For those of you who have done a taco bar at a party. . .

[Vijoge]

I love the idea of serving a taco bar but I worry about spills- salsa getting mixed with the cheese, meat in the sour cream, etc. Was it easy to keep everything neat or did it get really messy?

 

[marlynnp]

Is the party for children? Maybe you need someone to help them serve themselves.
I've done this for teens/adults and haven't had a problem with people using the separate serving utensils I placed in each dish.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

Just make sure it is laid out efficiently. You don't want people reaching over one thing to get another. Also, make sure you have the right serving utensil - little tongs for cheese, for instance. They are also making squirt bottle sour cream now - that might help some.

 

[shoney]

I host lots of backyard bbq's. I haven't done just a taco bar, but in general, put out smaller dishes/serving bowls and refill if they get messy. I find that beans wind up in the potato salad, regardless of the age group. Even with separate serving spoons, people drip. Try to put messier stuff towards the front of the table if you have to "stack".
Also, put multiple spoons in the popular things, like the meat and cheese. Some ppl can get impatient and will grab another spoon.

 

[shoney]

Just make sure it is laid out efficiently. You don't want people reaching over one thing to get another. Also, make sure you have the right serving utensil - little tongs for cheese, for instance. They are also making squirt bottle sour cream now - that might help some.

YES! Love the squirt bottle idea.
I always buy the squirt mayo because floaties in Mayo just makes me gag!

 

[Wendy31]

There were maybe drips on the table cloth, but I don't really remember any of the separate food items getting mixed together.

Whenever I've set up a taco bar, I've either used a plastic table cloth or no table cloth - I wouldn't use a cloth tablecloth w/ a taco bar. I put separate serving utensils in each food item, & I don't usually set the serving bowls & platters right next to each. I leave some space between items. W/ things like salsa, I typically will put the serving bowl on top of a plate.

And, like another person said, I try to set things up efficiently, so there's not a lot of reaching over other things w/ drippy spoons.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Taco bars are a bit messy, esp. if you are doing nacho cheese. Shredded cheese seems to end up everywhere.

Onions can really be a pain with smell. I only use vidalias and cut them up the day of. Once I made a mistake of using yellow onions and had them precut the day before. When I opened the container it permeated the whole house.

Just don't use your fancy tablecloth and follow PP's advice.

 

[Disneylover99]

It's not a party til all your condiments are mixed.

 

[powellrj]

I did one for DD's graduation a few years ago. What worked for us was lots of different stations. I used crock-pots for the hot items and double bowls with ice in the bottom. I had different types of shells at one table, meat and beans at another and toppings on the third one. We had a separate one for her cupcakes. I had plates and silverware and napkins at each table. It worked out well.

 

[NMAmy]

I did one for DD's graduation a few years ago. What worked for us was lots of different stations. I used crock-pots for the hot items and double bowls with ice in the bottom. I had different types of shells at one table, meat and beans at another and toppings on the third one. We had a separate one for her cupcakes. I had plates and silverware and napkins at each table. It worked out well.

I use a very similar setup and have not had an issue. I have a 3 container crock pot which I use for ground beef, chicken, and beans. I place the different kinds of tortillas here along with the plates.

I have another crock pot with queso that I keep on a different table along with the tomato, guacamole, onions, etc. It's worked well for me, too.

 

[spacemountainmom]

We did taco bar for dd's graduation. We bought the large condiment squeeze bottles at Sam's Club and used them for Sour Cream and the different kinds of taco sauce. We ended up cutting the tips to make larger holes and it worked great.

 

[elgerber]

I did taco bars for both my kids graduation. Like the PP, I used squeeze bottles for the sour cream and taco sauces. I had tongs in the shredded cheese, we did not use any cheese sauce. I didn't really find it messy at all.

 

[Vijoge]

Thanks for all the great tips. I think I can make this work.

 

[smokeyblue]

This makes me chuckle a little bit about the correct "order" of making a taco. We just had a taco bar at my large workplace because they are too cheap to do food from a local restaurant like the use too (boo!). It sucked because they laid out the toppings in the wrong order. Lettuce was the last thing on the toppings line. The one thing I find interesting is that a lot of men like to put their cheese on first so it can melt; wrong, wrong, wrong!

 

[CPanther95]

Lettuce was the last thing on the toppings line. The one thing I find interesting is that a lot of men like to put their cheese on first so it can melt; wrong, wrong, wrong!

Cheese goes on directly after the meat so it can melt (heat rises). Lettuce should be last because that's the topping you don't mind as much falling off when you are eating the taco.

Like the sour cream in squirt bottle idea. It goes on in huge clumps with a spoon, so people have a tendency to then smooth it out over the taco. That leaves shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa, etc. on the spoon when it's returned to the bowl of sour cream.

 

[smokeyblue]

Cheese goes on directly after the meat so it can melt (heat rises). Lettuce should be last because that's the topping you don't mind as much falling off when you are eating the taco.

Like the sour cream in squirt bottle idea. It goes on in huge clumps with a spoon, so people have a tendency to then smooth it out over the taco. That leaves shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa, etc. on the spoon when it's returned to the bowl of sour cream.

I'm sorry that you don't know how to properly enjoy a taco. HAHAHA

 

[shoney]

My DH puts the lettuce first then cheese then meat. He says the lettuce prevents the meat from making the shell soggy.

Is there a wrong way to make a taco?

 

[CPanther95]

I'm sorry that you don't know how to properly enjoy a taco. HAHAHA

Let me guess - you're one of those people that sprinkle shredded cheese on top of a huge mound of lettuce - just for the color? Then once you take a bite, it all falls off and there's so little cheese on it, you're just as likely to taste the cellulose coating they put on the shreds to keep it from sticking as you are to taste any cheese?

 

[CPanther95]

Is there a wrong way to make a taco?

Yes.

Put fish on it.

 

[shoney]

Yes.

Put fish on it.

fish tacos are the best!!!!

We never use bagged pre-shredded cheese. We grate our own sharp cheddar. Tastes much better!