Party on

Time to make use of your muffin tray! Line each of the holes with pastry, a mini tortilla wrap or bacon as a base, then add your choice of filling – be it mac and cheese or any type of quiche mix. Bake in the oven until set. These are great for parties as they don’t tie your guests down to the table.

Take two ingredients, wrap them together, and put them straight into the fridge to chill. Simple! Think prawns and filo pastry, asparagus and puff pastry, or – if you’re feeling fancy, scallops and pancetta. Then, just before your guests arrive, put your creations in the oven to cook. Nigella, eat your heart out.

If you’re serving dips like houmous, use store-bought ones, then decant them into a nice dish, drizzle olive oil over the top, and sprinkle on some spices or pomegranate seeds. We eat with our eyes first, so stock up on garnishes like fresh herbs or pea shoots. Boujie or what?

Frozen and tinned foods may not have a great rep, but don’t overlook them when you’re catering en masse. Besides, why spend your party peeling a pineapple when you can get it straight out of a tin?