Looking to get out and be social? Want a fun activity to try? We’ve got you covered with our monthly activity article.

Each month we will highlight a different activity or event for grown-ups to get out and try. The idea is to get a group of people together to socialize, have fun, and try something new.

Dinner parties are a great way to get a group of friends together. But depending on your culinary expertise, they can be a lot of work. They can also become one-meal wonders with everyone sticking to their tried and true dishes.

One way to keep the dinner party tradition going without too much strain on the host is to turn the dinner party into a cooking party.

Instead of the host doing all the shopping, prep work and cooking, have the group come over and you all work together to create the meal. Chopping, dicing, sautéing and baking are much more fun with company and conversation. Then you can all sit down to enjoy the meal together.

An alternative to the potluck dinner, a cooking party provides the opportunity to share your culinary know-how, learn some new tricks, and work together as a group to create a culinary masterpiece (or some delicious home-made pizzas). You get to choose how simple or complicated the recipes are, what type of foods you want to experiment with, and how to divvy up the leftovers.

You can even change up these monthly gatherings with different themes. For example, dinner and a movie night, a wine and food pairing, or around the world where you include dishes from different countries. The possibilities are endless.

Whether you have a large kitchen or small, these parties can work well. Plan ahead for the amount of space that you have or will need, create separate areas for prep work, mixing and cooking. And remember that you don’t always have to have all hands on deck. While some cook, others can set the table, find ingredients, wash up dishes, or simply keep the conversation and drinks flowing.

For more Pastime Pursuits follow Amintro. We are the social app for those 50 plus looking to make new friends and expand their social circles. Find like-minded people in your community and then meet with confidence in person.

Join for free here or learn more about us, our community and how to become an Amintronian by following us on Twitter: @AmintroFriends, or liking us on Facebook: AmintroFriends.

By Christine Tompa