Today, Kerry is talking to us about the yummy (and super easy!) menu. I love the red baskets instead of plates. Super cute & oh so practical.

Easy, Festive Food At The Park

In order to make it a laid back, low key event, we decided to throw the party at a nearby park on lazy summer afternoon, in the middle of the week. A few guests were unable to make it due to summer vacations, but the rest were more than happy to take a day off from cooking during the work week! We sat on blankets in the shade, watched the kids play & enjoyed a good ol’ ‘serve yourself’ buffet.

Ditch The Plates & Serve Finger Foods

After serving extensive, gourmet BBQ buffets the last few years, this year we decided to keep the menu VERY simple. A variety of American ‘finger foods’ were placed on the buffet table, such as hot dogs, apples, strawberries, cherries, apple strudel & single serving snack containers of potato chips.

Instead of using plates, I went with red plastic deli baskets lined with pieces of brown paper lunch bags, which guests happily filled with their favorite goodies. Not only did this menu make it easier to serve, it also gave the party more of a country picnic feel for guests, as they sat on their blankets enjoying their All American summertime meal.

No Stress, Visit With Guests

In an effort to avoid slaving over a BBQ during most of the party, I decided to boil the hot dogs right before I left the house and placed them in a disposable buffet chafing dish. I lit the canned heat upon my arrival at the park, which kept the dogs nice and warm until guests got hungry. It really made things much less stressful and actually allowed me time to mingle with guests!

We also had a “Make Your Own Sundae Bar” with all the fixings, along with All American snacks like Cracker Jacks & Red Licorice!

The ‘Sundae Bar’ was a big hit with both the adults & kids! The kids loved making their own ice cream concoctions and the adults really loved the chocolate covered sunflower seeds we found at Home Goods…and I must say, I loved not having to cut pieces of cake & dole out ice cream to all our guests!

Ever wonder how to serve ice cream on a hot summer day at the park? The secret to the perfect ice cream consistency at an outside event is DRY ICE. When bringing ice cream to a park, don’t forget the DRY ICE! It’s an absolute must. No dry ice = Milkshakes, instead of Sundaes!

Guests really enjoyed the low key feel to the meal, sitting on their blankets, eating their hot dogs & ice cream sundaes and unwinding from a busy work day. There’s just something about sitting outside on a warm summer evening, sharing a meal with family and friends that makes you stop and enjoy life even more!