Easy Dinner Party Menus: Four Prepared Meal Ideas

Preparation rule: For best results, defrost food in the refrigerator before use. Never submerge food or its packaging in water to defrost or reheat it. Some products give better results cooked from frozen; use that method only where the product’s instructions state it.

The hard part of a dinner party has never been the cooking. It is the timing — three courses landing in the right order while you are also opening the door, pouring drinks and finding another chair. Take the cooking out and the timing problem mostly solves itself.

Choose your menu around the number of guests, then check each product’s current serving size and price before ordering. Delivery and any extras affect the final cost per person. Book an available delivery date before the occasion and follow each pack’s thawing instructions; the longest-preparation dish should set the schedule for the whole menu.

Below are four three-course menu ideas using products on the active menu, with food totals checked on 12 September 2026. Stock and prices may change. Check the current product pages before ordering; totals exclude delivery, discounts and anything you add at home.

Plan it backwards from the fridge

Everything else is straightforward, so this is the only part that needs thought. Frozen dishes should be defrosted in the fridge rather than on the bench — that is the food safety advice, and it also gives a better result. Large cuts need much longer than people expect.

Choose the delivery date first, then plan backwards from serving time using each pack’s thawing and heating steps. Different dishes need different lead times; cookies, for example, are baked from frozen. Do not use one thawing schedule for the whole menu.

Menu one — Greek, for four

The lamb shoulder does the heavy lifting here, and it is the single most reliable dish on the menu for feeding people who are paying attention.

Both the lamb and gratin need oven space. Check the latest packaging for each dish and allow for any different temperatures. Use the lamb shoulder instructions rather than assuming its twelve-hour cooking name is a reheating time.

Menu two — Italian, for four

The one to choose if you want to be in the room rather than the kitchen. Nothing here needs more than a pot of water and an oven dish.

Swap the lasagne for Marco's Signature Bolognese × 2 and Parsley and Shallot Linguine × 2: the main-course food cost is also $64 at the prices checked. Preparation time depends on both packs. The apple dessert contains six tartlets, so a four-person menu leaves two extra.

Menu three — Spice, for four

Two curries rather than one let guests try different flavours. This menu has the lowest food total of the four. Check allergens for the whole menu: the cauliflower and Comté soup and naan mean this is not a dairy-free or gluten-free menu.

Read the current curry instructions before starting. The prawn curry must be cooked through as directed; the cookies need 15–20 minutes in a 160°C fan-forced oven from frozen, followed by cooling. Plan the naan’s own instructions alongside these, rather than treating the whole menu as a stovetop meal.

Menu four — Sunday roast, for six

The biggest of the four, and the one that looks the most like you spent the day on it.

Two practical notes

Standard delivery is $14.95 in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane metro delivery zones. Free delivery is available from $179 for Sydney metro and $199 for other eligible areas. Regional charges vary by postcode. The minimum food order is $80 after all discounts, excluding delivery; a $40 discount therefore requires $120 of food before the discount. Check your address and available dates on our delivery page. The food totals here are $143, $148, $136 and $245. Only the $245 menu exceeds both published free-delivery thresholds before discounts; the delivery checker and checkout show the applicable charge.

Choose an available delivery date before your occasion, allowing enough time for the preparation printed on your packs. Avoid relying on a fixed two- or three-day delivery promise; dates depend on your address and capacity.

Common questions