This post is sponsored by SC Johnson. All comments and opinions are my own.
Tis the season for lots of entertaining! With the amazing summer weather most of us spend a ton of time outdoors. This is the time to enjoy picnics, barbecues, pool parties and more. I don’t need anything other than a sunny forecast to start planning my next gathering.
Some drinks, lots of tasty food and good friends are the perfect combination for a day of fun. Keeping things simple is the best way to ensure that the party is a success. A cooler full of drinks and an easy cookout is one of my favorite ways to spend the day. There’s no need for a ton of prep so I actually get to enjoy the day with my guests. When it’s time to wind down, I make cleanup simple by packing leftovers for everyone in Ziploc® brand bags and containers.
Sending the extras home with folks is a great way to make sure nothing is wasted. Plus, with all the different sizes and options, you are sure to find the perfect Ziploc® brand product to help you save, store or organize all your party extras with ease!
Get summer ready thanks to great sale and deals on your favorite Ziploc® brand products at Publix. Stock up on everything you need to celebrate summer and save! Look for great savings at part of the current Advantage Buy Flyer.
Ziploc® brand Sandwich or Snack Bags 30 – 40 ct. to Ziploc® brand Slider Storage or Freezer Bags 10 – 20 ct, 2/$4
-$1/2 Ziploc® brand Products, exp. 6/18/17 (SS 05/07/17 #2)
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–$1/2 Ziploc® brand bags printable
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Just $1.50 each!
The folks at SC Johnson want to help you gather with friends and family and enjoy the season. They are giving one iHeartPublix reader a $100 Publix gift card to help you stock up on all your favorite cleaning products and be prepared for whatever messes occur!
Entry is simple. You just need to complete the mandatory task below (answering my question below). You can gain additional entries by completing any of the other options as well! View the Giveaway & Sweepstakes Rules.
Tell me some of your best tips for summer entertaining.
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There are just two of us, so when I bake cookies or brownies I take half and freeze in Ziploc freezer bags (it also keeps us from eating them all!). When company is coming, I take them out of the freezer, thaw and have instant homemade treats guests!
I prepare all my cold dishes a day before. So the flavors have time to marry and it saves time.
Don’t overthink your role as a hostess, have fun and hang out with your guests!
I love to serve everything up “family style” — it is much easier and faster to prepare instead of rationing out individual portions. This way everyone also gets to pick and choose how much they’d like of each dish.
Summer time is about cool stuffs . I made watermelon ice . This is awesome for children summer frozen treat
I use my slow cooker to keep from heating up the house with the oven.
Remember to be relaxed as the host and enjoy the party too!!
Find some cheap plastic plates at the end of summer to re-use for entertaining in future summers. Always have cool drinks on hand. A sprinkler in the backyard is always entertaining for kids!
A group of us in our neighborhood take turns doing potluck “Dinner on the Driveway” and then an neighbor has a big projector and shows a movie on the garage door. The kids just love it.
Always keep easy to serve appetizers and such on hand for surprise guests. Comes in handy!
I always do as much prep as possible the day before. That way, I don’t have to wake up super early or spend my entire time making food instead of entertaining. Also, make sure you have enough seating for everyone!
My best tip is to take turns hosting and if someone offers to help, let me, LOL
Prep before everyone gets there so you can enjoy your guests
My husband does all the cooking, but we usually serve buffet style
We prep all our meals on Thursday and Sunday so we can spend more time with our families in the evening.
If there is one thing I have learned having young children – is to always have entertainment and meals planned out ahead of time for the kids so that you can spend time as a family with your friends. We keep activities on hand – such as making home made ice cream in Ziploc bags (it keeps their little hands busy, tummys full, and its a learning experience), we make sensory water bags with Ziploc bags – using a variety of “fillings” (ideas include hair gels, glitter, little toys, shaving cream, food coloring, beads), and last but not least – we prefill Ziplock snack bags – so the kids can grab and go – allowing the adults to not worry about portion size or having to serve the kids non stop.
I always do buffet style and I do as much prep the day before as I can.
Have plenty of ice.
I try to get as much done as possible the day before so that I am not too stressed on the day of to enjoy my own party!
I do a pork butt in the slow cooker and let the Publix deli supply some of my sides.
To relax and enjoy the guests..go with the flow!+
I prepare fruit kabobs (watermelon; cantaloupe; strawberries; grapes; pineapple; honey dew, etc.) ahead of time and put them in Ziploc bags to keep cold. In 3 small crockpots I put meatballs in marinara sauce; meatballs in sweet & sour sauce; cocktail wieners in sweet & sour sauce; plenty of rolls and everyone can make their own sandwiches; later they can enjoy fruit kabobs.
paper plates make clean up easy!
We use our outdoor space as much as possible.
I try to prep as many side dishes ahead of time, that way there is less stress last minute.
For fun, we prep water balloons for the kids and they love that.
I think it’s best to use disposable plates so that cleanup is quick and easy.
Summer tip is easy . Let children have pool party and prepare ice tea
Have all the food prepared beforehand and don’t sweat the small stuff!
Order out and stay inside where it is cool!
I have plenty of Ziploc’s, bags & container, prep ahead, always have a list just like a list for Christmas, this helps me tremendously
I always keep cheese & crackers and/or chips & salsa on hand to serve to friends and neighbors on the front porch.
To make summer entertaining fun, I like to have a few cookouts pot luck style. I ask guests to bring along their recipes and we swap. It is a great way to discover new dishes.
sandwiches and cooking outdoor
When we do entertain, ZIPLOC bags are used for everything from delicious steak left overs to DIY make-in-the-bag blended frozen drinks! Easy clean up!
I think it’s nice to have something cold ready to drink like ice tea, lemonade …..in the fridge and also some popsicles in the freezer for a quick cool down treat for the family and any visitors stopping by.
Always keep the grill ready to go
Some of my best tips is make it simple and try and have things on hand you can make ahead of time!
We like to invite neighbors over to have a BBQ around the pool.
buy decor and party utensil throughout the year when home decor have sales with coupons
Everyone loves a cookout so invite friends and family over for a relaxing afternoon/evening!
Make sure to offer a variety of soft drinks and beverages, including diet drinks and water.
Have plenty of food.
I let my guests bring a dish – easier on everyone and everyone has something to eat that they like!
Prepare as much as I can the night before.
let others do the entertaining!
Finger foods that are cool (not hot) are great for warm weather entertaining.
I try to plan everything out so that way I can spend as much time with my guests as possible.
Have everyone bring a dish so you don’t have to cook everything and you can enjoy the fun.
Keep it simple and prepare as much in advance as possible so that you can enjoy the party, too!
Plenty of drinks, fresh fruit and melons, and cool desserts! 🙂
Serve a big platter of fresh, colorful fruit from Publix. All the variety will make your guests go “AHHHH”!
Make it fun and delicious in whatever you cook , plan , for all age groups ! JUST WOW’EM !
We like to throw all different varieties of meats on the smoker then do simple sides that way we spend more time with each other and less time in the kitchen!
Have a variety of fun activities planned so everyone has a great time.
Have a separate big, huge watermelon just for the children, let them eat it out on the porch over old newspapers. Let them be as messy as they want to be while having lots of fun. After they’re finished, clean them off with the hose.
My best tip for summer entertaining is to relax, enjoy and have fun with what ever you decide to do.
Have lots of healthy snack foods around
Make it a potluck picnic! Everyone brings their favorite summer side dish and we grill up the hamburgers and hot dogs. No sweat!!
Have twice as much ice and drinks as you think you need!
Grilled meat, big salad, and watermelon will make entertaining fast and easy.
My best tips for summer entertaining including watching Star Trek series, playing Monopoly and munching on popcorn!
Heat up the grill and cook chicken or burgers and fresh veggies especially corn. Lots of corn for corn salad, feeds lots of friends.
I love to cook – but I keep it simple during the summer. Fresh cut watermelons, corn on cobb, pasta salads are my ‘go-to’ summer items
Buy all your fruits and deli patters from Publix. It always fresh and delicious!
Fruit juice ice cubes to flavor drinks.
When I entertain guest at my home during the summer, I always make sure to purchase desserts at Publix. I love Publix baked goodies and varieties of ice creams and sherbets. Yummy!
One tip that allows me the with family and friends and t get out of the kitchen too..
Is to make advantage of publixs deals and bogo’s.
To feed a crowd I pick up a large colds ring..Chips, drinks, corn and a watermelon and cookies..fast and delicious..easy
Never use anything you can’t throw in the wash or throw away!
We don’t 🙂
Have alot of cold drinks and lighter foods with some fun game play.
Crank up the AC and have lots of tasty, cold drinks available.
Never visit empty handed!!!
Yay for Summer gatherings! I say prepping is key and doing ahead anything you can do ahead is helpful. I believe paper or plastic silverware and plates and cups makes things 500 times easier even if they are the type you can throw in the dishwasher. Also, lots of DIY snacks and drinks!
Prep no bake desserts and snacks (sandwiches, salads), lemonade and tea, and lots of fans for outside.
Spending the money (or not, if you coupon LOL) on quality paper plates and cups!
Just enjoy the time spent with friends and family
cranking up the bbq to keep the heat out and the fun in
Hanging out on the porch with barbecue and/or watermelon is always a good bet.
Grilling outside the house doesn’t get hot.
I like to have a wide variety of foods and drinks, and I also like to make a fun dessert for everyone!