1. Punch
What’s a party without a nice bowl of punch that guests can help themselves to. With a punch bowl, the flavor options are unlimited. A basic punch bowl is made up of fruit juice, a sweetener, water, and carbonated beverage, as well as other tasty add-in ingredients of your choice. Get out that crystal punch bowl you got as a housewarming gift but never use and get creative with your punch recipe. Be sure you have a ladle available for serving the punch. The best thing about having a punch bowl at your party is that it allows you to sit back and enjoy your party without having to play bartender.
2. Lemonade Pitchers
Great for kids and adults alike, lemonade is a perfect drink to serve at family-friendly barbecues and summer parties. You can play around with flavors instead of just sticking to the classic lemon flavor. Flavors like watermelon, raspberry and strawberry are great variations to try out. For extra style points, add lemon slices to the pitcher, and garnish each glass with a slice before serving. You could put also put a twist on your regular lemonade recipe by throwing it in a blender with some ice cream to create refreshing frosted lemonade.
3. Virgin Cocktails
For more intimate parties you can get creative with a shaker and whip up some virgin cocktails. Margarita, mojito and daiquiri mocktails are always party favorites. You don’t have to prepare your mocktails by the glass, especially when you are expecting a larger number of guests. Instead, you can prepare your cocktails in larger pitchers and set out sugar or salt-rimmed glasses for guests to serve themselves.
4. Fruit Coolers
Fruit coolers are essentially a grown-up and healthier version of the sticky, sweet fruit slushies of childhood. Have your party guest reminiscing fun childhood summers in the sun with an array of fruit cooler flavors at your next party. Experiment with different combinations to keep things fun. Fruit coolers are simple and easy to prepare, and you don’t have to worry about whipping up a batch until a couple of hours before your party. You also don’t have to worry about leftovers as any leftover cooler will keep in the refrigerator for a day or two after your party.
5. Smoothies
Smoothies don’t have to be limited to cafes and coffee shops, they also make a great summer party drink choice. Take your usual smoothie recipe from being just another great breakfast option to a perfect party drink by sticking to sweeter flavors like strawberry and vanilla. You can also have guests make their own smoothies with a smoothie bar stocked with a variety of fruit and liquid options, add-ons, and a blender.
6. Hot Apple Cider
Warm the heart and soul of your guests with a glass of delicious hot apple cider perfect for parties in the fall and winter. The smell of hot apple cider brewing in your house makes for a warm and inviting atmosphere for your guests. A slow cooker does the double duty of mulling the cider and keeping it warm for hours, making it the perfect appliance for this classic cold-weather beverage. The most important ingredient for hot apple cider is, of course, the apple cider. Fresh apple cider that contains no added sugar or spices or unfiltered apple juice is your best bet. The most basic combination with your cider is spicy fresh ginger, cinnamon sticks, and cloves to complete your hot apple cider, but you can play around with other fruit and spice combinations.
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