Toasting together, catching up with each other and partying until someone turns out the lights is always a good idea. Especially when spring is in sight and the preparations for the three-day party that awaits you have been going on for over three months. Your carnival outfit has been arranged, the planning is clear: all you have to do now is connect the dots. And I'm going to help you do that.

Laying a firm foundation

Experience shows: with a solid base in your stomach, you are better able to withstand an afternoon and evening filled largely with alcohol. This is because a full stomach forms a buffer between your beer and your stomach wall, thus slowing down the absorption of alcohol into your blood. Should you start the carnival with an empty stomach, the alcohol will be absorbed into your blood within minutes and transported straight to your brain. The result: you'll be swaying on your feet in no time. Cozy, but the chances of having to leave the carnival party early are also a lot higher. Here are three tips to avoid that:

• Eat carbohydrates. You can find those in vegetables, potatoes and whole grain cereals, among other things. So that's easy with a stew meal or a whole-grain pasta dish. By the way, a pizza is also possible. Pizza dough and cheese are packed with carbohydrates. 
• Eat fats and proteins. You can find these in fish, vegetable oils, nuts and seeds, among other things. For example, combine a piece of salmon with avocado and tomato. Spread a few brown sandwiches or a whole-wheat wrap with avocado and an egg. Or fill a bowl of cottage cheese with nuts, flaxseeds and pieces of kiwi. 
• Avoid salt. On this I can be brief: salt interferes with the breakdown of alcohol. So leave that salt mill in the cupboard.

Serve a well-stocked drinks board

Is the carnival craze already starting at your house? Find the biggest cocktail plate you have and fill it with all kinds of small snacks. Or fill the table with small dishes and bowls full of goodies, like these cheerful ones from Colori Del Sud. Of course, during Carnival you prefer to be in the kitchen as little as possible. These snacks provide everyone with the necessary carbohydrates, fats and proteins. They are also quick to prepare and taste delicious:

• Whole wheat toast with spicy hummus or muhammara
• Bite-sized fruit, such as pieces of melon and grapes
• Snack tomatoes, cucumber and bell bell pepper
• Two kinds of olives
• Chicken skewers and meatballs (don't forget the skewers)
• A variety of cheeses: camembert, brie, port salut and aged cheese with a few handfuls of walnuts and pistachios on the side

Cheers! Shot glasses

All that food makes you thirsty. And while water is the most ideal thirst quencher before you throw yourself into the festivities, you also want to sound off with your friends in advance to what's to come. Shot glasses are ideal. Just be sure to choose some sturdy ones that can take an enthusiastic toast. For example, I am a fan of the Elysia shot glasses from Pasabahce: beautifully cut and extremely strong at the same time. You serve typical carnival drinks in style with them, such as:

• Flügel
• Apfelkorn (or a 50/50 mix of Apfelkorn and vodka)
• Forest Walk
• Troika