4 Outside the Box Party Ideas
With summer on the distant horizon, you may already be considering what kind of parties you will be hosting this year. You don’t want the same ol’, same ol’ that you do every year. A new gas grill might seem like the perfect reason for a party but barbecues can get boring after the first few. Grilled meat, grilled chicken, grilled fish, how many more things can we grill? Sitting around in the patio furniture is nice but whether you have gas grills or a propane grill, they usually end up giving off so much smoke that everyone ends up inside anyway. Truthfully, the beginning of summer is perfect for grilling. The smell of meat and vegetables on the grill is so welcoming and smells just like summer. But, when summer is halfway through, the smell can be sickening. So, how can you have an outdoor party that is fun, outside the box and not a barbecue that people will still enjoy? Well, here’s a few ideas:
- Taco Bags
If you still want to grill your meat for the tacos, you are welcome to do that before hand.
Once it’s time to get ready for the party lay out all the regular taco makings; meat, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, salsa, beans, whatever you fancy, everything except the chips. You’ll have to get chips in individual bags. Everyone complains about chip bags being only half full, but they will work well for taco bags.
Instead of having plates or bowls, have everyone dump all their taco fixings directly in their choice of chip bag. Then grab a fork (or don’t) and there you have a taco bag that is perfect for eating while sunning on the patio furniture or standing around chatting. - Corn on the cob cooler
Instead of grilling all your individual corn husks, peel them and throw all the cobs in a cool and fill the cooler with boiling water.
Corn on the cob can even be a main meal. A traditional Mexican way of serving it is set in a piece of foil, slathered in mayonnaise, butter, parmesan cheese and spicy seasonings. Delicious! Pair that with some chips, fruit or even a pasta side and your good to go. - Movie Night
Food does not always have to be the main event for an outdoor party. If you set up a huge screen and a projector you can invite everyone over for your very own movie showing.
A big barrel of popcorn with a ‘fixings bar’ will be a big hit to your guests.
Extra butter, cheese sprinkles, melted chocolate, salt and other flavorings are a few ideas of what to put in your popcorn fixings bar. Don’t forget to put a ladle in the popcorn barrel, you don’t want people digging in with their hands. Hand sanitizer nearby may not be a bad idea either.
Move aside the patio furniture and lay out blankets for a true ‘movie in the park’ feel. - Personal s’mores
S’mores over a campfire is always fun but again, the smoke gets in your hair and clothes and just everywhere.
An alternative idea to campfire s’mores are these cute little personal s’mores. Everyone can still sit in a circle and have a personal station of graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate with an inexpensive personal burner. Of course, the children shouldn’t have their own. Everyone can roast their marshmallows over their own gas burner without the lasting effect of smoke in their eyes.
If you are feeling adventurous you can always supply marshmallow fluff for strawberries to be dipped in and roasted also.
There are many ways that you can forego the grill this upcoming summer, you just have to think carefully and not get stuck in a rut. Grilling is not a bad idea, it’s just overdone. Patio furniture sets are quite conducive to most parties but it it is not going to work with your vision, move them out of the way! Try to limit yourself to one or two cookouts this year and try out some of these other ideas and see how it goes. You can hardly go wrong.