Have you ever been to a dinner party, barbecue, or just a meal with friends, and thought that although the main food was lovely, it was the side dish that really stood out? That happens more than you might think, and no matter how great the perfect steak or juicy chicken might be, it’s the side dishes – things like potato salad, mac and cheese, or bread – that you remember the most after you’ve gone home. So what is it about side dishes that make them so important? Keep reading to find out.
They Complement The Main Dish
The main dish is just that – main – but side dishes are ideal to go along with that food, and they’re there to add flavor and texture to the dish, which just makes it even better. If you’ve ever had a nice meal but it just didn’t feel like everything was there and that it wasn’t quite complete, that’s probably because there weren’t any side dishes to go with it.
Side dishes work by giving any meal balance, and if you choose your side dish well, then that’s precisely what they’ll do. One example you could use is to have a crisp salad with a rich or heavy dish because it lightens everything up, and if you’ve got something grilled, creamy mashed potatoes can work wonders to bring the dish to life. It’s all about getting the balance right, whether that’s to do with flavor, texture, or how the food makes you feel when you eat it.
You Get More Variety
Who’s going to enjoy (and remember) a boring meal? No one, and if you’re hoping to impress with a wonderful dinner party of a backyard barbecue everyone’s going to love, the food really does have to stand out. When you’ve got the right side dishes, they’ll bring variety to the meal (and to people’s plates) and give them different tastes and flavors to try out. And because they’re side dishes, people can generally pick and choose what they have and how much, so they can create their own unique meals, which is a lot of fun too.
Side dishes are also a great way to add some creativity to your meals (and being creative isn’t just fun – it’s good for you too because it keeps your brain active, so the more you can do it, the better). Yes, you can stick to classic recipes that you know people will like, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but you can also experiment if you want to, trying out new ingredients and ways to cook. It could even be that you unique side dish becomes everyone’s new favorite food!
They Cater To Everyone’s Tastes
The fact is that although you’ll try your best, not everyone’s going to like the same main dish, and that’s where side dishes can become really important – they might even save the day. With the right variety of side dishes, everyone can find something they enjoy, so they’ll all be able to eat, and since you won’t want your guests going hungry, that’s perfect!
A good example is if you’re serving a lighter dish or perhaps a vegetarian one, and in that case a wide like something with cheese that’s a little indulgent, or perhaps a fluffy bread basket made using a special cornbread mix can be hearty and tasty and make up for a lack of meat (which some of your guests are sure to notice). And of course, if you do find that someone you’ve invited doesn’t like a particular dish or ingredient, make sure you note it down for the future so you can make sure you don’t serve it again – it’ll make a big difference and show you’re a great host.
They Stretch The Meal
Although the main reason for including side dishes is going to be because of the flavor and because it adds something to the meal, there’s also the practical side of things – side dishes help you stretch the meal out, and sometimes that’s precisely what you need. If you’re feeding a large group, having a variety of side dishes ensures that there’s plenty of food to go around without the need to buy lots of more expensive ingredients (and without the need to do any extra cooking), so it’s ideal.
Sides like pasta salad, roasted vegetables, and bread are really filling, and they can easily satisfy anyone’s hunger when they’re paired with a nice main meal – no one’s going to go hungry, and you can save money, so it’s a win-win.
