We’ve spoken a lot about outdoor parties here at Seven Summers. After all, many of our furniture sets are purchased in anticipation of big events and celebrations. But there is one thing that we’ve overlooked: the refreshments.
Party decorations are important. Chairs are essential. And music can provide a great soundtrack to the night. But let’s be honest, at the end of the night, it’s the food and drinks that your guests will remember.
Get this aspect right and your party will be unforgettable!
With that said, let’s look at some of the best food and drink choices for outdoor parties.
Pizza
Who doesn’t love pizza?
It’s a universally adored dish and it’s one that everyone will be happy to see at an outdoor party.
However, it’s very easy to get it wrong.
If you opt for a bundle of cheap frozen pizzas that you burn in the oven and then cut into bite-size pieces, you’ll end up with something that looks like a children’s buffet.
If you buy lots of pizzas from the local chain, it will cost you a fortune, you won’t have the spectacle of homemade food, and there’ll always be someone who doesn’t like the toppings.
The best way to serve pizza is to buy your own pizza oven. That may sound like a ridiculous expense, but there are portable ovens available for less than $300. It’s still a lot to spend on a single party, but that oven will remain useful for many more parties and family gatherings to come.
Once you have the pizza oven, you just need to buy or prepare some pizza dough. It can be bought frozen and defrosted before the big night or made fresh a few hours earlier.
Buy lots of fresh mozzarella and some jars of tomato sauce and fill some serving bowls with fresh toppings (pepperoni, roasted chicken, sweetcorn, mushrooms, peppers, red onions, goats cheese, olives, basil leaves). Your guests can choose their own toppings and even make their own pizzas.
You just need to put the pizzas in the oven and serve them fresh!
It’s a great way to involve your guests while ensuring that everyone is catered for. Vegetarians can stick with vegetable/mushroom toppings, vegans can opt for a cheese-free alternative, and it’s much easier to cater for allergies, intolerances, and personal preferences.
Pizza is also a godsend if you have any kids at the party. Kids tend to be very picky eaters and they get even pickier at parties. If there’s freshly made pizza being handed out, even the pickiest of youngsters will be happy to chow down.
Sangria
Sangria is the perfect outdoor party beverage. You can make it in huge batches and serve everyone from the same jugs. It’s also delicious!
To start with, you’ll need a good red wine that is low in tannins. Tannins are what give the wine its bitter and sharp taste and they take on a very strange and unpleasant flavor when chilled. It’s why you should always drink red wine at room temperature—something that just isn’t recommended for sangria.
In Spain, sangria is made with a type of wine called Garnacha, along with lots of fresh fruit, a little brandy, and something sweet.
You don’t need to use the same type of wine, but you should definitely add the fruit. The types of fruit you add is entirely up to you, but apples and berries usually work really well.
As for the sweetener, you can add sugar, honey, maple syrup, or fruit juice.
Punch
Punch is another great beverage option. It’s basically just a combination of alcohol and fruit juices. You can use up whatever spirits you have in the house along with copious amounts of fruit juice. It’s cheap, easy, and it’ll keep your guests happy.
The best way to make punch is to stick with what you like and focus on flavors that work well together. Taste as you go and if it doesn’t taste right, balance it with more alcohol or juice.
For something even cheaper, just grab a big bottle of punch mix, add some brandy, rum, or vodka, and throw some fresh pieces of fruit in there.
Hot Drinks
If you’re throwing a party in the fall, winter, or even spring months, consider swapping the chilled beverages for hot alternatives. It’ll keep your guests warm and toasty and will ensure that the drinks continue to flow long into the night.
When it comes to hot alcoholic drinks, it’s best to keep things simple. You don’t need elaborate cocktail recipes—just use high-quality base ingredients.
Add a splash of Irish cream or whiskey to a coffee. Mix some rum into a cup of cocoa.
Alternatively, brew a batch of hot buttered rum for all of your guests to enjoy. Simply heat some pineapple juice in a pan, add a little sugar, dark rum, and cinnamon, and then pour the mixture over a small pat of butter.
You can’t beat a mug of creamy, buttery rum on a cool night.
Cold Pasta Salad or Russian Salad
Pasta salad is something that you can make ahead of time and leave in the fridge until the party. You can prepare it in a big bowl and as the bulk of the dish is just cooked pasta, sauce, and a little meat and/or vegetables, it’s a relatively cheap dish.
It will fill your guests up and keep them going all night.
There are lots of variants to consider and a cold pasta salad can serve as both a side dish and a main meal.
Alternatively, make a Russian salad. It’s a creamy, hearty, and colorful dish that is very easy to make.
Simply chop, peel, and boil some potatoes until they are tender. Once they have been drained, add them to a bowl with lashings of mayonnaise, peas, cooked carrots, boiled eggs, pickles, and ham. You can chop and change the ingredients as needed before adding salt and pepper to taste.
Put the salad in the fridge when it has been cooked and serve when ready.
Vegetable Selections
It’s always good to have a varied selection of vegetables to hand throughout the night. Chop some raw carrots, celery, tomatoes, avocadoes, peppers and other colorful veg and layer them on a platter with some dipping sauces nearby.
You could also try cooking them. Whip up a tempura batter, fry those vegetables, and give your guests a delicious appetizer to enjoy before their main meal.
Potato Sides
You can’t go wrong with fried potatoes. It’s a cheap option and one that will keep all of your guests happy.
From fries served with salt and sauce to fried potato skins loaded with cream cheese and chives, there’s no limit to the ways you can use this versatile veg.
If you opt for potato skins, you could even turn the insides into mashed potato or gnocchi, ensuring that nothing goes to waste.
And don’t forget the most beloved potato snack of all: Chips! Make sure there are bowls of chips in reach at all times. They’ll keep stomachs full and appetites satiated.
Buy plenty of hot sauces, creamy sauces, sriracha, ketchup, mayonnaise, and other sauces to go with those potato dishes. Everyone might love fries, but they have their own preferences with it comes to condiments.
You can even make your own salsa and guacamole and ensure there is plenty of it to go around. Regardless of their condiment preference, most guests will make a beeline for guac and salsa if it’s homemade.
Icebox Cakes
When all your guests have had their fill of pasta, pizza, and punch, it’s time for something sweet.
You might be tempted to buy cakes and other treats, but if you have a lot of guests, it can get very expensive. Instead, make some simple icebox cakes and keep them on ice until you’re ready to serve.
Icebox cakes usually follow very simple recipes and don’t need to be baked. They set in the freezer, so you can make several of them (if needed) without waiting for them to bake.
Summary: Food and Drink for an Outdoor Party
Outdoor parties are the perfect alternative to cramped indoor gatherings. You don’t need to worry that your friends will spill red wine on the rug or smear dessert stains on the sofa. Guests don’t need to remove shoes and coats if they don’t want to and you don’t need to spend the day worrying if you have enough chairs for everyone.
It gives you a sense of freedom and nonchalance that you don’t always feel when you organize parties in your own home.
So, prepare the tables and chairs (check out this patio furniture buying guide for more info). Make sure the patio is clean, the kids are resigned to their respective bedrooms, and the pets are out of the way. And once you deal with all of that and get your ducks in a row, the only thing left to do is buy the food and the drink and make sure that everyone has a good time!