Outdoor entertaining – with Sainsbury’s Home

Outdoor entertaining is so simple. All you need are a few simple accessories and some great company. Food just tastes better outdoors – as does a glass of wine! Everything feels more relaxed and it’s one of the things that I really look forward to every year.

Sainsbury’s Home recently asked me to choose my favourite pieces from their outdoor dining range – it was the perfect opportunity to spruce up my outdoor entertaining kit…

For fabulous al fresco meals you need a great set of outdoor plates, bowls and glasses. We often have children round, so I prefer to choose melamine plates that won’t break.

These dark navy plates (£3.50 each) and the matching stripy salad bowl (£8.50) look really gorgeous and are a great choice for colourful summer food. They’re also surprisingly heavy and grown-up.

A set of pretty pink plastic tumblers (£2.75 each) work beautifully with the navy coloured tableware. I think they look just like pressed glass, except they’re about a thousand times more practical.

It’s also a great idea to have a couple of key pieces that’ll really add some pizzaz to your outdoor table. I love this pair of rose gold salad servers (£6.50) and the enamel wine bucket (£10) – which also doubles up as a planter.

Finally, don’t forget to make your guests as comfortable as possible. I love these outdoor cushions  (£10 each) in a pretty blush pink. And if it’s a cool evening, why not put out some throws too?

What are your favourite tips for perfect outdoor entertaining?

Sainsbury’s Home sent me a voucher to use to create this post. You can find items in store or order them with your grocery shopping.