Daphne Oz Calls These 3 Items Her Holiday Kitchen Essentials

For anyone looking for tips on how to host a great party this holiday season, Daphne Oz has some counter-intuitive advice: When hosting any kind of party, forget about making the party great and just enjoy yourself! As strange as it might seem, less effort often translates into better times at holiday events and family get-togethers, as Oz pointed out in a recent interview with catering company Harry & David.

With that said, there are certain strategies you can use and implement ahead of time to make sure your party goes off without a hitch, and Oz has taken time to share some of them in a recent virtual event attended by Mashed. Hosted by gourmet food company Harry & David, for whom Oz is a brand ambassador, the livestream meetup found Oz sharing advice on everything from cocktail recipes, to batch cooking, and the importance of always always having enough ice. When it comes to setting the stage for an incredible holiday party, Oz says to keep it simple with a few basic kitchen essentials.

One of Daphne Oz's key ideas about hosting great holiday parties is the importance of simplicity, and of setting yourself up to be able to join your own party once it kicks off. To do so, Oz recommends three kitchen essentials that will make hosting a cinch. Besides having enough ice (Oz stresses the importance of "plentiful drinks" at holiday parties, per 1-800 Flowers), it's crucial to have several key appetizers in stock and on hand, to be served and replenished throughout the event. She pointed to three classic hors d'oeuvres she considers essentials: olives, nuts, and cheese. These will make your party feel more fun, and will make your guests feel taken care of. Oz, for her part, maintains a "full stocked cheese drawer ... at all times," as she said during the virtual event. (She also has her own curated collection of Harry & David meats, cheeses, and fruits, according to the Harry & David website.)

Great catering is simple catering, and providing your guests with enough of a few good hors d'oeuvres can help set the mood for an enjoyable holiday dinner and an enjoyable evening. And having the appetizers in bulk and on hand means that you, the host, can join in the fun, too — the key ingredient to any great holiday party.