Are you, like millions of Americans, planning a Fourth of July get-together? Even with record heat, people coast-to-coast will be pulling out boats and barbecues and inviting friends and family over. Everyone loves a good, old-fashioned outdoor cook-out and every year Independence Day northerners and southerners alike make it the most popular day for barbecuing in the U.S.A.
Whether you’re bar-b-cueing or grilling, do you really know how many hot dogs you can expect each of your guests to eat or the best way to set up a buffet? Just in case, here are some tips to make your Red, White and Blue party the best on the block.
Plan on each of your guests eating two hot dogs a piece and one hamburger. Ribs, brisket, and sausage are a whole different story as everyone has their favorites. Just make sure to have plenty of all, including sides like beans, potato salad, cole slaw, and the likes for each of their likes.
Crate and Barrel
Drink wise, each of your guests will use an estimated four “Red Solo Cups” and two paper plates. For a two-hour party, estimate one bottle of wine for every guest just to be safe and two bottles or servings of beer per person for the first hour. In general, plan on two drinks per guest during the first hour of your party, and one each hour after that.
Good Housekeeping
Be sure to have plenty of bottled water and non-alcoholic drinks on hand to, as you can never have too much.
If your cook-out consists of a buffet, consider the following ideas:
Mark the beginning of the line/table obvious by placing a tall stack of plates at it.
Make the buffet servable from two sides to keep the traffic flow going.
Don’t forget plenty of empty saucers/spoon rests for the guests to use after serving themselves.
Make the serving bowls and trays both attractive and accessible by placing them at various heights.
Food description cards are always a nice touch, especially on dishes that aren’t easily identifiable like dips or cheeses.
Place food that you have the least amount of at the end of the buffet. Guests are less tempted to serve much of these items as their plates have filled up.
Place napkins and serving utensils at the very end of the buffet line so guests don’t have to fidget with them while serving themselves.
Gray Malin
If your party is a potluck, and whose isn’t these days, and guests bring dishes to share, a good and simple rule is to return their empty dish with something delicious inside that you’ve made.
As an invited guest, if you don’t know what to bring as a hostess gift, consider a bottle of wine, festive or theme-related coasters, cocktail napkins, a nice bottle of olive oil, a scented candle, or decorative tea towels.
Lastly, please don’t forget your pets as you celebrate the Fourth. Fireworks are very scary for many dogs so please plan ahead for their safety and comfort as well.
And it goes without saying that it’s important to remember why you are having a party: to celebrate our great country! So, as you set up and cook out, keep in mind our freedoms to do so and maybe even say a special prayer for God to keep blessing the USA.
If you’re looking for some fun board and drink ideas, here are a few that I love. Stars and Stripes forever and Happy Birthday America!
Beyond Words 
