Being able to throw a party at a moment’s notice, whether this means hosting a Lord of the Rings marathon or catering a work event, is something to which many people aspire. Unfortunately, this also means having to buy a lot of stuff.
Most of you reading this probably have neither the budget nor the storage space to buy things like ramekins, pastry stands, multi cookers, and other fancy junk for only occasional use. If you’re smart, however, you’ll find that it’s possible to cut a few corners without compromising too much on style.
Covering ordinary plastic trays with foil gives you an elegant-looking serving dish you don’t even have to wash, labeling a glass for each guest with a nice card looks thoughtful while reducing the cleanup after, and using these clip-on condiment holders turns any handy plate into a snack station.
The brightly-colored plastic bowls don’t look quite as graceful as some other options, but they’re certain to appeal to children. The clips are not, however, made to stand up to rough handling: if your kid insists on dancing around while eating, you may end up having to wipe mayonnaise off the wall after dinner.
With eight different bowls in four colors in each set, you’re free to either arrange several different dipping sauces around a snack platter or serve individual plates with a healthy portion of hummus, relish, or ketchup. You could also color-code your sauces, for example by spiciness or to indicate vegetarian options.
The cups don’t take up any room on the plate; they help keep sauces separate from foods they’re not meant to mix with and are great for picnics. You’ll probably not want to use them at more formal events, though.
An additional criticism is that the clip is located on the bottom of the bowl: this makes it possible to put your plate down while it’s attached, but prevents you from sliding your dipping bowls into one another for more compact storage. If this doesn’t bother you, though, and especially if the younger members of your household are fussy eaters, you can hardly go wrong at this price.
