After years of hard work, your new grad is ready to kick back and celebrate the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next with food, drinks, and friends. But hot temps and unpredictable conditions can make entertaining a big group all day long a tough task. Follow these tips to simplify the process and throw a top-notch graduation party.
Plan Ahead
It’s tough to ensure you have plenty of refreshments when you don’t have a firm grasp on how many guests to expect. To avoid too many leftovers or not enough food, lay out your guest list a month in advance and encourage all invitees to RSVP at least two weeks before the big day.
Set the Menu
Backyard BBQ or lots of finger foods? Consider the time of day and your seating limitations to choose the best setup for your party. If you’re ordering a cake or other desserts, be sure to call the order in as soon as you know how many people to expect. Once you have a head count, make your shopping list.
Work Ahead
Some dishes can be prepared a few days in advance and frozen, while veggie trays can be assembled the night before. Do whatever you can before the day of the event to minimize the workload and help the party go off without a hitch.
Don’t Forget the Ice
You probably don’t have tons of extra freezer space to store a few bags of ice, so remember to hit the store early in the morning to load up on enough ice to fill your coolers. You can fill them up with a variety of drinks as well as keep things like deviled eggs or fruit salad cool all day long by taking advantage of cooler space. On hot summer days in the sun, guests will get thirsty and need plenty of hydration, so having plenty of ice cold water on hand will be key.