The Roommates' Dinner Dilemma

Sharing a kitchen with roommates is a completely unique experience that can either work our great or be a complete disaster. Everything from the amount of space one has in the refrigerator to how to keep the kitchen clean is a potential obstacle. As a result, hosting dinner parties and get-togethers can create tremendous tension. However, these events are supposed to be enjoyable and can easily be with some help.

The first difficulty: the guest list.

Be sure to divide the guest list evenly among the roommates, meaning that each roommate gets to invite a certain number of people. This gives each roommate a reason to want to make sure the event is a success, gives a great opportunity to meet new people, and also keeps the event from being the typical grouping of the same people.
The next item on the to- do list is coming up with a menu.

Embrace the different culture that each roommate has; share your favorite dishes from your childhood or your favorite comfort foods or even pick a theme that all the foods must incorporate. The idea is to get creative and learn about each other through food.
Make sure that each roommate has a unique dish that they can make for the event.
The process of actually cooking the dinner can either be an exciting and fun event or a messy affair. Make sure to purchase all of the ingredients the day before the event. This cuts down on stress and keeps everything well organized. The tasks of making up each dish for the dinner can be divided among the roommates, with each roommate cooking a certain dish. This allows you all to all work together in a timely manner and have fun throughout the process. However, sometimes there just might be too many "chiefs in the kitchen" or you just don't have the necessary amount of time. The best answer to this dilemma is to alternate who cooks. One or two roommates can cook for the event while the other roommate(s) clean up or decorate. Just remember to divide up the work.

By co-hosting the events, roommates get to work together to create a more enjoyable evening for everyone. New cooking skills, appreciation for new foods, and life-long bonds will result. The key is to be flexible and laugh through any mishaps that could result.