How to Select Food for a Beach Party

Food can make or break any party. Serve up success for your next beach party: decide how much food you will need for the number of guests who will attend your party, then figure out what method of serving will best suit your celebration. Explore everything from a barbecue and buffet to a clambake or sandwich station.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Plan a Menu for a Beach Party

1. Order supplies for a full lobster- or clam-bake. Some companies will cater this type of event with delivery and setup right on the beach. You can also save money by organizing this yourself. Visit a local fish market to check out prices and ask the fishmonger your cooking and serving questions.

2. Set up a clam bar at your beach party. Include raw clams on the half-shell and cooked shrimp served cold. Provide cocktail sauce and lemon wedges for guests to put on the fish. Keep raw items icy cold and out of the sun.

3. Place snack food in convenient areas for easy sampling. Fill colorful, plastic sand pails with chips, pretzel rods and popcorn. Set up picnic baskets with lids to house paper napkins, plates and cups to keep them from blowing away. Label the baskets so people know what's inside.

4. Offer a drink area that has a variety of beverages. Ask beach officials what the alcoholic beverage policy is ahead of time. If cocktails are allowed, fill tubs or coolers with an assortment of beer and wine. Order kegs or party balls of beer or boxes of wine if glass bottles are prohibited on the beach.

5. Consider small appetizers for starter food. This is an easy way for people to munch while they socialize. Select mini-crabcakes, shrimp (wrapped in bacon) on skewers and a cut-vegetable platter. Get tasty beach party recipes at FoodNetwork.com.

6. Have a buffet-style food area for an indoor beach party. Select a few main courses that you can serve in chafing dishes, such as baked ziti and chicken marsala. Complement the selection with summer salads of potato, coleslaw, pasta, tomato and basil and fruit.

Tips & Warnings

• Fire up the barbecue grill for your beach party. Barbecued food is easy to eat and creates a summer vibe. Ask a few friends to take turns cooking. Expand your barbecue fare with added treats like sausage and peppers or cheese-covered hot dogs.
• Select desserts of cupcakes and cookies for easy presentation and carrying.
• Dispose of any garbage from your party respectfully. Recycle empty cans and bottles in bins, and have garbage cans (lined with bags) set up for your guests to utilize.

[carlosmessi]

on 5/13/2009 That post is useful specially for Caribbean people like me. I'm always at the beach partying. With this my next party will be a bomb. Thank you.