How to Set Up a Juice Bar

Today people are serving non-alcoholic drinks more than ever. We're more aware of the dangers of drinking alcohol and driving, especially when we entertain and plan celebrations. Juice and snack bars are a refreshing alternative and the perfect set up for pool parties, barbecues, birthdays and picnics. Once it is all set up, your guests will enjoy "help-yourself refreshments."

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Differently shaped ice cube trays
• Sprigs of mint
• Soda
• Variety of fresh juices
• Glass wine carafes
• Fruit
• Flowers
• Cucumber
• Cream cheese
• Italian bread
• Bowls with ice, one for each carafe
• Large pretty glass bowl or ice bucket
• Ice tongs
• Two serving plates
• Stack of little glass plates (or paper )
• Eight-foot banquet table
• Tablecloth
• Paper napkins
• Slices of lemons, limes and oranges

How to Set Up a Juice Bar

1. The night before the gathering, fill at least 12 ice cube trays with mint sprig leaves and soda. Choose and prepare your favorite fresh juices like orange, pineapple, vegetable, papaya and lemonade. You can find fresh-squeezed juice in health food stores or at the local food co-op that deals directly with local farmers. Pour juice into various one-liter glass carafes and cover with plastic wrap. As a garnish snack, place clean fruit like grapes, strawberries and sliced apples and oranges onto a pretty glass plate. Cover with plastic wrap and keep chilled. Put flowers into a gorgeous vase and water.

2. Prepare cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches either the night before or the morning of the event.
   Sandwich recipe:
   Peel cucumbers and slice thinly, sprinkle with garlic salt.
   Cut the crusts off the pieces of bread.
   Mix room-temperature cream cheese with diced green onions.
   Spread onto half of the slices of bread.
   Place cucumbers onto cream cheese and cover with other pieces of bread.
   Cut into neat squares, place on serving dish, cover and keep chilled.

3. Place the table in a shady spot that is level and out of the way of traffic, but still has easy access for guests. Cover with tablecloth and place flowers in the middle. Fill several large bowls half way with ice and place on the table, put carafes of juice into ice bowls. Fill ice bucket with mint ice, place on end of table next to ice tongs, glasses, plates and fruit garnish plate. Put cucumber sandwiches on the opposite end of the table next to stack of napkins. For color, put slices of lemon and oranges into different juices. Lemons could go in lemonade and oranges in pineapple.

4. Fill cooler with ice and extra juice put under the table, and restock juice bar as needed.

Tips & Warnings

• To make the sandwiches more meaty, add slices of super-thin ham. Use your own style and taste to decide what food and juice you serve. The most important thing is to keep it cold and stocked.

References

• Drunk driving statistics

Resources

• Different Wine Carafes
• Juice glasses
• Ice bucket and tongs