Even with the best-laid plans, holiday parties have a habit of sneaking up on us unexpectedly. And sometimes, you could use a few last-minute tips to help you host your own shindig or attend someone else’s. Here are a few of our favourites to keep your festive festing on track!

1. When cooking our party foods, especially ones wrapped in phyllo or puff pastry, make sure to use parchment paper to line your baking pans. It helps prevent sticking to preserve the look of the appetizers, but also makes clean-up a breeze.
2. If you’re serving any of our meatballs in sauce, offer your guests pretzels instead of toothpicks as an easy, mess- free option. Instead of tossing toothpicks when finished, guest simply eat their utensil and can get back to partying quickly!
3. Think you’ll have more guests than anticipated? Before you prepare our Pizza Rolls, try cutting them into smaller, half-size portions with kitchen scissors. Doing this while they are frozen makes a cleaner cut, and allows you to double your number of serving pieces for larger groups.
4. Need a last-minute potluck idea?  In a casserole dish, combine your favourite vegetable variety like our California Style Mixed Vegetables with cheese sauce and a can of mushroom soup. Top with grated cheese and bake until bubbly.
5. If you need a quick, last-minute hostess or thank you gift, consider keeping some small denomination M&M Food Market Gift Cards handy. They make a great gift when presented inside a clear Christmas ornament.