Candy buffets have been around for a while now, and there’s no sign they’ll be stopping anytime soon! I mean, who wouldn’t love a chance to fill a container with candies as a party favor, right? With this being such a popular idea at parties, you may think it’s difficult to make your candy buffet unique, but that’s simply not true! With a few personalized touches, you can create the ultimate candy buffet for your next event.
First off, you’ll want to decide if your candy buffet is going to have a theme. Do you have party colors you want to match? Is there a specific party theme you could get creative with? For example, a farm theme could have things like gummy berries in wooden berry baskets, chocolate milk straws, etc. A pool party theme could have candies like lifesavers, gummy fish, saltwater taffy, etc.
Remember to have something for everyone. No one wants to be left out at a party so make sure you consider the guests with food allergies/sensitivities. If you can’t find enough safe candy for the buffet, you’ll want to pack a special bag of safe treats for your guests with food allergies/sensitivities. Not sure what’s safe to buy? Don’t be afraid to reach out to the child’s parent and ask. It breaks my heart to see kids left out at events due to allergies!
Not sure how much candy to buy for your event? Expert party planners recommend about one pound of candy for every three guests. If you have other party favors or desserts at your event, you may need even less. I always end up having plenty of leftovers!
How will you display your candy buffet? If you’re the crafty DIY type, you could create your own wooden candy cart. For my candy buffets, I always stick to a variety of candy vases, bowls and cake stands. Candy vases can be expensive, but you can create your own style using clear plastic bowls and candlesticks as the base. You can dress your display up with adhesive gems, ribbons, personalized treat labels and more.
Consider the ages of your guests when planning your setup. For a younger crowd, tall glass candy vases may not be the best idea. When planning what to serve your candy in, don’t forget candy scoops and tongs. Also consider the weather where you are hosting your event. If your party is outside on a hot day, you’ll want to protect your candy from melting.
For a unique candy buffet, consider all the ways you can personalize the treats and decorations. You could create a large poster backdrop with your party child’s name and have matching candy bar wrappers, stickers on lollipops, thank-you tags, etc. Instead of going with a particular theme or colors, simply load the candy buffet with the birthday child’s favorite treats. Include some homemade treats like cookies, chocolate truffles, cake pops, etc. There are plenty of ways to make your candy buffet unique and special.
For a fun birthday party activity, your guests could make their own candy to take home. You could provide all the supplies and some directions for making your own chocolates using shaped candy molds and different colored chocolate wafers.
How will your guests package their candy to take home? Again, you could tie it into your party theme. For example, an ice cream party could have large waffle bowls as candy dishes to-go. You don’t want the containers to be too big or you could run out of candy. Also, consider how you’ll seal the candy containers so they don’t spill on the way home. For example, personalized stickers to seal the bags and takeout boxes or ribbons to tie the bags closed.
I don’t know about you, but I’m suddenly craving chocolate!
Cheryl is a married mother of one. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with a strong interest in parties and event planning. She is the owner and writer for Moms & Munchkins (momsandmunchkins.ca), which is filled with ideas for family fun, activities for kids, party ideas, party planning tips, holiday fun, moms’night out ideas and more.
Calgary’s Child Magazine © 2024 Calgary’s Child
