Setting a festive table at home: arrangement of dishes and design ideas. How to properly set a table setting How to set a modern table

The festive table setting should be special. It is necessary to take into account all the rules for the arrangement of cutlery so that guests are convinced of your tact and knowledge of the rules of etiquette. Festive table setting is not only beautiful, but also the most functional.

Peculiarities

The first point in organizing any celebration is the choice of dishes for the guests. I would like to celebrate the festive event in a beautiful design. That is why the main object of attention of a good housewife will be not so much a careful approach to the choice of dishes, but rather the form in which these dishes will be presented to the eyes of those gathered. You can add aesthetics and specificity to the festive process through table setting.

Even a person who has no experience in organizing feasts will certainly come up with the idea that it is still more pleasant to celebrate a significant event in a cozy atmosphere.

In order for guests to truly feel at home or in a sophisticated cafe, the hostess should approach this issue creatively.

The tablecloth is the basis of any festive table setting. In order to celebrate an important event, in no case should you use oilcloth fabric, against which even the most luxurious dishes will not look sophisticated, but just the opposite. When choosing the tone of the tablecloth, you need to start from the interior and the occasion of the celebration itself. The fabric must fit harmoniously into the design of the room.

A win-win color option would be traditional white, suitable for almost any setting and emphasizing the significance of the occasion for which everyone has gathered at the table today. But an excellent alternative can also be pastel colors that are not conspicuous and give the feast a light atmosphere. The use of bright and picturesque colors on fabric is also acceptable.

A plain fabric will be universal, but there are festive occasions for which a patterned tablecloth is also suitable. The design on it can be done unobtrusively, or, on the contrary, it can be bright and contrasting.

It is worth remembering that the tablecloth is the basis, but the main attention of the guests will not be focused on it. The edge of the tablecloth should hang from the table on all sides by 20-25 cm.

Dishes are the second important element of table setting. It can be made from any material, but porcelain is a classic. From more budget materials, but with similar qualities, earthenware is suitable. Each person at the table should have dishes from one set or from several, but always matching in style. Its color can be either contrasting or matching the color of the tablecloth, but a contrasting combination will look more advantageous.

The more chromatic colors are used when setting the table, the more difficult it is to select them correctly.

If the tablecloth and dishes are the main colors, then the napkins play the role of accents. Their use is necessary for basic hygiene. They also wrap cutlery in them. The classic color for them will be white, but depending on the nature of the celebration, you can choose other colors for the dishes and tablecloth. Do not exclude napkins with a pattern.

It is important that the color scheme of the picture echoes them. By showing your imagination, napkins can be placed on the table in an original way, giving them a certain image that fits into the style of the feast.

For a themed celebration, you can use various decorative elements. Usually these are bouquets of plants or candles in beautiful candlesticks. Again, do not forget about the color combination with the tablecloth, dishes, and napkins. The main rule of decor is its moderation, because it’s very easy to overdo the decoration on the table.

Submission rules

When arranging cutlery, dishes and glasses, you should take into account the space for decorations. Decoration will take place after they are arranged, and this should not be forgotten.

The number of food plates should correspond to the number of guests. The plates are placed around the perimeter of the table at an equal distance from each other.

The very first place is the serving plate, which will play the role of a substitution plate. It should not be on the edge of the table. When installing it, you need to move 2-5 cm away from it. Smaller plates are placed on it, for example, for salad, soup or snacks. To prevent plates from sliding, you can place one napkin between them.

To the left of them, at a distance of 5-12 cm, a pie plate is placed - mainly bread is placed on it, but sometimes croutons and butter. Both plates - serving and pie - should be in such places as to form one line together.

Then cutlery is placed on the plates. It is better to use those made of stainless steel. When choosing them, you should pay attention to the list of dishes expected at the table, and use only those that the guests will really need.

In relation to the plate, cutlery is placed in the order in which certain dishes will be served. On the right, the arrangement occurs in this order: a bread knife, followed by a fish or first course knife, followed by a meat knife. On the left they follow in this order: a fork for fish or the first course, followed by a fork for the main course.

Remember that the herring and sweet utensils should not be located next to each other.

For all categories of devices, certain simple rules apply. Firstly, forks must be placed with their tines up, knives must be turned with the blade towards the plate, and spoons must be placed with their concave side up. Secondly, if there is dessert, the soup spoon is placed above the serving plate, otherwise, if dessert is planned, then it takes a position near the first knife.

The dessert utensils themselves should be laid out behind the plate and parallel to the edge of the table, the spoon should face the handle to the right, the fork should face to the left, the dessert knife should be on the pie plate.

After placing the cutlery, it’s time to arrange the glassware. For table setting, it must be designed in the same style. Each type of drink has its own corresponding glass, and this is no coincidence. Shot glasses, wine glasses, glasses, goblets are placed on the right, above the serving plate. Their order is determined by the order in which a particular drink is served.

Containers with drinks are located in the free space between the rows of plates. Juices and waters are served in large carafes, strong alcohol in smaller carafes, and wine directly in bottles. If there is wine on the table, you need to place a corkscrew.

Napkins can be arranged in different ways. You can add originality by folding the napkins in a shape. They can be placed directly next to each guest or on a serving plate. But it is most convenient to display additional napkins on the table in special holders, positioned in such a way that they are accessible to everyone sitting at the table.

During meals, each guest should have the opportunity to add salt or add pepper and spices to the dish, so serving utensils for them should be correctly placed on the table. As a rule, toothpicks are placed in them. It is important that their number is sufficient. Serving utensils for salt, pepper and spices are placed between the rows of plates; their number should be such that when placed, they are enough for the number of people at the table and provide easy access to salt, pepper and spices for everyone.

Having made sure that everything necessary for eating is already on the table, you can move on to the decorative elements. The decorations are distributed evenly between the rows of plates, so as not to interfere with placing the dishes on the table.

Cold appetizers are served first, followed by salads. This is followed by hot dishes - the first, followed by the second. Empty dirty plates and glasses must be promptly removed from the table.

How to organize everything?

Shortly before the expected celebration, the hostess should check the availability of the required number of cutlery, plates and glasses. The time spent on serving will depend on the number of guests. Usually this takes an hour, sometimes more, so the owners need to calculate the time before the guests arrive. The tablecloth must be ironed before covering the table.

You must place the dishes carefully, slowly, because they are made of fragile material. Places for serving plates must be chosen very carefully and placed on the same line, but so that guests do not interfere with each other during the celebration.

Before serving, cutlery must be rubbed, this will give it shine and get rid of unwanted darkening that appears from time to time. The material for rubbing can be a simple cotton towel or paper napkins. When serving, you should touch them very carefully, as they are very easy to stain with fingerprints. The presence of such stains will create an incorrect impression about the neatness of the housewife.

To make the holiday more sophisticated, the cutlery can be wrapped in a napkin and served like that, but this option is suitable for a small number of cutlery.

Glass containers for drinks must also be polished in advance, as their surface may become cloudy or dusty over time. To carry out this procedure, a special rolled microfiber towel or a glass cloth is suitable.

If you are unsure that the utensils for salt, pepper, spices and napkins will be easily accessible to guests, you just need to imagine yourself in their place in the literal sense of the word.

If you can reach what you could theoretically need, your table setting is successful.

Ideas for different occasions

The setting of the festive table depends on its theme and the occasion for which the celebration will take place. However, different types of feasts can be combined into groups and certain rules for their design can be derived.

New Year or Christmas is mainly celebrated with family. In this case, you can discard the strict conciseness and restraint of the decor. The tablecloth can be a bright color with Christmas motifs.

For a bouquet of plants for just such an occasion, you can choose not flowers, but spruce branches, in the manner of a New Year tree, decorated with small balls or toys.

You can place one large bouquet either in the middle of the table, or place it evenly across the entire area or in front of each of the guests. The surface of the table itself can be decorated with cones, which can be sprinkled with artificial silver glitter that imitates snow. A rich color of napkins, for example, red or green, will add even more positive notes to the New Year's interior, especially if you wrap cutlery in them before serving and decorate with a small spruce branch.

The atmosphere of a romantic dinner can be created through special table settings. The ideal color scheme could be pastel, soft shades of red and pink. The bouquet can be placed either in the center of the table or near the girl, because the flowers are intended for her. The vase may have a symbolic heart shape. You can scatter rose petals and heart-shaped confetti on the surface of the tablecloth. Elements of romance can be conveyed even through dishes and cutlery - all of this can be decorated with hearts.

The main lighting can be dimmed or turned off completely, and the light source can be candles in elegant stands that match the theme of the dinner.

The design of a children's holiday table includes bright colors that can be used in absolutely any decorative element.

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Have you ever wondered what is the main sign of the housewife’s attention to her guests? Of course, this is proper table setting. Unfortunately, not all housewives know how to do this. Many people think that it takes a lot of time to set a beautiful table. However, this opinion is wrong. Knowing and following certain rules, you can create a festive mood not only on holidays, but also on weekdays.
To create an unusual table decoration, you can involve members of your household. Most likely, they will enjoy this activity, and you will save time and effort.

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It is wrong to think that in ordinary life you don’t have to bother, and that all the complexities of decoration are applied exclusively to holidays. Psychologists say that the mood and taste perception of food in general depends on the appearance of the dish and the table as a whole.
Table setting at home differs from a formal one in the smaller number of cutlery and decorative details.

Keep in mind that stand plates are a must. Using them, you will avoid soiling the tablecloth. Agree that sometimes it is very difficult to remove borscht stains from it.
It is not recommended to replace the tablecloth with oilcloth. To make the table look “elegant”, sometimes it is enough to lay a checkered cloth on it. Of course, everything should look harmonious and the tablecloth should be combined with the overall interior of the kitchen.
If your menu includes a first course, then deep plates are a must. It’s much easier to walk around with a saucepan and pour broth for everyone than to rush around with plates.
There should be a container for side dishes under the deep plate.
To avoid constantly running for forks and spoons, provide them in the required quantity in advance.

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Why is table setting necessary?

Everyone will agree that it is much more pleasant to eat at a chicly set table. If everything is organized correctly, then the daily meal turns into a holiday.
It is not necessary to prepare gourmet dishes; you can use ordinary inexpensive products. The very idea of decorating a dining table is important.
Planning table settings for specific meals
Introduce new traditions into your family. Due to lack of time in the modern world, not every family can afford to have meals together. In this case, you can limit yourself to one common meal, which will take place in the evening.
Not only for a festive meal, but also for a simple dinner, you can arrange the table setting in an original way. Children will be happy to help you with this; as a rule, they really love arranging plates and laying out napkins.
At this table you can chat with all family members. The cozy atmosphere is conducive to confidential conversations, everyone can talk about their problems or achievements. This tradition will bring a piece of joy into everyday life. Once everyone gets used to getting together at home for dinner, you can begin to introduce weekend gatherings into family traditions.

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Table setting rules

You need to use the same devices.
Each dish should have its own serving.
When arranging items, it is necessary to take into account that for each person you need to allocate about 80 cm of space. This condition will allow guests to feel comfortable.
The plates are placed in the middle of the allocated space, at a distance of two cm from the edge.
When planning to serve several dishes, place deep dishes on flat ones.
Plates for sweets or bread are placed at a distance of 10 cm to the left of the person.
Spoons, forks and knives are placed with the tip up, knives on the right, forks on the left. If dessert is to be served, the soup spoon is placed above the plate.
Glasses and glasses should be placed on the right. If alcohol and water are served at the same time, then the container that should be combined with the first course is placed closer.
All dishes must have a clean appearance without stains or streaks. Before serving, it must be wiped with a dry towel.

How to choose the right tablecloth

A mandatory attribute is a tablecloth. It can be used both for everyday use and for formal occasions. What recommendations do experts give when choosing tablecloths?

for a banquet, a tablecloth made of natural fabrics, preferably white, is used;
for everyday dinner or lunch, you can use an acrylic attribute; it should match the shape of the table;
It is important that the tablecloth is of a suitable length, it should cover the entire surface, and the edges should hang down by 20-25 cm.

Required condition!!! Any tablecloth must be clean. Therefore, you need to have several options available.

Plates placement

So, the tablecloth is laid. Now you need to arrange the plates. The scheme is very simple. There should be a decorative plate in the very center; it should not be too close to the edge. A plate for snacks is placed on it. If there are liquid dishes on the menu, then a deep container is also placed on a decorative plate. It is important to note that when serving puree soup, you need to serve a soup bowl, and when serving broth, you need to serve a cup. The bread plate is placed to the left of the decorative one.

Instrument location

Serving provides for a specific arrangement of all appliances. Everything must comply with etiquette standards:

cutlery should be placed on the sides of the plates, in some cases they are placed on top;
there should be forks to the left of the main plate;
knives are placed on the right, their blades should be directed towards the plate;
There should be a soup spoon on top of the plate;
The dessert spoon is placed on the right side, it should enclose a row of knives.

Important!!! The utensils that will be used first should be closest to the plate. The utensils for first courses should be the furthest away. Please note that all devices must be freely accessible for use.

How to choose glasses

When setting a festive table, it is very important to choose the right glasses. For each drink there is a certain type of wine glasses or glasses.
For red wines, cognac and brandy, “pot-bellied” glasses are used. And for white wines, small glasses are used. The tallest or narrowest glasses are for champagne. Juices and water are served in glasses designed for cocktails.

Using napkins

How to set a table beautifully? One of the most important decoration elements when decorating any holiday or banquet are napkins. A lot of techniques have been invented, following which you can create an exquisite and unusual composition from them. When choosing napkins, you need to pay attention to the color. You can buy napkins in the same color as the holiday candles.
Napkins should be folded so that when unrolled they do not look too wrinkled. This decoration is placed on a plate for an appetizer. Using napkin figures, you can make your table very stylish.

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Setting the table for dinner

Festive dinner with family. Beautiful candles and plates are placed on the table, wine and light snacks are stocked. Later you can serve a hot dish, dessert and fruit. Remove the glasses and replace them with cups and saucers.
How to beautifully set the table for a romantic dinner? A small table is set, at which two people sit opposite each other. The presence of candles and flowers is mandatory. A dark-colored tablecloth will add a special flair to the romantic mood.
For a themed dinner. You can serve dishes prepared from products grown in your dacha. The table is decorated with compositions of vegetables. All dishes are simple, prepared from natural products.
For dinner with a friend. No unnecessary details. Delicate tablecloth, minimal cutlery, light dishes. Perhaps cold cuts or seafood.
Dinner for friends. Friends come to visit for simple informal communication. Therefore, forget about solemnity, everything should be simple. But of course, cook some delicious dishes

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Table setting for a children's event

Organizing a children's event is always a special concern for parents. We need to take care not only about the deliciousness of the food and the beauty of the presentation, but also about the safety of the children.
How to properly set the table for a children's party?

To make children feel like adults, set a separate table for them.
It is necessary to maintain the design in the same range. It would be better if you choose some cartoon theme. It must be present in everything.
Disposable tableware is a real godsend for parents who need to organize a children's party. Just don’t think that we are talking about simple disposable plates. In stores you can buy very beautiful dishes made of durable plastic or special cardboard. Such dishes are very practical, because they do not break. She is very beautiful, so kids will be delighted with her.
Do not prepare a variety of salads and meat dishes. This is a children's holiday, and children don't like to eat this when visiting. Surprise them with beautiful buffet appetizers that are exactly what they will love.

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The benefits of proper table setting

If your family gets used to eating in a cozy and beautiful environment, then food will be a real pleasure. Children will grow up cultured, knowing the place of each item on the table. Evening gatherings around a beautifully set table will bring your family together. And this family tradition will be passed on from generation to generation.

Quick holiday table

Recently I had to put together a holiday table in a hurry. There was little time to prepare - only 2.5 hours + another 1 hour for a quick run to the store for everything you need. I made it. It turned out very tasty, the guests were satisfied.

I'll tell you how you can manage your time, have time to assemble a table and not get too tired. And what to whip up for guests.

What should be on hand

Good knives (a sharp small one and 1 large one are enough for me);
Cutting board (2 possible);
Grater (large and small);
Several bowls for preparing and mixing the dish;
Spices (which you usually use);
Apron;
Dishes for table setting (plates, forks, spoons, glasses, glasses, glasses and utensils for tea and coffee: cups, saucers, plates for cake, teaspoons), napkins, a jug for drinks (for compote, juice), tablecloth.
Dishes for serving dishes to the table and tablespoons (for laying out salads and other dishes);
Cooking utensils (pots, pans, kettle).

In addition, clean hand towels, toilet paper, and soap are needed in the house. Perhaps slippers, if you and your guests usually wear them.

I cooked on foreign territory. Therefore, I took with me: an apron, spices (dried basil) and a grater (in case I didn’t have one in the house). If you go to cook in someone else’s house and are not sure whether there are comfortable knives there, I advise you to definitely bring your own, proven ones.

What can you buy in the store?

We assume that time is running out. Therefore, complex salads, for which you need to cook and cut a lot of different ingredients or lay them out in a special way, are not suitable for us. You can take them, but only ready-made ones. Yes, I know that ready-made salads are evil, but we have an urgent men's birthday. Here - either everything is from the supermarket kitchen, or we still have time to prepare some of the dishes ourselves, giving the table a homely look.

With our own hands we will only do things that can be prepared quickly. The principle of distribution of forces is as follows:

A few homemade quick and easy meals.
Some prepared food (1-2 salads, 1 meat). This is to guarantee that we will be fed something if we don’t have time to cook.
Snacks - something that will be a tasty addition to dishes or diversify the table, but does not require cooking (sausage, cheese, olives, cherry tomatoes, fruits, candies and other snacks).

I only write what I chose for a specific birthday.for 7-8 people. And you are guided by the situation.

Shopping list

Of the spices, I only had dried basil (for cutlets and cucumbers, but you can do without it). Check if you have salt at home. Otherwise, it must be added to the list.

Ready-made culinary dishes

Salads with mayonnaise to choose from: – 700-800 g– Olivier (almost a win-win option, most guests love him, that’s what we bought). Herring under a fur coat is also an option; women love it. You can take any other delicious salad that you have already bought here and are confident in its quality.
Baked/fried meat: – piece by piece, by the number of guests. We took the meat in French style. Can be replaced or supplemented with chicken thighs or legs (oven-baked or grilled). Choose something traditional, beautiful and fresh.
Vegetable salads – 400 g(not all of them will be). Instead of vegetable salads, we bought 300-400 g of marinated champignons with onions. Options: cabbage salad or sauerkraut if you like it spicy: Korean salads (seaweed, mushrooms, pork ears), Georgian cabbage (large pieces in beet juice). Spicy and fresh diversify the taste sensations of guests.

Semi-finished products

Minced meat (we have delicious pork-beef, pork-chicken and chicken) – 700-800 g.

Canned food

Pickled cucumbers(gherkins) – 1 jar(not necessarily, we haven’t opened it, and there are so many). You can – pickled tomatoes;
Mushrooms (salted are tastier than pickled) – 1 jar. We didn’t buy anything, we made do with those from the culinary industry;
Olives and black olives – 1 jar each;
Pineapples – 1 jar(480 g). This is for a salad with cheese and garlic.

Vegetables fruits

Cherry tomatoes (fresh) – 500 g (packaging). Place the whole sprig on the table. They are very good eaten casually, like grapes (you can take both/or grapes for both a salty and a sweet table). Choose those cherries that sit firmly on the branch, they are fresh (those that have fallen off have been standing for a long time).
Fresh cucumbers – 5-8 pieces(medium size). This is for quick lightly salted cucumbers;
Potato - 2-2.5 kg(whole plastic bag);
Lemon – 1 piece;
Garlic - 1 head;
Bulb onions - 2 heads(in salad and cutlets);
Dill - bun.
Tangerines, grapes, any seasonal fruits and berries. We had 1 kg of tangerines.

Sausage, cheese, minced meat, fish, eggs

Boiled sausage (doctor’s) – 0,5 small loaf;
Boyarskaya sausage(type of ham) – 0,5 small loaf;
Cheese Black Prince(Belarusian) – 250 g. The taste is good, traditional;
Cheese (some kind of regular cheese, like Russian, in a salad) – 100 g;
Processed cheese (Friendship or Orbit) – 1 piece;
Eggs - 1 ten(large);
Herring in oil – 1 package;

Mayonnaise (the hostess’s dream turned out to be quite normal) – 1 small package (200 ml);
Vegetable oil for frying(you only need a little, maybe you have a quarter of a bottle at home).

Beverages

Remember that at a rich table you always want to drink and 1 glass of compote or juice will not be enough for a guest (assume that everyone drinks 2-3 glasses).

Alcohol: wine, martini, vodka - whatever you like. We have 1 bottle each: white and red wine (dry and semi-sweet), Martini Bianco. We drank a little, but everyone had a choice. Focus on your company.
Juice - 2-4 liters(orange, grapefruit, apple, multifruit, tomato) - whatever you like. You can use a three-liter jar of homemade compote.
Mineral water – 2 bottles 1.5 liters each.

Tea - package. Perhaps coffee (we made do with regular Ahmad tea);
Sugar - package lump (refined sugar) or 0.5 kg of regular bulk.

Hercules or semolina- it lies right next to it (you will need a couple of handfuls for cutlets). I took a package of rolled oats, then the owners will cook porridge from the leftovers.

Sweet

Cake - 1 piece(we had 800 g of honey and sour cream, the most common, similar to homemade).
Candies - 500 g. I bought by weight, 3 types - Gulliver (cool, big), Mishka (good) and some ordinary ones. You can just have a box or do without candy.

Bread

Take everything in slices, remember that we don’t have time.

Black or custard - 1 loaf/loaf;
White bread or loaf – 1 piece.

What dishes were on the table (menu)

Cutlets (cooked) - 12-14 pieces came out (depending on size);
French-style meat – 7 pieces;
Olivier salad - a large salad bowl;
Pineapple salad with cheese and garlic (prepared) – 1 medium salad bowl;
Stuffed eggs - 2 plates, Jewish salad of processed cheese with garlic (prepared);
Sliced meats (2 types of sausage and cheese) – 2 plates;
Olives and black olives;
Herring with onions;
Marinated champignons;
Mashed potatoes). I made it with olive oil; I didn’t have any butter or sour cream or milk at home. It turned out delicious.
Cherry tomatoes;
Korean-style tomatoes (prepared in advance).

Procedure

Stewed cutlets

Boil eggs hard– Boil 9 pieces, the tenth raw one is minced. Place in cold water, bring to a boil, cook for 10-12 minutes. Cool in cold water.

Prepare minced meat for cutlets: break 1 egg into the minced meat, add rolled oats (1/2 or 2/3 cup), grate a couple of cloves of garlic (fine grater) and 1 onion (coarse grater) into it. Add a pinch of basil. Add salt. Knead. Let it sit while we peel the potatoes - the flakes will swell and absorb excess moisture.
Lightly salted cucumbers cook and then - peel potatoes(put in water, set to cook 40-50 minutes before guests arrive). Quick preparation of lightly salted cucumbers in slices: wash, cut off the ends. Cut each cucumber in half and cut the rugs into 4 slices. Throw the slices (as they are cut) into a container or jar and add salt on top. Chop a few sprigs of dill and 2-3 cloves of garlic and add to the cucumbers. Close the lid and shake vigorously for 2-3 minutes. Then leave at room temperature until serving (with the lid tightly closed). You can shake them periodically (as soon as you remember them, shake them, they will be better salted).

Lightly salted cucumbers
Fry the cutlets– heat the oil in a frying pan, form cutlets and fry them on both sides until a small crust appears. Fried - place in a pan with a layer of oil at the bottom. When all the cutlets are in the pan, add 2/3 cup of cool water, cover with a lid (or open it slightly if there is no hole in the lid for steam to escape so that the water gradually evaporates) and simmer over low heat until the cutlet smells (30 minutes) . Be careful not to burn.

Eggs stuffed with salad

Stuff eggs– Peel the hard-boiled eggs and cut them into halves. Remove the yolks and mash them with a fork. Add finely grated: processed cheese and 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped onion (1/2 head). Mix. Season with a small amount of mayonnaise. Stuff the eggs with the resulting salad (1 teaspoon per egg). There is no need to compact them, let them be heaped. I decorated with dill and a piece of sweet pepper (yes, we didn’t buy it, I found it in the owner’s refrigerator, but this is not necessary). 4 eggs fit on a dessert plate (7 halves in a circle + 1 in the center), I had 9 (18 halves), the extra one was somehow squeezed in. Before serving, each plate can be placed in a plastic bag (so that the bag on top does not come into contact with the eggs, let air in there). And put in the refrigerator until serving.

Slice sausage and cheese. I cut the sausage loaf lengthwise into 2 parts and then cut it into thin semicircles across the loaf. You probably cut the same way. Place the slices on plates, put them in bags and also put them in the refrigerator so that the slices do not spoil or become rotten.
Make a pineapple salad. Place pineapples in a bowl (pieces or cut rings into pieces), grate cheese (hard, like Russian) into it - a coarse grater, garlic (2 cloves) - a fine grater. Closer to serving, stir and season with mayonnaise.

As you go along, you need to set the table - entrust this to someone at home or run around yourself during breaks between cooking. Set the table, cover with a tablecloth, arrange the plates, lay out napkins (place additional ones in the napkin holder), and forks. Place glasses and glasses. Bring drinks to the table. Place the bread on a plate (cover with a napkin or put it in a bag for now).

Assemble the table: gradually place all the prepared dishes in salad bowls and plates and transfer them to the table. You can immediately put bowls of olives and black olives (they won’t spoil); pickled cucumbers and tomatoes; Place the herring in the herring bowl, add the onion cut into semicircles (half of the stuffed eggs is left). Just when the cutlets arrive, the potatoes are cooked (drain the water, add salt, add oil, mash). I also cut lemon for tea (I sprinkled the circles with sugar to make it tastier, but whoever likes it). Remove salads and cold cuts from the refrigerator right before guests arrive to prevent them from spoiling.

All! Bon appetit!

A quick holiday table in a hurry.

Eggs can also be stuffed with liverwurst, which can be mashed with a fork along with the yolk. You can add a little mayonnaise to this minced meat and add finely chopped onions (either fresh or fried)

Recipes for dishes prepared for the holiday

A more detailed description of the cooking method with a photo, in case I explained something unclear.

A simple home holiday table - what to cook, how to plan the time, how many products will be needed

Pineapple salad (salted)

A quick tomato appetizer is ready!

You need to set the dinner table beautifully not only for the arrival of guests, but also for your family. Even the kitchen and coffee tables deserve special treatment. We offer a few tips to help make your table setting simple and stylish. The main secret lies in the combination of texture, color and accessories.

1. Porcelain and glass

You don't have to spend a fortune on plates or glasses to have an elegant table. If you decorate it correctly, it will look like a million. First of all, you need to pay attention to porcelain and glass.

We start with porcelain. There should be a small plate, a salad plate, and a bowl on the table.
Use a trivet plate. It is quite large and perfectly frames the dishes, outlining its boundaries. You can use a special mat, which you can make yourself from decorative paper if you wish. Simple wreaths and even leaves will do.

Grouping the glasses. If you place more than one glass on the table, then this trick alone will give the table a stylish and elegant look. Glasses should be grouped, there should be glasses for wine and glasses for water.
Cutlery can be connected using ribbon or twine. In addition, they can be beautifully wrapped in a napkin.

2. Tablecloths

Tablecloths can completely change the mood, immediately creating a festive mood. Now there is a huge selection of all kinds of tablecloths, napkins, runners, which must certainly be of different colors, textures and patterns, preferably so that they are all combined with each other. In addition, there should be themed sets that are suitable for certain holidays.

Table runner- a tablecloth in the form of a narrow strip running across the entire table. This is one of the most modern ways to decorate a table, especially if you don’t want to hide a beautiful wooden or glass tabletop completely under the fabric. Such paths are universal. They can be easily laid out on top of a regular tablecloth along the table, you can put them across and designate places for guests.
Tablecloths must be on the holiday table, especially if you want to emphasize the theme or color scheme of the set table.

Napkins. There is no need to give up cloth napkins in favor of disposable ones. They are an integral part of the table design. If you really don’t want to wash them after the holiday, then you should take a closer look at banquet-style paper ones.
Cutlery mat determines a seat for each guest. They can be not only rectangular, but also square (give a modern look) and round (break the angularity of the table).

3. Central composition

There must certainly be a central composition on the holiday table that will decorate it. It will add volume and unite the entire table, but you need to remember that it should be low and narrow.
The main rule is that on each side there should be at least 35 cm left for a person and his cutlery. Therefore, we subtract at least 70 cm from the width of the table; the rest of the space can be used for composition. For the tabletop composition we use flowers, candlesticks, twigs, and stones.

Nowadays, every city has such a variety of restaurants, bars and cafes that inviting guests home has become a rarity. Despite this, the comfort of family dinners and home celebrations with close friends cannot be replaced by any fashionable restaurant. When a housewife is faced with the question of setting a table at home, many begin to panic, because they don’t want to “fall face down in the dirt.”

In fact, there is nothing wrong with setting the table at home. You just need to know the basic rules of etiquette, serving and proper serving of food.

Basic serving rules

When setting the table, special attention should be paid to certain details. Let's get acquainted with them in detail.

Tablecloth

Pay special attention to the tablecloth, even if you are serving a regular table rather than a festive one. Eating at a bare tabletop is not as pleasant as sitting at a clean, light tablecloth. Psychologists and nutritionists are confident that the correct color of this element will improve your mood, eat less, and also gain aesthetic pleasure.

You should not replace the tablecloth with cheap oilcloth, despite its availability and ease of care.
The color of the tablecloth is selected to match the interior, or a calm neutral color.
The tablecloth should fit the table in size - no more, no less. Otherwise, the furniture will look ridiculous and careless.
The shape of the fabric is selected based on the shape of the tabletop.

Dishes

Despite the high cost of good tableware, every housewife should have at least one quality set for 6 or 12 people, a set of identical cutlery, glasses, glasses, and napkin holders. We must not forget that there are separate dishes for cold, hot, appetizers, soups and desserts. Choose it to match the overall service so that there are no awkward combinations.

For everyday purposes, it is enough to have plain dishes from one set. It is much more pleasant when all family members are in harmony even at a home-cooked dinner.

For an anniversary or birthday, standard white tableware is suitable, which seems to never go out of style.

Casual serving

When serving a family lunch or dinner, there is no need to take out your entire “real housewife” arsenal. Just look at the menu to determine the types of plates and utensils that are needed for it. Decide whether there will be alcoholic drinks on the table and how many people will drink them. There is no need to give children the same glasses as adults.

Let's get acquainted with the nuances of everyday serving.

First place a decorative plate, then dishes for the main course. A deep bowl for soup is placed on it.
Decorative plate primarily serves to protect the tablecloth from contamination, since its edges protrude beyond the main elements. If you don’t have decorative dishes on hand, a large flat plate for hot dishes will do.
be careful: even for everyday serving, it is better to pour soup from a tureen at the table (into everyone’s plate) than to carry dishes from the stove, spilling at every step.
It can be exactly the same with hot– if a hot dish is already on the table, you can serve it from a common plate. If this is not possible, ask your children or spouse to help you bring hot food.

There should be devices for everyone– the “one knife for all” option will not work. Even when dining at home, each family member should feel comfortable.
Based on the rules of etiquette, the knife and tablespoon are to the right of the plate, the fork is to the left.
Glasses and glasses located on the right side of the serving plate diagonally.
At a normal lunch or dinner, it is more profitable to use simple paper napkins. Match their color to the color scheme of the entire table - white will still look great.

Festive table setting

Only small nuances appear.

So, when serving a holiday, in addition to a decorative plate, a plate for hot dishes, and a plate for soup, a snack plate is served.
For festive serving, in addition to a knife, a tablespoon and a fork, a dessert fork and a small spoon for coffee or tea should be placed above the decorative plate.
If a pie plate is placed when serving, you must place a knife on it.
The tallest glass should be placed first, and the spirit glass last.
Fabric napkins will not only add sophistication to your table, but will also become a basic necessity for guests. There is a large selection of folded napkins for serving with various accessories. You can also fold it beautifully yourself.

Sauces, salt and pepper are placed in the center of the table so that any guest can reach them without problems.
All drinks must be already opened and uncorked on the table.
With a large number of guests, we must not forget about the rule of serving dishes: the feast begins with the presentation of appetizers, canapés, and sandwiches.
Every dish placed on the table must have a spoon. This way, you make it clear to the guest that he can serve his own food.
The order in which plates of food are served to a person should correspond to his status and position. First, adult women are served, then men, and then children.

Features of festive serving

Knowing the basic rules of etiquette and the principles of basic serving, there is nothing easier than setting a festive table. Here your imagination, taste and small tricks that you need to know will help you.

Before preparing dishes and setting the table, think over the concept of the holiday. It will be very ridiculous if a children's birthday party is decorated in monotonous colors, and a business lunch is decorated with bright napkins with clowns or flowers.

It is important to remember that all guests are different: festive table setting involves a larger number of people - some may be tall, some may be short, some may be left-handed, some may be right-handed.

Consider the convenience of all guests.

If the table does not allow you to place all serving items in the required order and sequence, or there is not enough space to arrange appetizers, salads and other dishes, then use the idea of a serving table. This can be a coffee table option or any other one, designed in the style of a common table. Match the tablecloth and decoration with napkins. It is important that the decor does not seem out of place.

Decorative elements can create a festive mood:

candlesticks;
Natural flowers;
accessories (including ribbons and bows).

So, when decorating a wedding banquet, a lot of voluminous accessories are always used - it doesn’t look vulgar.

It is important not to overload the table, not to clutter it with unnecessary things, and also to choose appropriate decor for the occasion.

Don't be afraid to use balloons or whole arches if it's someone's birthday or anniversary.

If the festive table setting is being prepared for a themed event, be it New Year or Christmas, complement the table with suitable decor: gingerbread cookies in Santa Claus hats, candy canes, gingerbread houses. Each thematic event has its own set of elements, which depends only on your imagination.

There will be many guests, but not enough identical dishes - and here there is a solution. Plates and cutlery can be combined with each other, even if they are of different shapes and colors. Determine the overall color scheme, experiment with placing dishes on top of each other, and complement them with napkins.

Do not use more than three colors for one table setting. Bright colors will distract the eye, or even kill your appetite. Calm, pastel colors can merge into one inconspicuous spot.

Your main assistant will be timing. Properly planned serving times for dishes and dessert will help you avoid putting all the dishes on the table at the same time, as well as correctly distribute your energy.

Another nuance of proper serving is the location of the guests. It’s unlikely that you want, instead of admiration for your table, dishes and comfort, to hear the barbs of the guests sitting next to you all evening.

Children's holiday

Celebrations attended only by adults or adults with children are much less hectic than children's birthdays.

Despite the fact that here you need to think through the space as much as possible, make it not only comfortable, but also safe for children, one can only envy the freedom of imagination.

Style and Unity- important elements at a children's birthday party, so take care of the harmonious combination of the holiday, the number of boys and girls with everything around: from the choice of tablecloth to decorative elements.
Refer to details of positive colors. There should be no dark fabrics or napkins on the table. Avoid gothic or vintage style decor. Use exclusively cheerful details.
It is useless to provide children with porcelain dishes. or a family heirloom (antique set). There is no point in scolding kids for breaking a cup if they accidentally knocked it over with their elbow while playing.

Now in stores you can find a huge variety of disposable colored cardboard tableware with faces, balls or characters from your favorite cartoons. Children will be happy with this serving.