5 EASY THRIFTY WAYS TO BE A GOOD HOST

1 Warm shop-bought bread in the oven before serving and put out dishes of butter to soften for spreading.

2 Serve tap water in a pretty jug or glass bottle with slices of citrus fruit, and keep a supply of ice to hand.

3 Prepare a playlist that’s long enough to cover the whole evening – nobody wants to hear the same song over and over again.

4 Sort out your ambient lighting before anyone arrives. 5 Make big-batch cocktails or alcoholic punches as well as a non-boozy option (find recipes for cocktail and mocktail jugs on or see pages 24 and 132) and put these out along with shop-bought nibbles. Guests can help themselves while you cook.