'I'm not a big summer entertainer, but these supermarket shortcuts make me look like one.'

Thanks to our brand partner, Coles

Growing up, food was the centre of everything for me.

I'm a first-generation Italian Australian, and every Friday we'd pile into my Nonna's house for what can only be described as a marathon: four to five courses, all homemade, delivered with the effortless magic of a woman who never got stressed.

To this day, I'm in awe of her.

But here's the thing, while I adore food and love having people over, that level of hosting comes with a side course (or three) of stress; especially, when factoring in full-time work. I simply can't host 15 people with a theme, music playlist and tablescape all in sync at the drop of a dime.

I have, however, learnt to fake it with clever shortcuts that look and taste amazing, but take no effort at all. If I can make things look impressive without spending five hours in the kitchen (Nonna would understand), that's my kind of entertaining.

Here are my very real, very doable hosting hacks that deliver a dinner or lunch party with minimal stress.

Image: Supplied.

The 'one hero item'.

This is the greatest hack of my adult life: instead of making an entire table of dishes from scratch, I pick one hero item (something I can semi-DIY) — and build everything else around that.

A curated and thoughtful selection without actually needing to cook 17 things and spend my whole day in the kitchen.

In summer, when the heat kicks in, having a flavour-packed main ready to cook is my secret sanity saver. Lately, we've been loving the Coles RSPCA Approved Chicken Whole Boneless Herb & Garlic Chicken. It's beautifully seasoned, cooks in around 35 minutes on the barbeque or a skillet, and goes with basically anything: a fresh salad, in a burger, wraps for the kids, even sliced up for skewers. That kilo of chicken can go quite far.

Once the main is sorted, everything else then becomes easy — light sides, a simple salad, good bread — and suddenly you've got a spread that looks like you tried way harder than you actually did.

(It's actually become one of our favourite options for mid-week dinners too, given the prep is already done for you.)

Allow fresh seasonal produce to shine.

Image: Supplied.

Once a main has been landed on, I choose a selection of fresh, raw side dishes that work with the protein of choice.

My tip is to choose seasonal produce and let that shine. Think an assortment of salads, salsas, dips; dishes that require little (to no) cooking and can be thrown together in five or so minutes.

Right now, a winner in our household is to get a ripe heirloom tomatoes and pair it with some burrata, basil leaves, salt and pepper, and a drizzle (or glug) of olive oil.

A fennel and orange salad is similarly easy to throw together, as is tuna crudo (not technically a salad, but can be thrown together quickly), and pickled vegetables.

I typically aim to have two to three fresh options and a nice bread such as focaccia or sourdough to go as starters. Time-savers, tick. Crowd-pleasers, double tick.

Salad kits are another secret weapon when short on time.

My go-to kits are:

• Coles Kitchen Family Ranch Salad Kit — a creamy, crunchy crowd-pleaser that tastes like summer.

• Coles Kitchen Mexican Style Salad Kit — zesty, colourful and perfect next to anything grilled.

• Coles Kitchen Pickle Slaw — a balance of tangy and tart, loaded with goodness like cabbage, gherkin, spring onions and dill, topped with pickle dressing.

Plating your side options beautifully.

Another fun part: presentation hacks!

Plating your sides beautifully can make even the simplest salads and dips look curated.

For example, tip your dip into a nice bowl, sprinkle a few edible flowers, seed mix or slices of lemon, and place it in the middle surrounded by fresh chopped sticks of carrot, cucumber and pita chips.

And never underestimate the magic of citrus — a squeeze of lemon or a teaspoon of zest through hummus, or a little lime in guacamole, instantly elevates both flavour and presentation.

Suddenly your spread looks next level polished, like you spent way more time on it than you actually did.

Batch-prep a drink (and let guests serve themselves).

If there's one thing I don't have the emotional or physical capacity for after a full week of work, it's playing bartender.

So, I've started making one big jug of something summery — a spritz, a simple cocktail, a citrusy punch, whatever requires the least thinking — and I set it out (extra points if you set up a 'station' on an island bench or bar cart) with ice and glasses so guests can pour themselves.

Add some orange slices, berries or mint to the jug, step away, and feel your hosting stress cut itself in half.

To pair well with my go-tos of chicken or fish, I'll also grab a few entertaining staples from Liquorland. Usually some combination of these drops:

• James Busby King Valley Pinot Grigio — super versatile wine with notes of preserved lemon, crunchy pear, and almond blossom.

• Nomikai Japanese Lager — light, mildly bitter and with a pure, dry finish.

• Nomikai Alcoholic Lemon — another pick from Nomikai, made from real lemons with the balance of sweet and zesty just right.

• Mr Finch Apple Lower Sugar Cider — actually made from juicy Australian grown apples, so crisp and refreshing.

• Tinnies Pale Ale — smooth flavours with a good balance of biscuit malt and satisfying citrus undertones.

Lean into 'good enough.'

Juggling work and a full social calendar over this fun season means energy is finite. My biggest takeaway? It's taken me years to learn this, but people don't normally care if you made everything from scratch. They just want to feel welcomed, relaxed, fed and loved.

Clever shortcuts like this let me host in a way that fits my actual life.

If Nonna could see me now, she'd be proud, because I've learnt the best part of hosting is spending time together.

Shop the essentials from Coles and Liquorland next time you're entertaining this season.

Choose to DrinkWise.

Featured image: Supplied.

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