When life shifts gears and zooms forward—with school stuff, work stuff, life stuff—fun plans can start to fall off the calendar. Planning a big party might feel like the last thing you want to add to your to-do list, but a little low-key fun is exactly what you need most when life is at its busiest. Let us do the planning! Text your friends and invite them over tomorrow. Between now and then, all you have to do is follow any of the three last-minute party blueprints below—and swing by Target for a few Good & Gather essentials.
For An Easy Weekend Brunch
Sure, you could go out. But you’d need a reservation, an outfit, and a totally free afternoon so you can nap off the mimosas. Instead, tell your friends that the dress code is pajamas, then boil some eggs and pop them in the fridge so they’re ready to go in the morning. When you’ve got half an hour before your guests arrive, brew coffee, preheat the oven, and throw a cheery tablecloth over the coffee table (fancy!). Set out 100% Pure Organic Maple Syrup, yogurt, fruit, and peeled eggs with salt, pepper, hot sauce, and everything bagel spice. Let Petite Quiches and Belgian Waffles warm in the oven so that the house smells brunchy and inviting when your friends show up—no reservation needed.
For A Mezze Game Night
On those evenings when you just want to plop down around a table of your favorite people and flex your competitive muscles, what’s on the menu? Games—puzzles, card games, board games, whatever your favorites are—paired with lots of snacky finger foods to munch on while waiting for your turn to come around. A mezze spread is ideal: Set out creamy Roasted Garlic Hummus and Vegan Falafel with Tahini Sauce on a board or tray, and in fill it in with mixed olives, vegetables for dipping (think cucumbers, carrots, and cherry tomatoes), salty-bright feta, and warm toasted pita. All that’s left to do is light a couple of candles and roll the dice.
For A Last-Minute Home Tailgate
Sometimes you can’t get tickets to the game. Other times, you don’t want to fight traffic to make it to your nearest sports bar, much less the stadium. And then there are the days when you want to keep tabs on the game and hang out in your own backyard. We get it! And hey, the snacks are pretty good too: For a near-instant tailgate, pop a basket of tortilla chips and bowlfuls of Serrano Pepper Salsa and guacamole next to a radio tuned to you-know-what. Fill a cooler with ice, beer, and set out a pitcher of Bloody Marys. Remember, these are basically a craft project for your guests; arrange some toppings for customizing, like hot sauce, celery, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon wedges, and let them get creative. That should be enough to get the game started, but when you’re ready for round two, pass a plate of warm two-bite Chicken & Cheese Quesadilla Cones while you grill hot dogs.
Caroline Lange is a recipe tester and developer, writer, and food stylist living in Brooklyn, New York.
