Lynn Kriebel has been cooking and entertaining for decades! She started making flavored gourmet sourdough pretzel nuggets when her children were young. Garlic pretzels were the first flavor and still a favorite of her eldest son. The kids and their friends loved the flavored pretzel snacks so much, Lynn started using them as appetizers when she entertained friends for drinks and family for holiday gatherings.
When you think of hosting a party or holiday occasion, stress can set in because you are thinking of all the work you have to do – menu planning, shopping, getting the house ready, and making sure everyone has a great time. But it doesn’t have to be that way!
OMG! Pretzels have a long history of helping make every event delicious and fun with innovative and bold seasoning blends that make our pretzels perfect for easy entertaining. Our wide variety of flavors, including: Sweet & Salty, Chesapeake Spice, Cheddar Jalapeno, Sweet & Spicy, Lemon Pepper, Salty Butterscotch, and Sweet Chili allow OMG! Pretzels to fit with any theme or flavor profile you choose. For brunch, Lynn adds Sweet & Salty Pretzels to baked French toast casserole or Chesapeake Spice Pretzels to an egg casserole for a fun and crunchy topping. For dessert, she adds Sweet Chili Pretzels between layers of chocolate cake for a surprise crunch and a little heat.
6 Tips for Hosting Success
- Use the people who are coming and the type of occasion or get together as the foundation for the rest of your planning. “If I’m just serving appetizers and drinks for watching a big game like the Superbowl, I plan things differently than if it’s an elegant dinner party,” she notes. “Easy entertaining is key. What’s the point in having people over if you don’t get to have fun with them?”
- Lynn loves to offer guests various flavors of our sourdough pretzel bites because they are so versatile and are an easy way to add a lot of flavor. Different flavored pretzels pair well with beer and wine, so she takes that into account as well.
- Have some go-to recipes and ready-made options. For instance, she always puts out some pretzels for when people are arriving, just for a little something to munch on regardless of the occasion. “I always label the flavors of pretzels, as well as any cheeses or dips I use with them, so people know what they are eating,” she says. “I like to place the food around my entertaining space so it’s interactive and fun.”
- Plan ahead, she says. “If I’m serving dinner, I also plan small hors d’oeuvres and dessert and start planning a week ahead of time, so I don’t leave all the work for the day of the dinner party,” Lynn shares. “I think about what I want to serve as the entrée first and then plan the appetizer and dessert. I want the whole menu to be cohesive.”
- Divide up the work, so you aren’t stressed the day of your event. She breaks it down like this:
- Clean the house three to four days before.
- Make the flower arrangement or centerpiece two days before.
- Choose make-ahead side dishes and desserts that can be prepared two to three days in advance and warmed up the day of, so you can relax and be with people and not in the kitchen the whole time.
- Set the table the night before or the morning of your event.
- Mix it up, try new things, and have fun!
We hope these easy entertaining tips with pretzels will help you make your next gathering fun, festive and stress-free! Making memories with family and friends is so important. We’re glad to be part of your celebrations.
