Perfect Pool Party Foods
When planning a menu for a pool party, it is important to choose foods that will not spoil when left in the heat. Additionally, it is also important to choose foods that can be eaten easily with just the hands or one utensil. Select foods that are light and refreshing, as they will be a perfect complement for the warm temperatures. When creating your pool party menu, consider adding these perfect pool party foods. Does this Spark an idea?
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Main Dishes
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Traditional main dishes for a pool party include hamburgers and hot dogs, which are easy to make and easy to eat. Party hosts simply need to fire up the grill and cook the burgers and hot dogs for a few minutes. Party guests can top their burgers and hot dogs with a variety of toppings, including ketchup, mustard, cheese, onions, tomatoes, relish and chili.
For a less traditional pool party main dish, consider making kabobs. Although kabobs are slightly more time-consuming to prepare, they are a fun and interesting alternative to the traditional main dishes. Kabobs can include nearly any ingredient that can be punctured by the stick. However, traditional components of a kabob include grilled chicken or steak, onions, peppers and mushrooms.
Snacks
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One of the easiest snacks to prepare is a tray of fresh fruit and vegetables. This health snack is easy to eat while socializing; it's also perfectly light on a hot summer day. For the fruit tray, use pineapple, strawberries, grapes, melon chunks and kiwifruit. Popular vegetables include baby carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, celery and bell pepper strips.
Chips and dip are an easy and popular snack for parties. However, many dips are made with large amounts of sour cream or mayonnaise, both of which will spoil in high temperatures. Instead of using these types of dips, make homemade guacamole with fresh avocados and homemade salsa with fresh tomatoes, onions and peppers. Serve the guacamole and salsa with tortilla chips for a light and healthy snack. Pita wedges can also be served with hummus, which will also manage the heat well.
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Desserts
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Traditional desserts--such as cake, ice cream and pie--are difficult to serve at a pool party. Not only are these desserts susceptible to melting in the hot temperature, but they're also difficult to eat while standing. Instead, serve cookies and mini cupcakes. These types of desserts are easy to eat, yet still allow guests to indulge in a sweet treat. You might also choose to serve ice cream treats. However, these treats will need to be kept chilled and should be eaten quickly.
Although fresh fruit may have been served as a snack, it is also perfectly acceptable as a pool party dessert. Offer a tray with an extensive array of fresh fruits. Include strawberries, grapes, watermelon, cantaloupe, cherries, pineapple and peaches. To make the fruit more dessert-like, serve it with whipped cream.
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References
- Photo Credit Swimming pool and pool house image by Jim Mills from Fotolia.com
