookies all of which are sold at a couple different coffee + juice shops by our house.

It doesn’t matter ‘what’ you end up serving, the goal here is to prepare your home for unexpected guests. These are just a few things that have worked like a charm for me.

YOUR LIST TO EASY ENTERTAINING [ON A WHIM]
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

PLATTERS / CAKE TRAYS: using platters or cake trays are an easy way to visually present snacks/fruit/dessert etc. Makes you look like you’ve got things under control, you know? You can get these anywhere; Homesense/Target/Ikea, they’re cute and inexpensive. Even if we are ordering Sushi for a night in, I switch everything from takeout containers onto a beautiful platter and it instantly makes our night feel more special. Having things like this on hand if/when you need them is half the job, done.

REFRESHMENTS: I try to have refreshments on-hand and in the fridge chilling as much as possible. I don’t want to be someone who’s left serving water because I couldn’t plan ahead so I try to pick up something when I’m grabbing our weekly groceries. Here are a few things we keep stock on; a bottle of rosé, club soda, cold filtered water and lots of lemons. I also like to keep herbal teas nearby as well.

FINGER FOOD: you don’t need to go overboard to make your guests feel warm and welcome and it certainly doesn’t require a lot of money. Snacks like nuts, crackers + hummus, cheese and olives are perfect for a quick platter and keep for a while.