Inexpensive Recipes and Décor for Graduation Parties

Inexpensive Recipes and Décor for Graduation Parties

‘Tis (almost) the season for graduation parties! And if you have a graduate of your own this year, don’t stress. Here’s plenty of inexpensive food and décor ideas to make planning the party easy-peasy.

Easy Appetizers

Graduation party “season” typically means lots of party invites throughout the spring and summer– AKA your party might be stop number two or three for some of your guests. So, don’t worry about serving up a full five-course meal. Instead, take it easy with a few fruit trays, vegetable trays (just call your local Sparkle) and bite-sized apps. Here’s a few delicious appetizer recipes:

 

Dips ‘n Sides

For less food maintenance and more socializing time, make big batches of dips and side salads. Keep warm dips in crock pots and cold dips over ice. Put plenty of crackers and chips in large bowls to minimize the amount of times you need to refill. Here’s a few crowd-pleasing recipes:

 

Create-Your-Own Food Tables

Create-your-own [insert food] tables are becoming more and more popular at parties. Why? They’re easy to set up and fun for guests! The formula to a great create-your-own food station = main component options + topping options. Take a look below for some inspiration:

  • Taco Bar = soft tortillas + hard shells + shredded chicken + ground beef + lettuce + tomato + salsa + cheese
  • Flatbread Pizzas = flatbreads + pizza sauce + white sauce + meats + cheeses + veggies + oils + seasonings
  • Burger & Hot Dog Bar = buns + patties/dogs + cheeses + veggies + sauces
  • Mac & Cheese Bar = pre-scooped cups of mac + bacon + extra cheese + tomatoes + chicken
  • Bagel Table = bagel varieties + cream cheese varieties + fruit + bacon + avocado slices
  • Soft Pretzel Table = soft pretzels + seasoned salts + cheeses + mustards

 

Desserts

To keep things extra simple, order a graduation cake from your local Sparkle bakery! All you’ll have to do is pick it up and cut it at the party. But, if you want to serve up some other desserts along with (or instead of) your cake, here’s a few ideas:

  • Diploma cookies – buy pre-made pirouette cookies and tie colored ribbon around the middle of each
  • Ice Cream Sundae Bar – scoop ice cream into mason jars, place in a bucket of ice, and set up a table with bowls of different toppings
  • Donut Wall – purchase or make donuts, then hang them on a wall with dowel rods
  • Peanut Butter Pie Bites
  • Magic Cookie Bars
  • Strawberry Lemon Poke Cake – fresh, delicious and perfect if your school color is red!
  • Strawberry Pretzel Dip

 

Now, a Message from Food Safety

When hosting any sort of party, graduation or not, it’s important that you keep basic food safety in mind– especially if your party is outside.

  • Fill large bowls with ice and set foods that need to stay cold (pasta salads, fruit, deviled eggs) on top
  • Make sure to replace the ice as it melts
  • Any food sitting out for more than 2 hours should be thrown away (if your party is longer than 2 hours, serve food in smaller portions, with the rest kept cold/hot elsewhere)
  • Use a food thermometer to make sure meat is cooked thoroughly

 

Decorative Food Label Tents

Food labels serve two purposes: they (1) let your guests know what they’re eating (no surprise allergic reactions) and (2) function as simple decorations. On Amazon, you’ll find all sorts of food labels, like these mini chalkboards or these stainless steel tents. But, if you don’t plan on re-using the labels, go the simple route: fold pieces of paper in half and write on them with colorful markers. For design inspiration, check this Etsy page.

 

Mason Jar Centerpieces

A quick search on Pinterest for “centerpieces” will probably yield about 500+ mason jar results. Why? They’re super cheap and extremely versatile. Here’s a few ways you could decorate them:

  • Fill the jars with colored beads, stones or mints. Decorate craft dowel rods with your graduate’s year, name or colored ribbon. Place rods in the mason jars.
  • Spray glue onto the bottoms of the mason jars. Dip the jars in colored glitter and let dry. Decorate dowel rods and place inside.
  • Fill mason jars with flowers along with dowel rods decorated with photos of the graduate.
  • Paint the outsides of the jars in school colors. Let dry, then tie ribbon around the top with graduate year attached.

Pro tip: before filling the jars, place a can or other small object inside. This will make the jar appear fuller, without using a ton of beads, stones or mints. 

 

How to Display Memories

The whole point of this party is to celebrate the journey your graduate took to reach graduation! Let your guests reminisce by displaying those memories via photos.

  • Spread photo albums or scrapbooks out on a table for guests to flip through
  • Create a photo board by taping pictures to a tri-fold board
  • String photos along thick string with clothespins, clothesline-style
  • Purchase large wooden numbers (2019) from a craft store, cut photos to fit, then collage them onto the numbers
  • Build a mini wall out of pallet wood and string or attach photos on the wall

 

DIY Photo Booths

We’re sure it’ll come as no surprise when we say that teens love to take photos. And the perfect photo opportunity for your grad’s party is a photo booth! Save the money from renting a professional photo booth and instead create one yourself (it’s not too difficult, trust us). A few ideas:

  • Hang a simple backdrop (sheet or paper) and set props out for people to use
  • Set up a more creative background, like 2019 balloons or a plant wall with hanging banner
  • Create a life-sized picture frame for people to hold up and take pictures in

 

Other Extras   

Each graduation party is slightly different from the next. Here’s a couple ways you can personalize your party even more:

  • Set out a Words of Wisdom Jar next to your card box– guests can write advice for your graduate
  • Gift guests light bulbs filled with candy that say “thanks for making my future bright”
  • Create a custom Snapchat filter for the day and location of your party
  • Set up yard games like giant tic-tac-toe and corn hole for guests to play

 

Congratulations to your Class of 2019 graduate and good luck planning the party! As always, make sure to stop by your local Sparkle Market for all the quality ingredients you need to make your graduate’s party a success.