It's summer. It's hot. And kids of all ages are begging for their favourite treat - ice cream. Indulge their love of ice cream by hosting a get-together with an ice cream sundae bar. It's a fun, easy-on-the-hostess theme for a party and one that won't soon be forgotten by kids and adults alike.
Stocking the Ice Cream Sundae Bar
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- Chocolate Ice Cream
- Frozen yogurt or a non-dairy alternative
- Smucker's® Sundae Syrup™. Syrups in Strawberry, Chocolate, Caramel (Regular and No-Sugar Added)
- Smucker's® Magic Shell® Chocolate Flavour Topping
- Fresh fruits such as sliced strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and sliced bananas
- Chopped peanuts*
- Candied walnuts*
- Whipped cream
- Mini marshmallows
- Chopped homemade or store-bought cookies
- Chopped chocolate bars and peanut butter cups*
- Granola
- Maraschino cherries
- Shredded coconut
- Rainbow sprinkles
* ensure that none of your guests has a peanut or nut allergy
Setting Up the Ice Cream Sundae Bar
Set up a long table (or a series of two tables) and cover with a decorative plastic tablecloth. Working from left to right, set out the sundae buffet as follows:
- Individual ice cream bowls or cones
- Ice cream serving scoop or large spoon (have more than two to keep the line-up moving along)
- Bowl of cold water (to dip the scoops into)
- Ice cream (packed on ice or in a metal bin to help keep it cold)
- Ice cream syrups
- Ice cream toppings
- Spoons
- Paper napkins
- Garbage pail (at both ends of the table to ensure napkins and spills are cleared away quickly)
Over the Top Fun-dae
Invite your kids to transform your backyard or deck into an outdoor ice cream parlour with any of these ideas:
- Hang pink balloons and streamers all around the backyard.
- Create a "Welcome to [insert family name] Ice Cream Parlour" sign and hang it over your back deck door.
- Send out ice cream cone-shaped invitations.
- Sprinkle the buffet table with ice cream-coloured confetti.
- Visit a local dollar store and stock up on authentic plastic or glass sundae dishes.
- Set up an ice cream float bar that invites guests to create 50's inspired cola, root beer, ginger ale and orange floats.
- Decorate the picnic tables with "fake" sundaes – sundae dishes filled with candies or flowers to look like an ice cream sundae.