People who host often know that you want to save yourself as much time as possible on the day of the event. Things always take longer than anticipated, something goes wrong, or you have to stop to account for something you didn’t see coming.
There are a few ways you can ensure you have the best graduation party possible. One way you can save yourself time is to prepare as much ahead of time as possible. Another is to plan for foods that are easy to distribute or easy for guests to access.
What To Prepare
One of the first steps of party planning is always to plan out a menu. Take into consideration that you want things that fit the theme, work for the venue and weather, and how much preparation time you will have. If you take a look at your menu, there are often plenty of make-ahead items you can pull off in addition to smaller elements you can prepare so don’t forget to consider preparing both full dishes and ingredients beforehand and see how much ‘day of’ stress you can save yourself!
What’s Easy To Access
Plan for foods that are easy for guests to access such as small, easy-to-grab bites, salads that are easy to scoop, or foods that you can pre-portion out. You want foods that can sit on there own and don’t need tending to or much maintenance.
So here are a few recipes you can use for your graduation party celebrations so you can focus on the accomplishments of the graduates, instead of preparing food and drinks!
Easy, Make-Ahead Graduation Party Food Ideas
Make-Ahead Bites
Recipe ideas for easy-to-grab bites that you can make ahead of time to help save time
1. Avocado Strawberry Mango Salsa
This fruity take on salsa is addictive, your guests won’t be able to stop dipping. The salsa is stuffed full of bright, seasonal produce and bursting with both color and flavor. You can easily prep most of this dish ahead of time, just hold out on the avocado until you’re preparing to put it out to keep it from browning.
2. Spring Roll Salad
Spring rolls aren’t often in the same sentence as graduation party and it’s time to change that. Skip the pasta salad and potato salad and opt for this Spring Roll salad that is fresh and bursting with fresh vegetables. You can get all of the familiar flavors of spring rolls with the convince of an easy-to-serve dish. Either prep the veggies ahead of time and combine them on the day or prep the whole dish the day before and let the flavors meld.
3. Spinach Puffs
These spinach puffs are the perfect option if you’re looking for something a bit more filling but still easy to prepare and easy for guests to grab. You can make the filling ahead of time and assemble them the day of or you can make them the day before and store them in the fridge and reheat them the day of the graduation party. Bonus, they are a vegetarian option!
4. Mini Lobster Rolls
Making lobster rolls ahead of time may not seem like a viable option, but don’t forget, you can still save time by partially preparing elements. Make the filling for the lobster rolls, store it in the fridge, and simply toast your bread and fill them near the time of the party. Now your guests have an upgraded party bite, no chips and dip here.
5. Pulled Pork Pasty Puffs
Does BBQ go better with your menu? Just like the spinach puffs, you can prepare the filling before the day of the graduation party and on the day assemble them and pop them in the oven or you can make the entire puff ahead of time and reheat them the day of the party. These puffs make BBQ easy to carry and mess-free, and the recipe is amazing.
6. Chicken Cranberry Salad Sandwich Pinwheels
Pinwheels are no stranger to parties, but these cranberry chicken salad pinwheel sandwiches are too good to pass up. The recipe is light and refreshing, perfect for hosting during those warmer months. The Chicken salad can be prepared ahead of time and depending on how well your carb choice holds, the full sandwiches can be assembled before time as well.
7. Brie and Onion Puffs
Cheesy, salty, savory, and addictive. You will absolutely want these brie and onion bites at your graduation party. They are incredibly simple to make and very easy to prepare ahead of time. You can just precut your pastry to save time or you can or you can preassemble the entire bites and store them in the fridge. All you have to do is pop them in the oven on the day of the party.
Prepared Desserts
Sweet bites, perfectly portioned and easy to prepare
8. No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake Cups
Looking for a sweet treat that’s easy to make but also requires little skill? It doesn’t get much better than these no-bake cheesecake cups. All you need are a few ingredients, some cups in the size you’d like, and some time. The best part is that you can make these ahead of the party and chill them until it is time to serve.
9. Pavlova Grazing Platter
Charcuterie but make it a classy dessert! Pavlovas are an underrated dessert option but if you’re looking for a fun and interactive way to serve dessert, consider creating a pavlova grazing platter! Your guests can grab a pre-made pavlova base and customize it to their liking, Offer up plenty of fresh fruits, creams, jams, and curds to keep it fun. To make ahead, prep the fruit and pavlovas the day before and assemble the tray on the day of the graduation party.
10. Mini Fruit Tarts
If you like the classic fruit and cream style dessert but you aren’t up for the pavlova grazing board, fruit tarts also work. You can prepare the custard or purchase it and the same goes for the tarts as well. You can make this as little or as much work as you’d like. The author has included an incredibly easy-to-follow recipe option if you want to create it from scratch. The only part you have to commit to is assembly which you can easily do before the event and serve them when ready.
11. Lemon Blueberry Trifles
Like the blueberry no-bake cheesecake cups, these mini trifles mainly need assembling, but you can go for it and make all of the elements from scratch. There is not much better than homemade lemon curd. If you’re looking for ease, however, grab some lemon cake, lemon curd, cream, and fruit and you’re ready to go.
Batch Cocktails
Batch cocktails perfect for friends and family celebrating a college graduation
12. Pineapple Rum Punch
Bring the summer and tropical vibes to a glass near you with this amazing rum punch. Sweet and tangy and perfectly balanced, this is the ideal punch to prepare for a mixed crowd.
13. Sweet Tea and Bourbon Pitcher
Simple but good is already a good way to describe sweet tea, but it also applies to this super simple but delicious sweet tea and bourbon pitcher recipe. This is the perfect recipe when looking for something simple but elevated.
14. Lychee Sangria
If you’re not a lychee person, you should be. If you are a lychee person, this sangria should be on your to-try list. Super subtle and light, but sweet with a hint of floral, this is a crowd-pleaser. Add this to your graduation party ideas Pinterest board now!
15. Ocean Breeze Cocktail
Blue Curacao meets rum and lemonade at the intersection of this beach-in-a-drink cocktail. This sweet mix is perfectly balanced by tart lemonade and topped off with fresh fruit garnishes. If you’re looking for a cocktail option that screams fun, this is the mix for you.
16. Spiked Cherry Limeade (Mocktail Option Included)
If you like cherry limeade, or if you’re just curious, this is absolutely a recipe you’ll want to try. Sweet and tart but still the perfect mix for an afternoon delight. Consider making up a batch or two of this before your party. And if you want to make your make-ahead process even better, make the cocktail and cocktail options included in the recipe! That way you have an alcoholic and non-alcoholic option ready to go.
Batch Mocktails and Punches
Refreshing Sips Perfect for high School Graduations and Sober Spaces
17. Sparkling Lime Mint Punch
When was the last time you made a punch for a party? Well, this is definitely the recipe to bring that back. This sweet and tangy mix is bright and refreshing with the addition of mint! Perfect for a relaxing spring day or a warm summer afternoon, you can make up plenty of this before your party and you won’t regret it!
18. Brazilian Lemonade
Brazilian lemonade is not the lemonade of the US or UK, for starters, it uses limes instead of lemons. But it is hands down one of the best ways to use the fruits. Tart, sweet, and creamy, you’ll quickly become addicted. Make a large pitcher, or two, before your graduation party and make your guests incredibly happy.
19. Pineapple Coconut Agua Fresca
All it takes for this super easy and quick recipe is 3 ingredients. This Agua Fresca is so easy to make and incredible for making large batches. The tropical flavors are nothing short of refreshing.
If you landed here, you were probably searching for graduation party ideas. There are plenty of them out there, but a lot of them take a lot of time and preparation. Save yourself some time with these make-ahead ideas and you can use that time to complete some of the more complicated tasks or do final touches to ensure you have the best graduation party you can. Use some of these recipes or just take some inspiration, either way, you’ve got this!
