Eat Well, Live Well - Throw a 'prime time' party

Thu 28^th Jan

It may have just felt like it’s the height of summer during the day, but those long, light July evenings are long gone. When October arrives all you really want to do in the evening is snuggle up on the sofa in front of your favourite family TV show. So if you’re a X-Factor follower, a Strictly Come Dancing fanatic or you dream of Downton Abbey, why not share the fun with family and friends and throw a prime time TV party?

Host a Strictly Come Dancing soirée
The glitter, the glitz – nothing brightens up a cold evening more than the world of Strictly. Start painting those nails now!
Dress code: Glamour and grooming is everything in the ballroom dancing world, so make sure your guests dress up to the nines in their most sparkly, fantastic outfits.
Extras you’ll need: Scorecards (easy to knock up on the computer beforehand), prizes, and nostalgic dance music for atmosphere.
Party games: When the show comes on, hand round scorecards and get judging! Offer a silly prize for the funniest comment, the best outfit, and the most accurate judge - the person whose scores are closest to those of the actual judges.
Strictly snacks:  Go for simple finger food with a sophisticated taste. Choose classic vol-au-vents, or tartlets with toppings like parma ham and smoked salmon – they’re easy to make or buy. Dip crunchy RYVITA® Multi-Seed Thins into cream cheese or tzatziki, and offer a 70s dinner party classic Black Forest gateau for something sweet.


Throw an X-Factor bash
Get practicing with that hairbrush in front of the mirror for a night in, X-Factor style.
Dress code: Dress like a winner! That means knock-‘em-dead glitz from the girls and ultra-casual for the boys. Or get your guests to dress as their favourite contestant – Jedward-style hair, anyone?
Extras you’ll need:  A few suitable backing tracks – there are plenty of compilation karaoke-style CDs available. If you want to get a party atmosphere going, hire a disco light or a karaoke machine complete with microphone
Party games: Get your guests to sing! Crank up the volume, get your ‘audience’ excited and you’re off. Nominate those who don’t fancy singing to be presenters or judges – the kids in particular will relish the chance to tell Dad what they really think of his singing voice.
X-factor bites: Of course, food doesn’t have to be formal for an evening like this. Hand round plenty of easy-to-eat party-style snacks like cocktail sausages and mini-pizzas, or even retro favourites such as cheese and pineapple sticks. And keep lots of dips like salsa, hummus and guacamole on hand – they’re the perfect partners for fabulous new RYVITA® Cheddar and Cracked Black Pepper Thins .

Hold a Downton dinner
Dress code: Simple – come dressed as your favourite character, whether it’s the Dowager Countess, suffragette Lady Sybil, or Mrs Hughes the housekeeper.
Extras you’ll need: A bell to summon the designated butler and a pack of cards for old-fashioned after-dinner entertainment.
Party games: Enjoy your leisure time the old-fashioned way! After supper, retire to the drawing room to play a few civilised rounds of vingt-et-un (twenty-one) or bridge. Try a couple of classic Edwardian parlour games such as charades or Twenty Questions, or, if you’ve got a musician or a singer in your midst, invite them to give you a tune.
Downton delicacies: As you’re unlikely to have an entire staff dedicated to serving up a five-course extravaganza, go for a nostalgic finger buffet. A showstopper piece such as a whole salmon will look spectacular, and will easily feed a crowd. Dinner guests in the Downton era would normally be treated to a cheeseboard, so have a good selection available, plus grapes and suitable biscuits – such as RYVITA® Crackers for Cheese . Provide waterbowls and linen napkins for guests to wash their fingers for that aristocratic touch.