7 Tips to Make Summer Entertaining a Breeze

*To bring you this post we partnered McDonald’s paper an online destination where you can order restaurant quality supplies at low cost in your own home! The opinions and information presented here are our own.

One of the best parts of summer is all the great opportunities for recreation. Whether it’s for an official holiday like the 4th of July or Labor Day, or family events like graduations, birthdays, anniversaries or weddings, there’s no denying that the warmer months are the perfect time to party. Even if you don’t have a specific reason to entertain, it’s fun to get some of your closest friends and family together to spend a little time outside, share a good meal and toast over some delicious drinks.

While entertaining and party planning comes naturally to some, to others, the mere thought can hit the panic button. Entertainment doesn’t have to be overly complicated. In fact, it’s really easy.

Here are some tips to make it entertaining summer a total breeze!

1. Choose a Theme

To start planning your summer party, it helps to keep things simple by choosing a theme. Want to have a backyard BBQ pool party, Hawaiian luau, summer seafood extravaganza, vegetarian potluck, taco and tequila tasting or maybe a sangria and tapas party? Choosing a theme will help you narrow down the decoration options, menu items and drinks you want to serve. Whatever you choose, be sure to keep things light, fun and casual. It is summer after all.

2. Get a Handle on Decoration

Nothing can set the vibe of a party like a little decoration. But just because you want to set the mood doesn’t mean you have to spend a lot of money. Sometimes all you need is a few blooms or plant snips from your garden. If you don’t have a garden, you might be surprised at what your local grocery store has to offer. I have found great bunches of mix and match flowers and plants at my local supermarket for between $4 – $10. Trader Joe’s is another great place to hit for a wide selection of flowers on the cheap. And no need to get lost. Sometimes just a bud with a little plant here and there is all you need.

If flower arrangements aren’t your thing, just place bowls of limes, oranges, lemons or seasonal fruit. Pineapples make great summer centerpieces as do small lanterns or scattered seashells. Placing a few strands of outdoor lights around the party area and scattering a few candles here and there can finish off your look and set a magical atmosphere for the night ahead.

Products Shown: Wilmax Crystalline Wine Glasses | Winco Acrylic Wine Cooler | Winco Hammered Wine Coaster

3. Create a Beverage Bar

What’s a party without refreshing drinks and cocktails? Keep your guests happy and easily refreshed by setting up a designated beverage station. This way, your guests can easily fill up while staying cool, hydrated and happy.

For a nice presentation buy decorative buckets or coolers and fill them with lots of ice. Then fill them with cans of sparkling water, soda, spiked seltzer or local beers for guests to grab and go. Don’t forget to keep a batch of ice in a cooler on the side

The summer months also make the perfect time to fill glass beverage dispensers with batches of homemade lemonade, iced tea or water lightly flavored with slices of in-season fruit like watermelon, peach , lemons, limes, berries and/or mint. A great touch in a beverage bar during the summer months is to include a signature cocktail or drink for your party. Party favorites are sangria, margaritas, mojitos or daiquiris.

Want to up your wine serving game a bit? Place wine bottles on the beautiful wine coasters shown in the photo above so they don’t spill on the table. Keep white and rose wines chilled on ice or in wine chillers displayed on the table.

Products Shown: Winco Marble and Wood Serving Boards | Winco Table Cloth

4. Plan a No-Fuss Menu

The great thing about entertaining in the summer months is that the menu doesn’t have to be complicated. We all enjoy lighter summer food options so think about serving up in-season salads, cool dips with veggies, and light appetizers to choose from to keep you full the visitors. In the summer you don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and aside from firing up the grill, one of my favorite things to serve is a board with a selection of cheeses, meats, olives, nuts, fruits, and jams. . Opt to serve selections only from a specific country such as Italy, Spain or France for a themed board and pair with wines from the same region. You can also use this approach and serve locally made cheeses and foods produced and grown by farms in your area or state. If you don’t have access to farms or farmers markets, be sure to check your local grocery store as more and more are supporting local products.

For an impressive presentation, I love serving my appetizers on these gorgeous wood and marble boards found on McDonald Paper. They look expensive, but they only cost between $12 and $15. Plus, they make anything you serve them look good.

5. Mason Jars Make Instant Summer Party Fun

There really isn’t anything you can serve in a mason jar that doesn’t somehow instantly improve. They are attractive, adorable and super functional. Not only can you serve refreshing summer drinks in them but they also make a great vase for flowers or a unique way to store your utensils and napkins on a buffet table. We really like this 38-ounce mason jar mug by Circleware. They even have a decorative chalkboard label that’s perfect for writing your guests’ names or other fun party messages. They even make great party favors. You can find them linked here.
Products Shown: Circleware Yorkshire Chalkboard Mason Jar Mug

6. Keep Your Guests Comfortable And Make Sure They Have Fun

This tip may vary depending on what region of the country you live in but it’s important to keep your guests comfortable if you want everyone to have a good time. This is kind of the point, right? This means doing things like stocking up on citronella candles and bug spray if you live in an area with lots of bugs, having blankets if it gets cold at night and making sure there are plenty of umbrellas or covers place if there is a lot of sun or rain. . Of course, always make sure there is plenty of seating and a comfortable place to eat. To keep your guests busy while they mingle set up lawn games like croquet, badminton, horseshoes or corn hole for extra fun.

Products Shown: Winco Dots Silverware | Winco Marble and Wood Serving Boards | Wilmax 9” Stella Porcelain Dinner Plate

7. Source Quality Restaurant Supplies For Less

While parties are a lot of fun, they can be expensive. Here’s a little secret: if you like to entertain often, we recommend getting your party food and drink serving supplies from McDonald Paper. A restaurant supply company by trade, McDonald Paper has everything you need for your kitchen prep and entertaining needs at incredibly discounted prices compared to your local retailers.

Whether your get together is casual or planning something a little more extravagant like a backyard wedding, McDonald’s paper have you covered it?

In over 20,000 items in stock, they have everything you could need for summer fun including:

• Cookware
• Barware – bar tools, cocktail shakers, beer, cocktail, martini, champagne, and wine glasses
• Bakeware
• Pizza making tools
• Plates, dishes and trays
• Beverage dispensers
• Serving and mixing bowls
• Serving and tableware – forks, knives, spoons, tongs, spatulas, etc.
• Serving boards
• Alcoholic beverages
• Ice buckets
• Mason Jars
• Tablecloths
• Etc!!!

They’ve even come with regular, eco-friendly to-go packaging so your guests can take home leftovers in style.

Shopping at McDonald Paper for all your summer entertaining needs will save you a lot of money and take the stress out of shopping for your party. And most orders in the New York Metro Area qualify for free shipping over $49.99.

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Visit Mcdonaldpaper.com for restaurant quality entertaining supplies at a discount!