Bid farewell to summer with a Hawaiian theme party

Food and drink

Speaking of pineapple, it’s tropical fruit season... so you will have no shortage of options for Hawaiian-style recipes.

Consider a selection of virgin pina coladas made with coconut milk, pineapple juice and fresh pineapple with a glacé cherry garnish. Other crowd-pleasing tropical drinks such as mango slushies and frozen lychee mocktails will make the most of other fruits ripe for the picking right now.

Some Hawaiian themed catering ideas include:

Snacks and hors d'oeuvres

• Crackers or chips with mango salsa
  
• Hawaiian pizza squares
• Mini hamburger sliders
• Curried eggs

Main dishes

• Aloha Fish Taco
• Roast Chicken with Sweet Mango Gravy
• Steamed sweet potato mashed with coconut milk
• Pureed snapper with brown rice and ginger
• BBQ vegetable skewers using in-season capsicum, mushrooms and zucchini
• Prawn cocktails (who doesn’t love a prawn cocktail?)
• Green bean salad (or pureed green beans)
• Fresh potato and mint salad

For dessert, fruit salad is a must. Try a combination of pineapple, strawberries, kiwi fruit, passionfruit and some finely chopped mint for a refreshing end to the meal.

Cheesecake Passion is another all-time-favorite in summer!

Get into the mood

There is nothing like music to set a scene, so tune into some classic Elvis and Beach Boys.  Blue Hawaii, Little Surfer Girl… there are plenty of tracks to evoke the cool surf and the majestic Hawaiian sunsets.

Decorating for a Hawaiian afternoon is easy. Most party stores will have a wide selection of adornments for tropical surroundings. You can blow up some palm trees (life-size or smaller), add luau style table covers and string up paper pineapple garlands. Frangipani and hibiscus flowers in all colours will make effective centre-pieces for the tables.

Dress up

Take the party a step further with easy and fun costume ideas.

Welcome residents with Leis, have some grass skirts handy, and hibiscus corsages are a simple way to add to the theme. Many residents may have their own outfits to add to the vibrant mood and fun of the afternoon.

So say “Aloha” to a Hawaiian theme and enjoy colourful and tasty afternoon with residents and their guests!