How to Host a Fun & Easy Ladies’ Morning

 This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, INC. and The Coca-Cola Company, all opinions are mine alone. #DunkinatGiantEagle #CollectiveBias

Have you been beyond busy the last couple of months?  With a new writing project, our big yard improvements and the usual busyness of family life, my head has been spinning.  I have been running here and there with no end in sight.  And in what often seems like so much chaos, I needed some time to slow down and connect with friends.  So I threw together a fun and easy ladies’ morning get-together.  And when I say “threw,” I am being literal.  I did this whole thing quickly and simply because that is all I could tackle right now.

And do you know what?

It was simple.  It was easy.

And it happened!

Plus, it was so much fun . . . and exactly what I needed.

Here is how I did it and how you can, too!

Pick a Simple Menu

While there are times for baking everything yourself and setting up fun food and beverage bars, for this little party I needed something more practical.  And that is where the new bottled Dunkin’ Donuts Iced Coffee came in!  I thought this would be the perfect treat for a ladies’ morning.  Served alongside baked goods, the iced coffee took center stage at our casual breakfast!

Even though I was going simple on my menu, I still wanted to offer choices to my guests because in my world of menu planning for a party, variety equals fun.  Here is where I was able to do it.  I offered four flavors of Dunkin’ Donuts Iced Coffee:  Original, Mocha, Espresso and French Vanilla.

Each bottle is a refreshing beverage with a smooth, flavorful coffee taste . . . one that can keep you going throughout your day.  I drank the French Vanilla and it was delicious!  Whether you’re enjoying Dunkin’ Donuts Iced Coffee at breakfast or any other time of day, it will give you that boost to help get things done.  And we all could use that!

Go Store-Bought and Pre-Made!

There wasn’t time to do any baking last week.  So in keeping things ultra simple, I bought prepared breakfast foods from Giant Eagle.  It was perfect!  Between the iced coffee and baked items, Giant Eagle was my one stop shop for this little gathering.   Entertaining becomes less difficult when you only have to run to one place for all your needs.

I served plain and asiago cheese bagels, biscotti, nut bread and muffins.  Can you tell I was going a little more savory than sweet?  If you’re serving bagels, don’t forget to have butter and a toaster available.

Send Text Messages to Keep Invitations Simple

Since we are not planning a formal soiree but rather a casual get-together, text messages are completely fine to use to invite your guests.  I texted friends the evening before saying something like this:  “Things have been crazy busy lately and I would love the chance to slow down even for a brief time and connect with some friends.   If you’re free, stop by tomorrow between 9:30am and 10:30am for some Dunkin’ Donuts Iced Coffee and savory carbs.”  One run to the store and several texts later, our fun was underway!

Shop Your House to Create a Cute Buffet

You may be amazed what you can come up with to put on the buffet if you just walk around your house.  I used my galvanized bucket for the iced coffees, a reclaimed wine barrel tray for my food, a bird cage for added decor and my refinished tea cart to hold everything.  I also found this cute circle banner to add “a little pretty” as a backdrop.  Do you have old birthday decorations you could repurpose and reuse to add interest to your tablescape?

Keep Set Up Easy

When time is precious, don’t worry about pre-plating everything on different platters.  Line a tray with a napkin and put all your food in one place.  It will look bountiful . . . plus you’ll have less to wash afterwards.

If you’re using a big tub for the iced coffee like I did, don’t try to fill the whole thing up with ice.  Place an overturned bowl at the bottom and put a plate on top of that.  You’ll need a lot less ice!

Once you have your set-up complete and have arranged the food and drinks, don’t forget to start a playlist to set the mood for your party.  Decide whether you want something relaxing or more upbeat.  For our ladies’ morning, I played beautiful instrumental music . . . it was warm and inviting.

I love it when things look good, taste great and are stress-free.  All of this allows me more time to focus on connecting with my guests.  For this ladies’ morning, everything was kept simple but it was perfect for a busy hostess and her friends.

Wondering where to pick up Dunkin’ Donuts Iced Coffee?  Here is where you can find it at Giant Eagle:

Do you need to carve out time to connect with friends?  Keep things simple and yummy with Dunkin’ Donuts Iced Coffee and already prepared foods from Giant Eagle.  Click this link to find a store around you.