As a dinner host. you will be well tested on， not just your cooking skills， but also your organizational skills. Here are 10 tips to help make you the perfect host.

Try to plan about two or three weeks ahead for an organized dinner party. For two important reasons: First， people are so busy you simply have to invite them well ahead. You don't want to end up with a situation where only half your guest list can come. Second， you have plenty of time to cross your jobs off bit by bit， instead of trying to do them all at once.

Menu-planning can be a daunting task. Picking a theme will help you narrow down your choices of potential dishes. A theme helps the menu fall easily into place.

There's nothing worse than slaving all day over a beautiful roast chicken only to discover that half your guests are vegetarian and won't touch your food. When in doubt， go vegetarian. It is still better to check on dietary quirks， just to be safe; you may discover that one of your guests is vegan， another allergic to garlic; all considerations that should be taken into account when preparing your feast.

Set out some snacks before everyone shows up - give your guests something to munch on， so that they won't just be standing around idly， waiting for you to finish up what you're doing. A plate of antipasti， chips and salsa， raw veggies and dip， hummus and pita， assorted nuts， will all work fine. Avoid serving anything too heavy， however， as you don't want your guests to spoil their appetite.

Break the ice by making an effort to finding common threads between your guests. It seems old-fashioned， but it's one of the keys to having your guests enjoy themselves.

Especially on hot humid evenings， nothing is better than having lots of ice ready to keep everything nice and cool.

Never try out a new recipe at a dinner party period. This will reduce unnecessary stress and trauma before your dinner guests arrive.