Nifty vs. Thrifty

Friday, July 2, 2010

Hosting an Easy and Fun 4th of July Picnic

Fourth of July is one of the fun holidays in the summer that we can get together with friends and family and have some fun. But it can be expensive and exhausting if you are hosting! Here are some ways that you can have a great party and actually enjoy the fun (without overextending yourself!)

Shop the dollar stores. Dollar stores are great for fun toys for kids and also plates to display your food. Instead of spending tons of money and time on making your food perfect, SIMPLY use a throwaway dish with two sides and put fruits in one side with whipped cream on the other! It will look nice and taste yummy!

Don't be afraid to ask for help. Most likely your guests will be so thankful that you are willing to host a party that they will be more than willing to bring something along (games or food) Just ask in advance so they have time to think about it or go to the store!

Prepare entertainment. If you are having kids over, have some options for them to do (don't go crazy, a little table with crayons or a bin of toys from the dollar store will do just fine!!) If you don't want to go out and buy anything, just ask your friends to bring some things along for their children to play with. Remember, having some things to keep the kids busy will make your guests (their parents) much more relaxed!
No kids? Having an adult party? Buy a cheap lawn game (or ask your friends if they wouldn't mind bringing one with them!)

Keep food simple. If you want to spend any time with your guests, don't go overboard with food. People love hot dogs and hamburgers at picnics so keep it simple. If you are a foodie, try to pick food that you can prepare ahead of time.
Call me lazy, but I often find Rachel Ray's recipes to be more than I want to take on or more ingredients than I want to buy. However, her show today had some great recipes that REALLY were fun, easy, and cheap for a bbq. Check them out at http://www.rachelrayshow.com/.

For me, hosting a party is much easier than going to one (since my daughter is a toddler and our house is already child proofed). I am having some relatives over on Saturday and can't wait to have some quality time with them! I am going to make the hot dog rollups on the grill off the Rachel Ray website! I will let you all know how we make out (and share some pics too!!)

Have a great Fourth of July my wonderful mommies!!!


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