Graduation--Taco Bar

[jennyf2]

Good Morning!

Looking for some budget ideas for my son's graduation party. We are doing a taco bar with beef, fajita chicken, & all the usual fixings. But I'm trying to decide what else to serve with it? Nothing really goes with tacos -- as far as fruit, veggies, pasta salads, etc.

I'm also doing a candy buffet, cake, & various bars...

Help Please

Thanks!

Jenny

 

[kirstenb1]

I'd do large pans of rice and black beans, or refried beans on the side.

 

[Melynny]

You could serve a baked re fried bean dish, just mix canned re friend with black beans and cover with cheddar cheese and bake. Also a spanish type rice would be good. You could also do some large taco salad shells and serve more lettuce to make Taco Salads. As for Fruit, I'd make a Tropical Fruit salad ( pineapple, mango, kiwi, apple) and Mexican Flan's for dessert... A Flan may be more work but this fits the Theme. You could also do a caramel cheese cake.

Don't forget to add that super good velveeta-rotel dip in a crock pot and there is a really good salsa made with rinsed canned black beans, canned shoe-peg corn and cilantro rotel that is AWESOME!

 

[blessedby3]

We serve Mexican rice with our tacos, enchiladas, etc. as well as corn on the cob(or corn off the cob)

 

[Kellydelly]

I don't think you can ever go wrong adding a veggie/dip tray and a fruit salad to a party menu, no matter what the theme is.

 

[sahmoftwo]

I agree with the refried beans, rice, corn suggestions. We usually also add chips and salsa or chips and guacamole. Sounds tasty!

 

[elgerber]

I'd do large pans of rice and black beans, or refried beans on the side.

We also did a large pan of beans and a large pan of rice. Those I got from a local Mexican place, they were very reasonable, easy and tasty.
We had a ton of lettuce and stuff, and tons of chips and a lot of people made taco salads instead of using tortillas or shells.

 

[minnierocks]

I am thinking corn cake casserole and lots of chips and salsa! I have tasted a corn/bean cilantro salad that is fresh tasting and really good. I love this idea...I am starting to plan my daughter's open house for next year, and thinking this is going to work for us!

 

[annabanna]

Our church did a taco salad fund raiser, it was super easy and cheap. We bought a large box of individual size doritos, made ground beef, had grated cheese, lettuce, sour cream and tomatoes. They used the dorito bag as the bowl, it worked great.
Then we had mexican rice, a couple types of fruit salad, corn and peppers and some different deserts. It all went to together well.

 

[The Princess]

I was planning on doing a taco bar for my dd graduation party in 2.5 years...lol I like to plan ahead....and wanted to do something totally different than my older dd party last year....and all the other parties we go to...can only have so much chicken, pasta etc.....anyways I suggested this to her but wasn't sure what else to have so thanks for all the ideas and....keep 'em coming!

 

[Lumiere Lover]

I don't think you can go wrong with a fruit platter also. This may help any picky eaters that you may have in the group. Fruit goes with everything!!

 

[arthur06]

With tacos, which I consider a forkless meal, I would try to keep the sides forkless. (You can have them there, but don't need alot). We like to do Fruit Kabobs on a 1/2 kabob stick. We just like to do on a stick, one piece cantaloupe, one piece watermelon, one piece strawberry, one piece honeydew, and a couple of grapes and stagger the colors.

If your really ambitious, cut the watermelon in 1/2 and hollow, then use the watermelon turned over so the green is up, and place the kabobs the in the watermelon. It makes almost a porkypine look, but it can be a nice centerpiece.

 

[princess barbara]

I second the forkless idea. I would consider mini corn muffins with a crock of honey butter.

 

[americangirl5333]

What a great idea.. I might have to borrow that one from you..

 

[powellrj]

I think a fruit and veggie tray goes with anything and would fit right in.

 

[RachelsMommie]

I've done a taco bar kind of thing. I did grilled corn on the cob, rice, beans, and a southwest caesar salad. You can look up recipes for southwest caesar dressing online...it's like a caesar salad with a spicy kick. You can add corn to the salad, too.

 

[lizabu]

Planning on doing this for my DS grad...subbing

 

[KDIPIAZZ]

I just did a taco bar for my son's graduation

We served
1. shredded chicken
2. carnitas
3. ground beef

with
refried beans
Spanish rice
black bean and corn salad

flour tortillas
hard taco shells
snack bags of Fritos and Doritos for "walking tacos"
tortilla bowls for taco salads

shredded lettuce
sour cream
hot and mild salsa
homemade salsa with cilantro
minced cilantro (I'm vehemently pro-cilantro, but i know some hate it)
shredded cheese
diced jalapenos
sliced jicama

a nacho cheese fountain ( just used a chocolate fountain...worked beautifully)
tortillas chips

For dessert, I made fruit salsa and served it with cinnamon tortilla chips and churros.

It was VERY popular, especially with the younger crowd

 

[dreamin_disney]

as a mexican the only side dish we have are rice and beans

wait i take that back from Bakers drive thr i get fries with my tacos-lol!

but for dinner or parties rice and beans are served as sides.

fruit is always good

another must at parties are chips and salsa. At our parties no matter what we serve we have nachos. We buy the large tortilla strip chips from costco and the huge can of cheese and throw the cheese int he crtockpot so easy.

another thing you can mamke for appetizers would be jalapeno poppers.i usually wrapp in bacon but you can make it easy with just cream cheese mixed with cheese and some with bacon bits and make some plain. & layer dip is good too!

veggie plate is also good. you can also do ruffle chips with ranch dip or onion dip for those that dont like salsa