Throwing a Potluck New Years Eve Party

If you are planning to host a New Years Eve party this year, you might want to consider making the party a pot luck event. Most people consider potlucks for picnics and parties for other occasions but a potluck is rarely considered when throwing a New Years Eve party. However, there are a number of advantages to hosting this type of event. Some of these advantages include reducing the amount of work required by the host of the party, ensuring the guests all enjoy some of the food provided and cutting down on the amount of leftovers the host has at the end of the evening. This article will examine the logistics of hosting a potluck New Years Eve party.

A potluck is a good idea for a fun New Years Eve party. Some hosts may be hesitant to ask their guests to contribute a dish for the party but there are a few ways to make the potluck a great deal of fun. One way to do this is by implementing a theme for the party. The host can take the responsibility for preparing the main course and then assign each guest to bring another part of the meal to the New Years Eve party with the stipulation that the dish they bring should fit with the theme of the party.

While a potluck New Years Eve party greatly reduces the responsibility of the host in terms of food preparation, it is important for the host to remember she is still responsible for coordinating the meal. The host should take care of ensuring all of the elements of the meal are provided. This is important for preventing each guest from bringing a dessert and none of the guests bringing savory items such as the main course, side dishes, salads or appetizers. One way the host can do this is to indicate on each guest’s invitation which type of dish they should bring. The guest may assign 2-3 people to bring side dishes and 4-5 people to bring appetizers, 4-5 people to bring side dishes, 4-5 people to bring salads and 2-3 people to bring desserts. This will help to ensure there is a variety of item in each category.

It is also important to consider food service when planning a New Years Eve party. This logistical matter is especially important if guests will be providing items which must be served hot. The host might want to consult with the guests to determine what they will be bringing to contribute to the New Years Eve party and how the food should be served. If it is necessary to serve the item hot, the host should plan ahead to make accommodations to reheat the item or keep the item hot if the guest arrives with the item still hot. This is important because dinner will not likely be served immediately when guests arrive.

Beverages should also be carefully considered when planning a potluck New Years Eve party. One way to deal with beverages is for the host to supply all of the beverages. This is a good solution because alcoholic cocktails are particularly popular for New Years Eve parties and the host may prefer to plan on providing a few signature cocktails throughout the evening and will want to ensure they have the ingredients necessary to create those categories. While the host may want to provide all of the alcoholic beverages, she may allow a few guests to bring non alcoholic beverages as their contribution to the pot luck.

Finally, when planning a New Years Eve potluck it is important to ensure guests are aware of any dietary restrictions which should be considered when making the food for the party. For example if the host is aware that several guests require special diets such as diets for diabetics or diets for those with high blood pressure she want to make sure guests who will be preparing food for the party are also aware of these restrictions. The host may also want to ensure at least one main dish item is vegetarian in case any of the guests do not eat meat.

Find more great party ideas at Party Theme Express.

Outdoor Party Games for Kids

The outdoors offers a lot when you are planning a children’s birthday party. Space to run around and play can help keep the party from becoming too stagnant. Also, clean up tends to be a lot easier when you don’t have to worry about spilled soda and cake crumbs! But above all, the great outdoors offers space to have some great party games!

Bean Counting Relay
This is a fun and simple game that works for any age. Mark two lines about 10-20 feet apart with string or lime. At one line place two cups with beans and at the other end place two empty egg cartons or ice cube trays. Form the kids into two teams at the bean end. Each team must send one person at a time with a spoon and one bean to drop into the egg carton. If the bean is dropped, the player must return for another one. The first team to fill all 12 cups with a bean wins.

Centipede
Form two teams and have the kids line up, one behind the other, holding onto the waist of the person in front. Set up an obstacle course of cones or lawn chairs that they have to wind between, there should be two identical courses. When you blow the whistle, the “centipede” must run to the end of the course and back without anyone losing contact with the person in front of them. If a chain breaks up, they have to start again at the beginning. The first team to successfully complete the course without breaking the chain wins.

Down Catch
You will need a tennis or plastic ball for every two kids in this funny version of catch. The kids toss the ball back and forth until someone drops it or misses. This person then has to get down on one knee. The second miss means down on two knees. Each time they miss, they have to get further down, while still trying to catch the ball. One elbow, two elbows and finally chin.

Ball in the Air
All that is necessary in this outdoor game is a beach ball or another inflatable ball. All the kids get together in a group and try to keep the ball aloft for as long as possible. There are no winners or losers in the game, just lots of rambunctious fun!

Outdoor games can be fun, but make sure you let parents know not to send their children with fancy clothes so they can run around and get a bit grass-stained. Apart from that, have a blast!

Check out more games and other fun party ideas at Party Theme Express

Birthday Party Food Ideas

Apart from the gifts and games, a birthday party is about food! This is especially true for children who look forward to the cake and ice cream above all else. You can make sure that the lead up to the grand finale is just as good as the dessert that everyone is anticipating. Read on for some great birthday party food ideas.

The standard hotdogs and hamburgers can be spiced up a bit by packing them with chips and a toy prize in a paper bag that you have pre-decorated. This homemade version of a Happy Meal is a big hit for all ages!

Anything fried is pretty much guaranteed to be a hit at the birthday party, but you can make things a little healthier by baking. For example, try baking potato wedges drizzled in olive oil and sprinkled with garlic salt and dried rosemary. This yummy version of a French fry can be served with ketchup and is sure to be eaten right up.

You can also make baked chicken nuggets. Just cut a couple of chicken breasts up, dredge in egg and then in crushed cornflakes. Lay on a baking sheet and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper before baking 10 minutes or until cooked through at 350º. These can also be served with ketchup if you like and they are just as delicious as fried nuggets.

Fun shapes are always popular with kids, so try turning food into interesting forms with cookie cutters. A regular cheese sandwich becomes far more interesting when you cut it into animal shapes! Veggie slices can be cut to look appealing, too, if you feel you must add some real nutrition to the meal!

Eating outside makes everything taste better, so why not have a picnic with typical picnic food. Egg salad sandwiches, potato salad, fizzy juice, all these are super popular with kids and a nice alternative to the same old hot dogs as last year. You might also try shish kabobs made with fruit chunks or even tacos where the kids get to choose from an array of ingredients that you set out for them. Make-your-own burrito is another good choice that allows guests to avoid foods that they don’t like.

Above all, remember that birthdays only happen once a year, so if the food is a little on the unhealthy side, don’t worry too much about it. Just make sure it tastes good and you’ll have eager guests asking for seconds.

Find more recipe ideas for parties at Party Theme Express.com

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