For white Americans, my expectations are very low. If there’s any food, yay!
For other cultures, there’s usually something yummy, even if it’s 1 dish, a salad and store bought appetizers.

honestly, i think home cooked food is better. sure, fill in some spots with purchased.

i went to a party today that was italian from a decent restaurant, by the time it was served it was nothing like it would be at the restaurant. sauces broken etc.

i can supply better food myself.

I am fine with Costco or any other store or home made food. I am mainly there to socialize. It’s nice to have foods and drinks to make the socializing more pleasant.

Costco is fine. If it isn't then people will eat later.

personally i don’t tinnitus trashy, but id just hold my appetite and eat afterwards. If i host and don’t care to cook, i normally cater.

Anonymous wrote:We all recognize the Costco food. If that's what's offered I probably won't eat much and will just eat when I get home. It's just not good. It's cheap, easy, and feeds a crowd, but it's nothing to look forward to.

This. I don’t really eat like this and it’s just a bunch of low grade calories with no real flavor reward.

Anonymous wrote:Parties that we go to are always cater with the host's chef. So, not Costco.

OP do all of the parties you go to cater with the host’s chef? Do you have a chef that your husband would prefer to use vs getting apps from Costco?

If not I wouldn’t sweat it. If your husband has feelings about where you are sourcing party food I hope he can come up with a solution that works better for him!

Anonymous wrote:Parties that we go to are always cater with the host's chef. So, not Costco.

Me parties also cater with chef.

Parties that we go to are always cater with the host's chef. So, not Costco.

If you don’t or can’t cook, then you order out. There are plenty of good restaurant options for a group of under 15. Or do a mix such as order out for entree but make a big chopped salad and homemade dessert. But Costco? Never. It comes across as cheap and thoughtless.

Costco food served as is? Or Costco food repurposed?

When I am cook for a party, I usually use some pre-made elements from different shops/restaurants.
For example - I use samosas bought from an Indian caterer to make samosa-chole chaat. The chutneys are homemade and store-bought. I usually make the chole, and elevate the tamarind chutney by adding raisins, nuts in it. The yogurt is usually store bought too.

Costco smoked salmon to make appetizers (pinwheels), sandwiches and salads. I have even used it with a thai sauce and served on rice crackers as an appetizer and people raved about it.

I use WF tomato soup and costco rotisserie chicken to make a version of butter chicken. Costco rotisserie chicken to make stuffed fritters as finger food. Latkes is so versatile - use it as a base to serve chaat, or make a latke and egg curry, you can use it as a stuffing for all kinds of breads and fritter.

In my version of gimbap, I use costco seaweed salad. I make a rice bowl with lots of fresh veggies, seaweed salad, chopped up salmon, sesame seeds, a hint of kimchi, boiled eggs soaked in a concoction of sauces etc. I have also made soups, and kofta curries out of korean dumplings. Yakitori bowls can be elevated by adding minced veggies, garlic, cilantro, green onions, lemon, peanuts, sesame seeds, eggs. I have made fruit cream pie base with gulab jamuns and rasmalai.

I love costco.

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Anonymous wrote:Just do a pot luck. If everyone just brings one thing they tend to go a little more all out making something for a crowd or from a known popular place. The food will be better.

Ew no. If you're hosting, you should provide the food. Don't make other people supply food for your party.

If by providing you're just buying a bunch of Costco food then you're barely doing anything. At least give other people a chance to bring something decent.

Nope. You're trying to say it's better for the guests if they have to cook themselves rather than eat costco food, but I disagree. If you're a lazy host, just let someone else host. If you don't want to provide food for your guests, go out to eat. You're creating work for your guests and that's inappropriate.

Nope. We all know everyone is busy. Nobody really wants to host and it’s a giant pain in the ass. But people want to get together. So everyone pitching in lightens the load and might make others more likely to host in the future if it’s not such a massive undertaking. Do you want more parties or fewer when people just give up because the takers never reciproate?

Is this the crux of your issue? Your friends don't reciprocate so you punish them by forcing them to bring food to your house so you don't have to do any actual work to host? I'm confused as to why you want to host people you don't seem to like (calling your friends "takers" is certainly a choice). Just decline hosting if you don't want to. I'm sure no one is knocking down your door to cook you food so... what's the point.

Nope again. I host and go to parties often. We all bring something to share. You all don’t go to parties much if Costco food excites you and you’re just happy to be invited. You don’t get out much, we get it.

You always show up with a potluck dish to every party? That's actually one of the most bizarre things I've ever heard. Someone hosts a baby shower and you're showing up with jello salad? So weird.

The thread is “house parties”. Do you want to talk about wedding, funeral, and baby shower food? You know, parties not usually at a house? Some of you don’t go to many parties and it shows.

Says the person that doesn't even provide food at hers Yeah I'm not going to take condemnation from someone who can't even provide the most basic items for guests at a party lol.

What condemnation? For an informal party this is quite the norm in many circles I’ve been in of people who can well afford whatever they want. But it’s fun, some people have their specialties of what they all bring, it’s low stress, and encourages the most reluctant host to host. Because the point is to just be together not to put on airs and blow anyone’s socks off. The problem with the Costco food is that it’s just so bad.

LOL! Yeah right. This is college level hosting at best. Please, stop giving your "advice" to people who actually know how to host.

Lol. Ok. You have no idea how the other half lives.

DP. I know how the poors live. I grew up quite poor. Potlucks were the common denominator at all parties, because most people couldn't afford to cook for everyone in attendance. In my circles now these are incredibly uncommon and would be considered pretty rude honestly. Both the implication that a) I can't afford to host so please bring your own food or b) I think you can't afford to host, so I'm going to bring my own food to your party. Either way, it's not common where I am and might be a "know your crowd" type of thing.

I think this is the most salient point in this entire thread. In some circles, Costco dinners would be completely acceptable, in others, not. Only OP knows what circles she runs in.

Americans are so lonely that is becoming a public health issue. Nitpicking the people that are willing to host and bring people together isn't helpful. Costco is just fine - keep hosting however you can manage it!

I'm at the party to see people. I'd rather have delicious food, but if I don't like what's being served, I'll just eat something later.

I don't care what people serve. I'm happy to be invited.