Graduation Party Menu and Tips
If you’re hosting a grad party for your high school or college graduate this spring or summer, graduation party planning season has begun. With my Graduation Party Menu and Tips, along with some careful planning, your party will go smoothly and your stress level will stay low!
Over the years, I’ve planned and hosted graduation open houses for all three of my kids. Along the way I’ve picked up some really great tricks and tips.
As graduation season kicks into high gear, I’m sharing what I’ve learned from hosting multiple graduation open houses (both high school and college graduations). This includes everything from food, to drinks, to desserts to party setup.
So, no matter if this is your first graduation party or you’ve hosted your fair share, there is something here for everyone. Basically, everything you need to have a successful, low-stress event!
Table of Contents
- Beverages (Water) – Tips and Tricks
- How Much Water Should I Buy?
- Beverages (Soda) – Tips and Tricks
- How Much Soda Should I Buy?
- Beverages (Coffee) – Tips and Tricks
- Beverages (Bottles and Cans versus 2-Liter Bottles) – Tips and Tricks
- Selecting a Menu for Your Graduation Party – Keep it Simple
- Graduation Party Menu #1 – BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
- How Much Pulled Pork Should I Make?
- Menu #1 Sides
- Menu #1 Desserts
- Graduation Party Menu #2 – Grilled Chicken Pesto Pasta
- Menu #2 Sides
- Menu #2 Desserts
- Summing It All Up – Menu Planning
- Party Set Up – Tips and Tricks
- Party Set Up – Day of
Beverages (Water) – Tips and Tricks
The first tip is about buying bottled water. That tip? Buy as much water as you think you need and then buy more!
Really – you can’t have too much bottled water. If the day of your party turns out to be a hot one, you will go through more water than you might expect.
And, you certainly don’t want to run out of water on a hot summer day. You want your guests hydrated and comfortable.
Water is a budget-friendly option for drinks, especially if you have a Sam’s Club or Costco membership. And, if you’ve been on the fence about getting a wholesale club membership, now may be the time. These places are a great option for buying food, drinks and other things like plates, napkins and silverware at reasonable prices.
If you don’t have one of these memberships, it’s not a problem. During the course of your regular grocery shopping leading up to the party, keep your eyes open for sales, BOGO offers and other special deals on bottled water. It’s a great way to stock up on water at a discount.
As you know, bottled water will keep for a long time. So, if you end up with a lot of leftover water, don’t worry, the water won’t go bad. At the very least, you’ll have it on hand to use up over the course of the summer.
How Much Water Should I Buy?
The general rule of thumb is to buy two water bottles per guest per hour. For example, if you anticipate 100 graduation party guests in total, each spending one hour at the open house and the event is four hours long, that would be 200 bottles of water (100 people / 4 hours = 25 people per hour. 25 people per hour X 2 bottles per person = 50 bottles. 50 bottles X 4 hours = 200 total bottles of water).
Beverages (Soda) – Tips and Tricks
As far as soda goes, first figure out the brand of soda you want to buy. For me, I’ve always bought Coke products (that’s what my family likes), including Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Diet Sprite and Lemonade. But, I know other families fall into Pepsi or Dr. Pepper camps.
Regardless, I bought more of the varieties that I knew my family would drink and less of the varieties that I knew that we wouldn’t drink (for us that was regular Sprite). That way, if there were leftovers, I didn’t worry that they would go to waste.
As with the bottled water, sodas can be found at a pretty good price at places like Sam’s Club or Costco. And, as above, if you don’t have one of these memberships, it’s not a problem.
The same as for stocking up water, during the course of your regular grocery shopping leading up to the party, keep your eyes open for sales, BOGO offers and other special deals on the sodas you want for your party. When I found a great deal, I really stocked up.
With each of the open houses I hosted, I did have a fair amount of soda left over. But, that was all good as I didn’t have to buy much soda over the rest of the summer.
How Much Soda Should I Buy?
The general rule of thumb is to buy two cans (or bottles) of soda per guest per hour. For example, if you anticipate 100 graduation party guests in total, each spending one hour at the open house and the event is four hours long, that would be 200 cans of soda (100 people / 4 hours = 25 people per hour. 25 people per hour X 2 cans per person = 50 cans. 50 cans X 4 hours = 200 total cans of soda).
Beverages (Coffee) – Tips and Tricks
I have a 40 cup coffee maker, so I did provide coffee for people to have with dessert. However, I don’t think it’s essential, especially if the weather is hot. Frankly, I had a lot of coffee leftover each time.
Beverages (Bottles and Cans versus 2-Liter Bottles) – Tips and Tricks
I suggest bottled water and canned soda rather than 2-liter bottles. The reason? By using bottles and cans, you don’t have to worry about buying cups.
Also, with 2-liter bottles, you will end up with more waste, as partially used 2-liter bottles won’t keep for very long.
Selecting a Menu for Your Graduation Party – Keep it Simple
After multiple graduation open houses, the biggest thing I’ve learned is to keep your menu simple. I believe the best graduation party food ideas are often the simplest. And, you don’t need to have dozens of food options.
I learned that lesson as after the first open house I hosted, I had so much delicious food leftover! Like, way more than my family could consume in a reasonable time.
So, for subsequent grad parties, I offered fewer dishes. As a rule of thumb, I think a main dish with two or three sides is plenty.
Another way to keep it simple the day of the party – base your menu on things that can be made ahead of time. You don’t want to be getting up at 2:00am making a huge batch (or batches) of your sides and/or main course! You actually want to be awake and have a good time during the open house!
The other way to keep it simple – use tasty, easy recipes. There’s no good reason to make things difficult for yourself when there are many amazing easy recipes that will easily feed large groups.
Below I have provided two awesome and easy menus that have both great graduation party foods as well as can easily feed a large crowd. They each feature different main dishes as well as different side dishes and desserts.
Graduation Party Menu #1 – BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Main
- BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Sides (pick 2-3)
- Black Bean and Corn Salad
- Coleslaw Minus the Mayo
- Baked Beans
- Fresh Fruit Salad
- Potato Chips
Desserts
- Lemon Bars
- Cake
This first menu features BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches as the main dish. Making this Slow Cooker Pulled Pork is so economical as pork shoulder can typically be found at very reasonable prices.
And, the best part about pulled pork is that you can make it well in advance and keep it frozen until the party. A couple of days before the party, move the pork to the refrigerator to defrost. On the morning of the party you reheat it. An electric roaster or a chafing dish both work great to keep the pork hot.
(Note: After the party, freeze any pulled pork leftovers in meal size portions. It makes for quick meals throughout the summer.)
I served the pulled pork on my Homemade Sandwich Rolls. I started making the rolls a couple months ahead of time and froze them as I went.
However, if you don’t want to make homemade rolls, the pork is delicious on ciabatta rolls. And, using smaller ciabatta rolls will cut down on the consumption of the pulled pork.
I also provided a couple of different BBQ sauces on the side so guests could top their sandwich with their favorites.
How Much Pulled Pork Should I Make?
In general, one pound of uncooked pork shoulder will provide about 8-9 ounces of cooked pulled pork. Each sandwich contains about three ounces of cooked pulled pork. Anticipate about 1.5 sandwiches per person.
So, if you have 100 guests during the course of your open house, you need approximately 150 sandwiches (100 guests X 1.5 sandwiches per guest). That means about 50-60 pounds of uncooked pork shoulder to start.
That may seem like a lot, but 1.) pork shoulder is relatively inexpensive and 2.) it’s easy to make. It just takes time!
Menu #1 Sides
For the sides, I suggest the Black Bean and Corn Salad and the Coleslaw Minus the Mayo. The salad is fresh and summery. You can make it the day before, refrigerate and easily bring it out the day of the party.
The coleslaw is actually a 2 for 1 deal. It’s great both as a light side dish as well as a great topping for the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches.
And, since this is made without any mayo, it’s a lot safer to leave sitting out on a buffet. Plus, it’s really delicious!
The easy way to keep it fresh? Make the dressing a couple of days ahead of time. Then, the morning of the party combine it with the cabbage.
If you want to make things even easier, grab several bags of chips (kettle chips are my favorite!) and a few cans of baked beans. Put the chips in a bowl and the baked beans in a crock pot and you’re good to go.
If you want something a little lighter and fresher, you can always cut up some fresh fruit for a salad. For the fresh fruit salad, just cut up all of the fruit the day before and keep it in separate containers. Then, the morning of the party, combine in a serving bowl.
A combination of grapes, strawberries and pineapple works well. But, you can use your own favorites.
Menu #1 Desserts
First and foremost, every graduation party dessert table needs a cake. And, that’s one thing I depend on a local bakery for.
Personally, my favorite bakery cakes are from Sam’s Club or Costco. They’re really tasty and you just can’t beat the price. You can get a half sheet cake that’s been custom made with your graduate’s school colors for a very reasonable price.
However, I know people often do have their favorite bakeries. There’s nothing wrong with that as long as the price is reasonable. Either way, consult with them as to how much cake they believe you need for your party.
These Lemon Bars are also a perfect compliment to the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches and the rest of the menu. They’re light, easy to make and freeze ahead of time very well. You can then round out the dessert table with items such as M&M’s, mints and nuts.
Graduation Party Menu #2 – Grilled Chicken Pesto Pasta
Main
Sides (pick 2-3)
- Ciabatta Rolls
- Caesar Salad
- Fresh Fruit Salad
- Potato Chips
Desserts
This menu features Grilled Chicken Pesto Pasta as the main dish. It’s a great easy graduation party food idea. And, while it’s a lighter menu than the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches, it’s no less delicious!
This main dish is equally as affordable and economical as the pulled pork as it is a combination of chicken breasts and pasta. Both of these items are relatively inexpensive and easy to find at the local grocery store.
For this dish, grill the chicken a couple of weeks ahead of time and freeze (see recipe for amounts of ingredients per serving). Take the grilled chicken out of the freezer a couple of days before the party and put in the fridge to thaw.
Then, the day before the party, cook the pasta (borrow several large pots if you need to!) and finish preparing the dish. Refrigerate overnight and bring it to room temperature the morning of the party.
The great thing about the Grilled Chicken Pesto Pasta is that it tastes great room temperature. So, you don’t have to worry about how to keep it hot. Just put in a serving dish.
The other thing to note is that this dish freezes really well. (Note: That’s what I did with the leftovers and once again we had some quick meals on hand!).
Menu #2 Sides
For the sides, I suggest Ciabatta Rolls and the Caesar Salad. The Ciabatta Rolls are a perfect compliment to the Pesto Pasta. However, any crusty Italian bread works great.
And, don’t get too caught up in making the Caesar Salad. I literally bought several pre-made Caesar Salad kits and assembled them that morning. So simple!
Fresh fruit is also always a hit in the summer. For the fresh fruit salad, just cut up all of the fruit the day before and keep it in separate containers. Then, the morning of the party, combine in a serving bowl.
A combination of grapes, strawberries and pineapple works well. But, you can use your own favorites.
Also, chips are an easy side. Simply open and put into a serving bowl.
Menu #2 Desserts
As I mentioned above, every graduation party dessert table needs a cake. And, that’s one thing I depend on a local bakery for.
Personally, my favorite bakery cakes are from Sam’s Club or Costco. They’re really tasty and you just can’t beat the price. You can get a half sheet cake that’s been custom made with your graduate’s school colors for a very reasonable price.
However, I know people often do have their favorite bakeries. There’s nothing wrong with that as long as the price is reasonable. Either way, consult with them as to how much cake they believe you need for your party.
These Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake Bars are a great sweet treat that fits the Grilled Chicken Pesto Pasta menu. You can’t go wrong with this combination of cheesecake and chocolate! You can then round out the dessert table with items such as M&M’s, mints and nuts.
Summing it All Up – Menu Planning
To sum up menu planning, keep it simple and make ahead as much as possible. Also, if your closest friends, best friend, a family member (or members) or frankly, anyone offers to help with the prep work….SAY YES PLEASE! Putting together an open house of any size is hard work and having others help makes the work go so much faster!
Party Set Up – Tips and Tricks
Just like the food, get as much of the prep work done ahead of time as you can. The less you have to get ready the day of the party, the better.
Now is a great time to see what you might need to borrow, rent or buy. Do you need chairs? Tables? Serving pieces? Coolers? Table cloths?
I always devoted the entire day before the party to prepping. That’s when we finished the cooking, got the tables and chairs in place, got any memorabilia that we were displaying set up and got the food areas all set up (minus the food, of course!).
By early evening everything was generally ready to go for the next day. Then, our tradition was to relax and enjoy some Chinese takeout for dinner down in our basement (away from everything we’d worked so hard to get set up!) before getting a good night’s sleep.
Party Set Up – Day Of
The next morning I was up early to get the food ready to serve and take care of any last minute details. Things that are generally best left to the morning of the party would be putting the ice in the coolers for the water and soda.
We have a lot of freezer space so, we bought the ice the day before. But, that’s something you may need to send someone out to get the morning of the open house.
It’s also probably a good idea to wait until that day to put table cloths on any outdoor tables (if an outdoor party), as well as any outdoor decorations in case it rains or gets really windy. Other than that, it’s mainly getting the food heated up and put in your serving dishes.
I hope this information is helpful to all of you out there planning your own graduation parties. If you have questions about anything, feel free to leave them in the comments or send me an email. I will answer them the best I can!
ENJOY!
These are great tips! Thanks for sharing!
What great tips Lisa! Wish I’d had you around when I planned my son’s about 20 years ago…we really overdid. Appreciate you sharing this at Weekend Potluck. Congrats on having your last ‘baby’ graduate. They grow up much too quickly, don’t they?
Thank you! They really do grow up too quickly!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I was tryinv to figure out how to do sliders for my daughters party, but now i think i will do the pulled pork sliders instead. Now i can start cooking & freeze it. Imagine, i will be able to enjoy the party too!
Awesome, Tina! I’m glad you like my idea! I hope your party goes well!! :
Thank you, this is perfect advise for my daughters graduation party in 3 months. I will take your advise and make my life a lot easier.
For the pulled pork sandwiches, how much bone-in pork shoulder would you buy to serve an estimated 200 people? This is assuming guests will be visiting four or five graduations that same afternoon.
Tom – I would figure 1/4 to 1/3 pound per person. Since people will be attending other parties,you may find that not everyone even has a sandwich. The pork freezes really well, so I would tend to err on the high side.
I hope this helps!
Lisa
Hello! Thank you for such great ideas! Do you shred the pork or keep it whole when you prepare to freeze it & what is best way to freeze it? Thank you again!
Hi Diana,
I shred the pork before I freeze it and then I freeze it in gallon size freezer bags.
I hope this helps!
Lisa
Thank you for the tips! I had already planned on serving pulled pork sandwiches. I came across this and it brought some relief. I am planning my daughter’s open house. My oldest. I am freaking out inside. Between the emotions and wanting to make sure everything is perfect…this reassured me that I have this under control. Thank you so much for the tips. So helpful!!
Hi Chastity,
I’m so glad to hear you found this to be helpful! I hope everything goes well with your open house, the first one is a little scary, but it sounds like you have everything under control!
Just doing this for my oldest-how many lbs of pulled pork with you do for how many guests? I’m afraid we will be eating pulled pork all summer!
Hi Sherrie,
I would figure 1/4 to 1/3 pound of pork per person. With a graduation party, I’ve found that people don’t tend to eat as much because they’re often going to multiple parties per day. If you do end up with a lot of leftovers, the pork freezes really well. If you package it air tight, it will keep for at least 6 months.
I hope this helps. Good luck with your party!
Lisa
Just came across this tonight. My daughter’s graduation party is Memorial Day weekend. I’ve been cooking a freezing pulled pork for a week now, planning to serve up to 200 guests. I’m figuring a pound for 4-5 people since we will have other dishes. I agree that it’s better to keep it simple but have been overruled since it’s our first kid to graduate. We will be serving it with Buffalo Wings (ordered in), Grandma’s cocktail meatballs, Caesar salad, fruit salad, coleslaw, and pasta salad. I plan to get the cake from Costco and supplement with small desserts like cookies, buckeye candies (for OSU), mini cream puffs, chocolate bark, etc. I sure hope it all goes well!!! It was really nice to read your tips! Thank you!
Wow, Jane, you’ve got quite an amazing spread planned! Everything sounds so delicious! I think it’s smart that you’re planning on purchasing some of the food, rather than cooking/baking everything yourself, that definitely helps to keep things easier. I think your amounts for the pork sound good since you do have other dishes planned. Good luck with everything and best wished to your daughter!!
Lisa
I just read this and there are some GREAT ideas! My daughter is graduating this year, my first. I also was thinking pulled pork with some sides, a cake and a couple other desserts. My problem is….it will be open house style. How do I know how MUCH food to plan??? And how big of a cake? I know what foods I will be serving, I just have no idea how much to plan on. It will be in the afternoon, from about 2-5pm, and other grad parties will be going on the same day. Ideas?? Thanks!
Hi Susan – Our parties were all open house style as well, so I know it can be a challenge to figure out the right quantities. I always err on the side of having too much, especially with things that can be frozen or will keep for a good amount of time. Pulled pork is a great choice because it freezes really well and is a very versatile leftover.
I would start out by estimating how many people you think will be stopping by, based on how many invitations you’ve sent out. Then I would estimate how much food I would prepare if it was not an open house. So for example, if I were having a group over for dinner, I would estimate about 1/4 to 1/3 pound of pulled pork per person. For an open house situation, I would decrease that amount by about half.
Since a lot of your guests may have already been to other grad parties, they likely will not eat a whole meals worth of food. I found that the people that ate the most at our open houses were relatives who were only coming to our party. My kid’s friends were probably the ones who ate the least, since they tend to go to multiple parties.
As far as cake goes, I always bought a half sheet and we always had quite a bit left over. Looking back, a quarter sheet probably would have been fine since I also made some other desserts to go along with it.
I hope this helps. If you have any more questions, let me know and I’ll try and answer as best I can.
Lisa
This has so many great recipes and ideas! I’m already planning for our next graduation!
Ohh, what a delicious party menu – I like both pork and pasta with chicken, and that you can make the main dishes in advance. Great time saver so you can enjoy the festivities too!
These are great tips for all parties. Less is more, buy lots of water being ones I always need to remember. I cant wait to try your homemade roll recipe… I often serve sliders and that would be a really nice touch. And that I can make them ahead and freeze them- Winning!
Oh my goodness! I want to come to your parties!! Great tips and an awesome menu! Those lemon bars sound incredible!!! Definitely saving this for later! Thanks!
What great tips and an easy yet elegant menu for a party!! I might steal this one for my 4th of July menu!
I can’t get that Grilled Chicken Pesto Pasta off my mind… Or those lemon bars! And I’ve already got the homemade sandwich buns and the mayo-free coleslaw on my summer BBQ list! So many great recipe ideas! Thanks, Lisa!
These are such awesome tips! I’ll have to share with my friends planning grad parties!
Thank you so much for the sharing all you tips! My son’s graduation is coming up soon and I never thought of making pulled pork. Is their a certain recipe that you use? I have made it a few times but not enough to serve to a crowd. Thanks so much again!
I’m glad I could help! I do have a recipe for pulled pork. There’s a link in this post and it’s so easy!
Lisa
It was a blessing to find your tips on the web regarding graduation meal ideas. Wow, I was so stressed about whether to have it catered (expensive) or do it myself (where to begin?). Your article simplified those questions and I think I can manage!!! Thank you! Any ideas to offer a meatless but filling dish (add’l) for vegetarians without over-doing choices?
Thanks! Brenda
I’m so glad to hear this was helpful for you! Good luck with your party! As far as a meatless option goes, maybe you could serve a meatless pasta salad with lots of fresh veggies as well as some cheese and maybe dress it with an Italian dressing?
Thank you! This is awesome help. I have never done pulled pork. Once frozen and time to use, how long do you dethaw and how long do you reheat and at what temperature? My fear is I would dry it out. Thank you!
I would defrost it for several days in the fridge. I heated mine in a roaster on the day of, at 350 degrees. If you don’t have a roaster, you could reheated in your oven at 350 and then keep it warm in crockpots.
We’re serving pulled pork for our grad party Sunday. How are the sandwiches served? Should I set the sandwiches out on a platter or let folks dish their own on the buns? This post has been extremely helpful!
I’m so glad you found this helpful! I let people make their own sandwiches.
Thank you!
These are great tips! I’m always hosting parties and get-togethers, so these will totally come in handy.
These are great tips for any party!
Planning like this takes a lot of work and prep. I love the ideas you’ve shared here for making a busy time delicious and easier!
This is a one stop site for graduation parties!! You
have everything covered!! Thank you!
Now I want to throw a party!!! These tips are great!
I made the lemon bars and they were heavenly! Going to try that pork next! Thanks!
You sure are right on buying extra water… I always buy too little. The pulled pork is a brilliant idea for easy cooking and it freezes really well if I happen to have any left over..
I don’t have a graduate in the near future but lots of friends who do that are going to love this menu!
Party planning can be SO stressful! Thank you for the lovely recipes and wonderful tips and tricks!
If I were to plan for 150 people, how much pulled pork should I buy? Did you use a favorite recipe for it?
I would plan between 1/4 lb and 1/3 lb of meat per person, depending on how many other dishes you’re serving. There’s a link above in the post to my pulled pork recipe. Click where it says BBQ pulled pork sandwiches.
Hi there, quick question. If I make the pork ahead of time and freeze it, can I refreeze the leftovers? I thought I remembered reading that you shouldn’t refreeze meat once it’s been heated up. Thanks!
Hi Karen, I have heard that recommendation, too, but have refrozen meat many times and have never had an issue with it. If the meat had been at room temperature for a while I probably wouldn’t refreeze it, but I’m comfortable with it if it’s been kept hot.
Lisa, love this post! In fact, I love it so much I provided a backlink in my graduation post, just published. You can check it out here: http://bit.ly/2vESkfL
This appears to be helpful
What a HUGE help! It’s been a while since I’ve thrown a big party and all my tricks, tips, and recipes burned with my home in a wildfire. Thank you!
@Ann-Marie Heidingsfelder, Oh my, I’m so sorry about your house! But I’m so glad to hear that you found my article helpful. Good luck with your party!
Than you for the great tuips. We are gearing up for high school graduation and originally thought to cater a backyard party, but I make pork shoulder often, and think I can pull your menu ideas together to feed my 35 guests.
@TX Ladybug, You’re so welcome! Good luck with the party, I hope everyone enjoys the menu!
Hi Lisa! So did you find it worked better to have just the pork and separate sauces than having it mixed? What kind of BBQ sauces did you do? I was going to do more side dishes to go with pulled pork, but can see the wisdom in keeping it simpler. Kettle chips, coleslaw, and fruit salad or watermelon it is!
@Stacey, I did find it was better to serve the sauces on the side. That way the guests could choose the sauce they prefer. I believe I just served Famous Dave’s BBQ sauce, which is my family’s favorite. If you want to serve more than one sauce, I suggest one that’s sweet and one that’s spicy. Also if your pork isn’t mixed with any sauce, you have more flexibility for how you’re going to use any leftover pork. Keeping the menu truly is key to keeping your stress level down. Your menu sounds great!
Hi Lisa! What size plate would you recommend for the pulled pork menu, lunch (appx. 8 3/4″) or dinner size (appx. 10 3/4″)? Struggling with which size to buy. Thanks!
@Jenny, I would recommend the lunch size. It’s still large enough to get reasonable sized portions of the food, without going overboard and your guests can always go back for a second portion. Good luck with your party!
@Lisa, Thank you so much!
Your black bean corn side sounds wonderful. How much would you suggest making for a party of 125
@Kristen, Thanks for reaching out! I would suggest making 7-8 times the recipe. A single recipe makes enough for 8 good size portions. People don’t necessarily eat a lot at a graduation open house, especially if they have multiple parties to go to on the same day. If you do end up with leftovers, this salad keeps pretty well for multiple days. Good luck with your party! Lisa
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