Celebrate graduation with a party.
High school graduation season brings with it parties and celebrations for new graduates. Celebrate the graduate's success and perseverance in high school with a graduation party. A high school graduation party can also offer the graduate encouragement for the next stage in life. As part of celebrating the graduate, plan a menu full of his or her favorites while still pleasing guests' palates.
Buffet Style
Keep it simple by putting together a build-your-own hot dog station. Grill hot dogs, bratwursts and sausages. Guests can customize their choices with toppings including cheese, relish, sauerkraut, chopped onions and traditional condiments, such as ketchup and mustard. Try a soup and salad bar. Homemade chili and a variety of soups allow for preparation ahead of time. This advance preparation increases the time you can spend celebrating the graduate by reducing the time you spend in the kitchen. If serving chili, consider adding spaghetti to the menu so guests can assemble a chili spaghetti meal if they choose. Remember to set out chili and soup accompaniments, including sour cream and crackers.
Casual Affair
Casual parties allow guests to mingle and enjoy spending time with family and friends. For smaller affairs, let guests assemble personal pizzas. Provide all the typical toppings, such as pepperoni, sausage and green peppers, and allow guests to special order their own pizza. Throw the pizzas on the grill or bake them in the oven. Encourage guests to try different combinations by preparing a few pizzas ahead of time with various ingredients. Other topping ideas include chicken, pineapple and various cheeses. Other options include serving fried chicken or chicken wings in various sauces and hosting a pig roast for larger affairs.
Other Ideas
Submarine sandwiches and a generous spread of side dishes, such as pasta salad and baked beans, also can satisfy hungry guests. Consider pulled-pork barbecue sandwiches served with coleslaw. Prepare a buffet of all the graduate's favorite foods. This can include french fries, hamburgers and various junk food, including sweets and salty snacks. While a cake represents a traditional graduation dessert, consider other options, such as putting together a spread of the graduate's favorite homemade desserts. These can include as cookies, brownies, pies and cheesecake.
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