The Unconventional Pan-Warming Method You're Totally Sleeping On

Hosting a dinner party can be a fun and exciting way to entertain friends and family. However, it can also be a bit overwhelming, especially when planning the menu. You will want to consider the dietary restrictions of your guests and try to include something for everyone. You can choose to opt for a casual potluck-style dinner or a more formal, multi-course meal. If you're not comfortable with cooking, you can also consider hiring a caterer or ordering takeout. No matter what you choose, once you have your menu planned, you have to decide how to keep the food warm for serving it.

There are several methods you can choose, such as using a warming tray, a heating lamp, or a slow cooker. If you don't have these appliances, though, and you don't want to buy them, there's something that you might already have, that you use every night, that can be used. While it may not be conventionally used in the kitchen, an electric blanket can do a great job of keeping your food warm.

You probably have never thought of using a heated blanket to keep your food warm as you wait to serve it. Now that we've planted the idea, Taste of Home says that wrapping an electric blanket around your pots and pans, plugging it in, and turning it on can go a long way in keeping your food warm while you finish cooking or setting the table. Giggles N Hugs shares that you should lay the blanket on a flat surface, let it warm for a few minutes, then place your serving dishes on top of it to keep them warm. Aluminum baking pans are preferred because they conduct heat better.

Boat Basin Cafe agrees with laying the blanket flat, and also suggests using a heating pad, if you don't have an electric blanket. This method is great, they say, because it's low temperature, so the food inside the pans won't continue to cook. Rather, the heating pad or blanket will simply keep the food warmer for longer.

There are some downsides to using an electric blanket or even a heating pad for keeping food warm, though. For one, as mentioned above, these heat at a low temperature, meaning they will only keep your food warm for so long. Eventually, the food will begin to cool, so it's best to serve it as soon as you can. Additionally, you or your guests may accidentally spill food on the blanket or pad, meaning you will need to clean it or worse, toss it. Electric blankets are not washer friendly, meaning you can't just wash them on a rinse cycle.

If you want to keep your food warm with an actual kitchen appliance, you can use your stove's drawer — you know, the place where you probably have extra pans stored. If you have used your oven, this drawer will be hot, so just stick your food in there. It will stay warm and not overcook your food, just like an electric blanket, but it's much easier to clean if you spill something.