Graduating high school is a significant milestone in your children’s lives, and creating the perfect celebration to honor their achievement includes having the right menu to satisfy all of your guests’ palates. A buffet is a convenient way to provide an assortment of dishes that’ll leave your friends and family feeling full and satisfied. Here are a few tips when creating your party’s catering menu.

How to Design a Delicious Graduation Party Menu

1. Bite-Sized Appetizers & Snacks

As guests arrive, have some pupus ready to get their appetites going as they chat with other partygoers. Offer small bites, such as chicharron, kimchee tako, or baby shrimp, so that your friends and family don’t fill up before the meal begins.

2. Variety of Proteins

When selecting your catering entrees, opt for an assortment of proteins to accommodate different tastes. Beef broccoli alongside teriyaki chicken gives guests a savory or sweet option. If you’re hosting a particularly large party, order a whole lechon and chop it right before serving. Be considerate of pescatarians and offer fish dishes, like mussels or a seafood stirfry.

3. Complementing Sides

Make sure your catering selection includes enough sides to pair with each protein. Noodles and white rice are staples that work well with every meat or fish. You can also have noodle dishes that double as sides and entrees, like pancit bihon or chowfun.

4. Several Sweets

Finish off the party with an array of decadent desserts. Balintawak bread is a popular sweet treat as are macaroons, ube tarts, and ensamadas. All of these are easy to serve in a buffet and small enough where guests can indulge in a few delights.

If you’d like help creating the perfect catering menu for your graduate’s party, contact the team at Plantation Grindz in Kahului, HI. This restaurant specializes in Hawaiian, Portuguese, and Filipino food as well as local island favorites, like loco moco and shoyu chicken. Guests can also order a lechon two weeks in advance for large parties or opt for small pans of select entrees. Call (808) 873-3663 to place an order, or view their menu online. Connect with them on Facebook for the latest news and updates.