Dinner Parties Are In for 2025, And They’re Essential to Easing Our Crisis of Connection

The era of the Dinner Party is upon us, and I feel pretty confident in making that statement. It's not as if dinner parties are anything new, but there's been a resurgence—particularly among young people—that's worth paying attention to. Not only because dinner parties are a delightfully classic way to gather, but because it’s become clear they're an essential piece of the puzzle to solve our current crisis of connection.

It's no secret that loneliness and a lack of community are majorly detrimental to mental health, but when you feel stuck in this way it seems impossible to overcome. We’re all desperate to make more friends and build intentional community offline, IRL…but how? When constantly looking down at our phones it can feel like our social muscles have atrophied and our insecurities have ballooned. Stay with me here—this is where smaller intimate gatherings like dinner parties come in.

I was talking to a friend in her 50s about my observations and she said that the desire to host dinner parties is partially an age thing, in the sense that as we get older we stop wanting to go out on the town and would prefer to invite friends into our nests. But I insisted that the current dinner party trend was more than that because it's happening among people in their early and mid-20s—a generation who came of age during the pandemic and are maybe a little socially stunted as a result...heck, we all are.

People are drawn to dinner parties because they are intimate, intentional, and force you to truly be present. They're a remedy to relentless consumerism, the need to "see and be seen", and the pressure we feel to always be putting ourselves out there. Hosting or attending a dinner party does force us to put ourselves out there, certainly, but in a manner that's a lot better for our social healing than going to a big party or the club.

I put together this guide because I'm a big believer in the power of the dinner party and have experienced firsthand its benefits for social anxiety and mental health. "The most important thing while entertaining and minimizing anxiety is how you feel while doing it. If you feel good, your guests will, too,” says food and lifestyle expert Chadwick Boyd.

You don't need a huge group of friends either. Just trust me, read on, and get your nice wine glasses down from the top shelf.

We Should All Host More Dinner Parties

For me (and many others) my biggest fears around organizing a big social event are twofold: rejection, and it not being good enough. I tend to have very high standards for myself and get this anxiety that my house won't be clean enough, my food won't be seasoned enough, and half the guests won't show up. 

I hosted a housewarming party a couple of weeks ago which was ultimately a roaring success, however, about two hours before the party began 10 people texted me saying they could no longer make it. This is inevitable for any party but my rejection sensitivity dysphoria still reared its ugly head. 

But instead of spiraling about it I took a deep breath and reframed the situation—having fewer people will make the space less crowded and invite more intimate conversation—and the night was a big hit as it was destined to be!

All that to say: hosting a party, especially a dinner party, can be scary. But that shouldn't stop us from doing it! Every time we push ourselves a little bit it helps us grow in so many ways and will be well worth it for our mental health.

Some Solid Advice on Making Friends as an Adult

There are so many reasons why friendships in adulthood can feel harder than they were when we were kids. We don’t have the shared experience of going to the same schools or being on the playground at recess, nor do we have our parents to facilitate playdates for us. Instead, life is busy and complicated and free time is a scarce resource. 

But these things shouldn’t stop you from feeling confident about your ability to make friends in adulthood. It just might take a little more effort to find people you click with. You can join clubs, strike up conversations with people at the dog park, or maybe even host a dinner party! Read on for more tips.

All The Surprising Ways Dinner Parties Can Ease Social Anxiety

Social anxiety is, ironically, one of the biggest blockers to making new friends because we instinctively avoid social situations with new people. Our mouths get dry, our palms get sweaty as we anticipate with dread the idea of making small talk. Then we convince ourselves we’ll have nothing in common with anyone and decide it’s probably best to stay home. 

But no matter how your concerns about socializing manifest, certain types of get-togethers are bound to be more daunting than others. So if you're looking for a way to break out of your comfort zone, make some new friends, and leave feeling more socially competent than before, the dinner party might be right for you. I know it's obvious, but eating homemade food with friends is a salve for the most savvy and nervous among us. Here's why.

Foolproof Conversation Starters That Can Lead to New Friends 

Even if you’ve done the hard work of pushing past your fears and have shown up to the function, your next hurdle is figuring out what to talk about. Starting conversations with new people can be super intimidating because we all know first impressions matter. Luckily, it’s easier than you think. The key is to ask lots of questions and prompt discussions that are open-ended and encourage curiosity.

Making new friends can be scary, but we know you know that you’re awesome—sometimes we all just need a little extra support when it comes to figuring out what to talk about. This article will help. 

Cooking Your Own Food Is Great For Your Mental Health

Cooking at home has many benefits—it’s healthier, saves money, and strengthens your self-sufficiency. The benefits that cooking can have for your mental health are less often discussed. Obviously, getting better nutrition is great for our brains, but the physical practice of preparing food for ourselves from scratch activates our reward receptors. 

Hosting a dinner party no doubt requires some degree of home cooking, but cooking doesn’t come easily to everyone. Whether you’re an aspiring host or just looking for a little motivation to crack open that cookbook, this article is worth a read. 

How to Keep a Conversation Going: Strategies That Actually Work

Ok, so you’re at a dinner party seated next to someone you only know a little bit and maybe don’t have a ton in common with…or at least you don’t think you do. Being good in conversation is a skill that takes practice just like anything else, and knowing how to keep an engaging dialogue going will always pay off socially. 

Keep these tips in mind the next time you feel stumped after you’ve been chatting with someone for a while. 

Your (Mostly) Stress-Free Guide to Hosting an Unforgettable Dinner Party

If you’ve made it this far and we’ve successfully convinced you it’s worth hosting a dinner party, bravo! Now, where to begin? Some of it might be obvious: find a recipe, do your grocery shopping, text your friends, but you might be surprised how many little stressors add up when you’re planning a big event. 

What if I forget that two of my friends are gluten-intolerant, and then I overcook the lasagna and suddenly I’m anxiety spiraling because my reputation as a host is damaged for good?

We all think in extremes like this, especially the perfectionistic people-pleasers among us (read: me) but what we have to remember is that people are far more forgiving and compassionate than we give them credit for. So we need to try and be a little more compassionate towards ourselves as well.

Still, it helps to have a plan in place when hosting because it’ll make the party even more likely to be a success! 

In this article I’m going to answer, to the best of my ability and with the help of some esteemed experts, all your questions about throwing a dinner party when you're dealing with anxiety.