Summer party food ideas that hold up in the heat

Summer party food ideas that hold up in the heat are one hot tray you can keep warm, a few cold sides that taste good at room temperature, fruit, and a big drink. For 40 guests, BBQ Pulled Pork, buns, BBQ baked beans, slaw, a watermelon platter, brownies and a drink pack come to $525 before tax, or $573.56 with 9.25% sales tax, about $14.34 a guest.

The menu for 40

• BBQ Pulled Pork, $95 a tray, serves 20. Two trays: $190.
• Slider Sandwich Buns, $12 for 24. Two trays: $24.
• BBQ Baked Beans, $49 a tray.
• Creamy Cole Slaw, $55 a tray.
• Watermelon Wedge Platter, $59 for 40 to 45 pieces.
• Brownies, $59 for 35 count.
• Iced Tea, Punch or Lemonade, $89 for 50 six-ounce servings.

The math: $190 + $24 + $49 + $55 + $59 + $59 + $89 = $525. Tax adds $48.56, so $573.56.

The pork is braised in our own BBQ sauce and holds well in a chafing dish. Slider buns let people eat standing up, one in each hand. A Chafing Dish Set is $17 per hot dish, yours to keep.

Why these dishes

Heat is hard on some food and easy on others. A few rules we use when we plan a summer order:

• Hot food should be hot, in a chafing dish, and not warm on a counter. That is the job of the pork and the beans.
• Cold food should be kept shaded and put out in rounds. Fruit, slaw and pasta salads come out of a cooler a tray at a time.
• Fruit helps. Watermelon is gone in minutes at a summer party and takes no cooking.
• A cold sweet tray and a cold drink win over anything that needs to be kept frozen.

More summer ideas, by type

Light, cold lunch

Sandwich Platter, $79, with Macaroni Pasta Salad, $59, and Seasonal Fresh Fruit Display, $74. No heat, no chafing, easy for a lunch in a garden.

Shrimp and a cheese tray for the evening

Jumbo Chilled Shrimp, $95 for 60 pieces, with the Assorted Cheese Tray, $69 for 60 pieces. Both are cold, and the shrimp is gluten-free and dairy-free.

Easy sides

Potato Salad is $49 and Buttered Fresh Green Beans are $49. Use the planning guide of one side tray per 20 guests, which keeps the table full without waste.

Quantities

At a backyard party with sides, we plan 1 to 2 pulled pork sliders per guest. For 40 guests, 2 trays of pork and 2 of buns. If sliders are the meal, add more. The full sliders arithmetic is in the pulled pork sliders guide, and the broader backyard plan is in the party food guide.

Drinks: one drink pack gives 50 servings. Bottled Water is $2.49 each if you also want cans or bottles in the cooler.

How to order

Standard orders need 3 days of notice. Pick up at the kitchen in Yorkville, or ask for quoted delivery when you order. Drop-off and pick-up orders carry no service charge. Our drop-off catering page explains how orders work. Call (630) 553-9533 or send the date and headcount on the quote form.

Questions

What food is safe to leave out in summer heat?

Keep hot food hot in a chafing dish and cold food in shade, and put cold trays out in rounds. Do not leave anything in direct sun.

How much food per person for a summer party?

With sides, plan 1 to 2 sliders a guest, one side tray per 20 guests for each side, and about 1 to 2 sweets each.

Can I get food that needs no heat?

Yes. Sandwich platters, pinwheels, cheese and crackers, shrimp, pasta salads, fruit and cookies are all served cold or at room temperature.