How To Keep Food Cool at an Outdoor Party

Besides vacations, endless beach days, and warm weather, there is something else summer has to offer: outdoor parties. While it’s easy to get carried away with cannonballs in the pool and good conversation with guests, it’s essential to consider the aspect of food. When serving guests at your outdoor party, here are a few tips and tricks on how to keep your food cool.

Considerations for Keeping Food Cool for a Party

Before you can greet the familiar faces of friends and family members, there are certain party logistics you need to consider. Factors like guest attendance, how long your party will last, and preparation time will significantly affect your party menu. Read through the following party logistics checklist to see how you can best plan the menu for your outdoor party.

1. Guest attendance

How many people are going to attend your party? Being outdoors means you aren’t limited to a restricted space. Although your motto may be “the more, the merrier,” it’s essential to have an estimated headcount so you can adequately account for how much food is needed.

2. Time duration

About how long will your outdoor party last? If you are holding a party that will be shorter in length, you have a bit more wiggle room on the types of foods you can serve because they don’t require as much chill time. But if your party is estimated to last several hours, half a day, or more, it’s critical to properly create a menu and ample cooling options to keep your food as fresh as possible throughout the day.

3. Prep & plating time

In tandem with your party’s duration, you should also consider how much time you need to prep and plate your food for your guests. While certain foods can be prepped and plated the night before, other foods must be prepared and plated close to show time to serve them at optimal temperatures.

4. Party menu

Once you’ve answered all the questions above, create your party menu. What types of foods fit the party theme? What foods will last the longest throughout the duration of your party? What non-perishable and fresh foods can you combine to make serving easier? All these questions will help you create a party menu that best suits your party logistics and guest preferences.

Ways to Keep Food Cold at Outdoor Parties

The following methods can help you preserve cold food during a warm day:

1. Coolers

Coolers are a great way to keep things cold when you’re outside for long periods. Coolers come in a variety of sizes, materials, and price ranges. Whether you opt for a large plastic cooler to house your beverages, a small soft-sided cooler bag to take a bowl of fruits to the beach, or a light insulated Styrofoam cooler for easy traveling, coolers are a convenient way to keep food cool while enjoying outdoor activities.

2. Serve on ice

Another way to keep food chilled while outdoors is to serve your food items on ice. There are many creative ways to store and display foods on ice. Pour ice into a metal container, and then arrange your food in a container on top of it. The ice will cool the metal container and keep the entire contents cooler for a longer time. Don’t want to use metal containers? Search for inflatable storage containers, plastic containers, or even plastic kiddie pools to store large amounts of sealed beverages or foods.

3. Dry ice

Dry ice melts slowly when appropriately stored and will keep your food colder for longer. It should be noted that dry ice should be handled with caution as its frigid temperature can burn the skin or freeze food if it comes in direct contact. To avoid this, use gloves when handling dry ice and put a layer between the dry ice and the food. Using separate containers, cardboard, or a cloth layer will prevent the food from becoming frozen.

4. Cool Packs

Using cool packs or icepacks layered in with your food selections prior to serving is another great idea. These work best when used in combination with coolers or containers that can help keep the cool temperature in and the hot air out.

What Types of Food Should Be Chilled?

The type of food you serve will determine the optimal serving temperature. Here are a few popular party foods that should definitely be chilled for your guests:

1. Ceviche

Whether you’re sitting poolside or catching up with friends at the beach, a bowl of refreshing ceviche is a popular summer appetizer for outdoor parties. Ceviche is typically a combination of shrimp or fish, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, cucumbers, and a zesty dose of lime and lemon juice. Ceviche is best served cold. Because of its seafood elements, it is vital for you as a party host to keep your ceviche chilled for health and safety purposes. Ceviche should be marinated in the fridge for about 30 minutes to 2 hours and served immediately. It is recommended that ceviche does not sit out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

2. Fruit

A fresh fruit assortment is another popular snack that should be kept cool for outdoor parties. Fruits like watermelon, berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries), grapes, and freshly cut honeydew and pineapple are just a small handful of fruits that are best served cold. When chilled, these fruits will last longer and taste sweeter for your guests on a warm summer day.

3. Beverages

Outdoor parties will always have beverages that must be kept cool. Whether you have water bottles, soda, beer, spritzers, or freshly squeezed lemonade, all these beverages should be kept cool throughout the duration of your party. While people will usually eat food for a set amount of time at a party, beverages are enjoyed throughout the entirety of parties.

4. Desserts

Certain desserts don’t need to be served cold. If you have treats like cookies or donuts, these are great items that can be served comfortably at room temperature. But if you are serving desserts like cake or ice cream at an outdoor party, these delectable snacks will certainly need to be served cold (or frozen) for optimal freshness.

4. Cold Salads & Sandwiches

Things like egg salads, pasta salads, and sandwiches with cheese or deli meat should be stored and served cold to minimize risk for food illnesses and to preserve texture and flavor.

Host your outdoor party

There are creative and efficient ways to keep your food cool at outdoor parties. Create a menu that will stand up to the length of time of your party and explore fun ways to display and chill your food items. In a pinch for time? Use a convenient food delivery service, like Instacart, to act as your helpful party assistant! With just a few cooling touches at your outdoor party, you’ll be on your way to being the coolest host in your neighborhood.

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Author

Instacart is the leading grocery technology company in North America, partnering with more than 1,400 national, regional, and local retail banners to deliver from more than 80,000 stores across more than 14,000 cities in North America. To read more Instacart posts, you can browse the company blog or search by keyword using the search bar at the top of the page.