May
and June are busy with graduation open houses. If you have a graduating child, here's a guide
to plan a graduation open house party cheap and easy. This festive budget graduation party
guide has tips on purchasing, preparation, serving and clean-up tips for a
perfect open house that even a busy DIY parents can enjoy!
--Set
up self-maintaining buffet and drink areas.
--Serve
simple appetizers and finger foods that people can graze from and don't require
you to manage (aside from putting out a fresh tray possibly).
--Beverage
bar: arrange variety of pop, water or juice, ice bucket and cups. Or buy canned
soda in bulk cheap and fill a cooler. Set a box lined with plastic for
returnable cans. Serve one each: cola product (Coke, Pepsi, RC), clear soda
(7-Up, Sprite, Squirt), diet soda, non-caffeinated pop (root beer), bottled
water, lemonade and juice boxes. If you serve alcohol, have a bar tender. Put
bottled or canned beer in cooler. Monitor casually but carefully.
--Use
disposable utensils, plates, cups and napkins. Get cheap paper products at
Dollar Tree, Walmart or Family Dollar in your school colors. Serve food from
large disposable foil roasting pans. Use the turkey size. Buy rectangular pans
as they store in the refrigerator better. Fill roaster pans the night before
and reheat before serving
--Cheap,
easy open house buffet foods: These don't need to be reheated.
BBQ
meatballs: Mix and heat thoroughly: 5# bag of Armour frozen meatballs and 16 oz jam or frozen fruit, 16 oz ketchup, envelope French onion soup mix, cup molasses, smoked paprika, garlic and lime juice.
Sausage and Sauerkraut: three 32 oz bags of refrigerated sauerkraut and 4# fresh
bratwurst, sweet Italian or Polish sausage. Bake until sausage is thoroughly
cooked about an hour.
Tuna Salad: Mix
2# cooked small seashell pasta, four 12 oz. or eight 6 oz. cans of drained
tuna, 1 whole stalk of celery pared, cleaned and sliced, 1 large sweet or Vidalia onion,
cleaned and chopped, 3 T. dill, 32 oz jar mayonnaise, 4 hard cooked eggs sliced
and arranged on top, pepper or paprika for garnish
Chicken Salad: Mix
2# cooked small seashell pasta, four 12 oz cans cooked chicken, 32 oz jar
mayonnaise, 1 # chopped walnuts, 1 stalk cleaned, pared chopped celery, 2#
washed seedless purple grapes, 1/2 c. chopped sweet onion (optional), parsley
for garnish.
Baked Beans: Mix
8 cans of pork and beans or 3 jars of great northern beans, two 3# bacon cut
into bite-sized pieces, 32 oz ketchup, 2# brown sugar. Bake on low until beans
and bacon are browned and bubbly.
Vegetable tray: For
color variety use: cucumbers, grape tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, yellow pepper
strips, mini ir baby portobella fresh mushrooms, cauliflower. Serve dish in
hollowed out green pepper or use ranch dressing for dip.
Fruit bowl: canned
pineapple chunks, fresh strawberries (washed and pared), fresh washed green
grapes, canned mandarin oranges, fresh blueberries. Serve individually in
disposable drink cups topped with whipped cream for a smaller party. You can
also make a watermelon boat.I don't care for all the cutting up of a melons,
though.
Cupcakes: Cupcakes are much
easier to manage than a huge cake that messy and ends up all over your yard.
You can buy bulk decorations like little diplomas, Class year or graduation.
You can buy them from any party supply store or Walmart. Put one on each
cupcake. Our local Meijer grocery superstore makes decorated graduation
cupcakes. I paid $30 for 72 cupcakes, a big savings over a cake.
