Planning the Menu For a Graduation Party

( part 2 )
Tasty Desserts
* Custom cakes: Have you seen the new photocake? How about a custom cake made in the shape of a basketball or tennis shoe? Order one custom cake to display and a second cake to cut and serve.
* The fun is candy bars with personalized wrappers to give out to your guests.
* Smores at a fire pit. Provide several baskets full of marshmallows, chocolate bars and graham crackers. Have plenty of roasting sticks on hand.
* Ice cream sundae bar: serve ice cream with different toppings, fruit, cookies, and coffee. Its easy, fun and guests will love it.
* Frozen treats from your favorite ice cream specialty store, packed on dry ice. You can rent an ice cream cart for the day.
* Trays of your graduate’s favorite bars, cookies and candy. Or, use a cookie cutter shaped like a graduation mortarboard. If you have family members who like to bake, ask them to help.
* Fortune cookies
* Custom made chocolates: Order gold foil-wrapped coins with your graduate’s name on one side and the year on the other.
* Root beer floats were a huge hit at our friend’s party. She offers this time saving tip: Scoop the vanilla ice cream into plastic cups and freeze them overnight. Then at the party all you have to do is add root beer and a straw. You can buy a keg of root beer from the liquor store.
* Cheesecakes in a variety of flavors served with different toppings. For example: hot fudge, strawberries, blueberries.
* Buy lots of suckers in your school colors.

Graduation Party Beverages

The most popular beverage at graduation parties is bottled water. Stock up when water is on sale. You can use it all summer if you have leftovers.

Provide your guests with a variety of beverages to choose from. Here are a few suggestions:
* A summer tradition of big pitchers of iced tea, lemonade are refreshing.
* If you want to serve soda, most people we interviewed suggest liters instead of cans. It goes a little further, and you don’t have half drunk cans all over your house.
* Slushy MachineAlways provide water for your guests who don’t like carbonated beverages. Bottled water is very popular with high school seniors.
* Punch bowls are fun. Make an ice ring using one of the punch ingredients so that as it melts it will not dilute the punch. A bundt pan works well for an ice ring.
* Borrow or rent tubs for ice. You can put the sodas right on ice. If you use coolers, label them so people don’t have to dig around.

Source : http://www.graduationparty.com/graduation-party-menu.htm

Planning the Menu For a Graduation Party

( part 1 )

What are your graduate's favorite foods?

Keep it simple. Make it easy on yourself and serve five to seven different menu items. The most common mistake made at a graduation party is serving too much food. Read on for advice on quantity.

Dare to be different! After going to too many graduation parties where the same food was being served you will understand. We encourage you to be imaginative! For example, if your graduate is a pizza freak, serve pizza. It is an unusual open house item, and yet the number one most popular food amongst teenagers. Mix it up by serving some unique gourmet pizzas in addition to the standard favorites, cheese and pepperoni.

If your graduate loves desserts, have a dessert party that starts at 7:00 p.m., and specify “dessert party” on your invitation so people know to eat dinner earlier. Desserts can be made ahead and require little serving time. The bakery is an easy way out. Or how about make your own sundaes and banana splits?

Ask for help in the kitchen. Hire a caterer if you can, this is one party you don't want to miss! If you can't afford a caterer, ask friends and neighbors to help. See Ask for help. If you’ve agreed on a theme, be sure to maximize the opportunity to find foods that fit the theme.


Brunch ideas: A Weekend brunch is a great time of day to have a graduation party. You will get a great turn out and your guests will be hungry.


Graduation Brunch

* Make it simple - offer a variety of fresh baked bagels and a selection of spreads.
* Cook pancakes on a big griddle and serve them with different toppings/syrups. You can hire a professional to bring their own griddle.
* We all love frosted doughnuts! Order ahead for a quick stop at the bakery. You can even request frosting in your school colors. Be sure to have lots of napkins!
* You can prepare hard boiled eggs with your graduate’s name and the year on them and place them in a beautiful basket. Great for people on the low-carb diet.
* Coffee bar kiosk: Check with a caterer or the local coffee shop for service or supplies. Or create your own with rental equipment and supplies.
* Serve exotic juices, or use your juicer to prepare custom beverages.
* Serve fresh fruit in a watermelon boat. Cut your school logo out of the watermelon.

Afternoon and evening menu ideas:

* BBQ sandwiches, ribs or chicken served with cole slaw and chips, baked beans and a fruit salad. Tip from the professional caterer for the BBQ: If you want to use the grill, reduce your stress and precook your meat.
* Mexican taco bar: Serve spicy ground beef in a crock pot, and put the cold items (lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, salsa, olives, onions) in bowls floating on ice to keep them cool. Arrange the taco shells in a Mexican serving bowl or basket.
* Buy large bread shaped like the graduation year. Serve it with spinach dip or do a big submarine sandwich. Plan ahead on how you are going to keep the hoagie cool while it sits out for several hours. We recommend setting it on ice. Rectangle shaped flower pots can be bought in various sizes. Or a wallpaper hanging trough will do the job.
* Hoagie or Sandwich Bar: let your guests assemble their own sandwiches. Stop by your local submarine sandwich shop for inspiration. Or order a big variety to be sliced and served as needed. Keep the back up in your refrigerator.
* Cotton Candy Rent a cotton candy machine or popcorn machine. It adds a festive flair and the kids love to serve themselves.
* Salad bar and fresh fruit for the health nuts
* Oriental Food - See Hiring a Caterer
* Baked Potato Bar
* Pizzas – order them from a local delivery service.
* Swedish or Barbeque Meatballs
* Tortilla Wraps – ordered from a local restaurant
* Lasagna
* Veggie Tray

Source : http://www.graduationparty.com/graduation-party-menu.htm

Tips On Setting Up a Party

* Organization is the key to a successful party. For an event of any size and importance, you will need to be organized to a certain degree. So unless you have a personal assistant, grab a paper and pen and start making lists.
* Set a budget. Your budget will determine what the kind of food, entertainment, and decoration that you will be able to have.
* What is the special reason for the event, is it a wedding, anniversary or birthday party, or graduation? Do you have a theme? Will the event be held inside or outside? What time of day will the event be? Will it be a chic brunch or a fun and casual afternoon BBQ? Perhaps the event calls for a romantic evening of dancing. These decisions will determine everything from menu to decor.
* Do you need some help? If it is a large affair, then you may need to consider hiring a caterer, a party organizer. If it is a smaller affairs may just ask help from a few family members or friends.
* Is the location going to be adequate? If you intend to hold the event in your backyard, is it big enough? Also, if it rains or bad weather, is your home large enough to accommodate the party inside?
* If you intend to have a large event, what are the legal considerations of holding the event on your neighborhood? Is there adequate parking available? Will noise be a problem? Check out the rules for your particular neighborhood and obtain the necessary permits.
* To avoid problems with the neighbors, consider inviting them to the party or at least thanking them for their understanding by giving them a small gift.
* Check your neighborhood's local calendar of events so that you can avoid planning your occasion on the same day , which can result in traffic and parking problems and other problems.

Tips on setting a table

1. WHETHER you are setting a table for everyday meal at home or for a special occasion, visualize a clear theme, with a feel, mood and color scheme, so that all the elements are tastefully put together.

2. Be creative when integrating your centerpiece and setting. Be resourceful and think out of the box. Use interesting stuff from your personal collection or unique foliage or blooms from your garden that hold up well. What is tasteful and effective need not be expensive or contrived. Go for an element of surprise and your strong personal touch.

3. Don’t be afraid to mix patterns and styles to create more interesting and memorable settings.

4. Remember to consider the elements of the room where you are setting the table so that it blends well with its environment.

5. Make sure your centerpiece is low enough to allow for easy and relaxed conversation.

6. Remember that your guests and what you serve are the stars of the evening. Your setting is just the enhancement, and your guests’ enjoyment and comfort are the priority. The quality of the food and drink should also be the highlight, while the setting is the stage you set to make them shine.

7. Remember that ample elbow room requires about 15 inches of space between place settings. If dishes are to be served in platters using “Russian service” with the dishes served to your guests on platters at the table, add even more space between guests, especially if your chairs are bulky.

8. Use the existing rule of thumb when laying out your tableware, but don’t be afraid to break rules when practicality and function are considered. More modern aesthetic styles also allow for new and nontraditional ways of arranging tableware. Ultimately, be correct but also be bold enough to be different.

9. Enjoy your setting and relax as your guests enjoy it, too!

Source : Philippine Daily Inquirer