Please help! Last minute candy buffet ideas needed!

[halfpintpeggy]

Hoping ya'll can give me some budget friendly ideas! I've been put in charge of coming up with something like a small "candy buffet" for a party this Saturday. There will be around 70 guests & the theme is "Ice cream parlor." Sooo…..trying to come up with budget items that are like ice cream toppings for the buffet. I'm thinking mini marshmallows would be easy & appropriate - would LOVE to hear your suggestions! This will be the little party favors for the guests. Thanks!!!

 

[bearzabout]

We were just at a yogurt shop that had great toppings. I think you need some real fruit and nuts, but also add crushed Oreos and jimmies. For candy, get sour patch kids, m&ms, Reeses pieces, skittles, gummy bears. Don’t forget chocolate and caramel sauces, whipped cream and cherries.

Also consider cereals like captain crunch, granola, trix, chocolate Rice Krispies, etc.

 

[halfpintpeggy]

We were just at a yogurt shop that had great toppings. I think you need some real fruit and nuts, but also add crushed Oreos and jimmies. For candy, get sour patch kids, m&ms, Reeses pieces, skittles, gummy bears. Don’t forget chocolate and caramel sauces, whipped cream and cherries.

Also consider cereals like captain crunch, granola, trix, chocolate Rice Krispies, etc.

Thank you! These are not going to actually be toppings for ice cream! It's going to be a "candy buffet" to go along with a party theme of "Ice cream parlor." Sounds a bit strange I know!

 

[QueenIsabella]

In the Walmart party section, they have single-color packages of Kisses, etc. that might be fun for a colorful rainbow look. They have candy sorted by color at Party City, as well. Walmart also sells big bags of assorted candy--you could dump those in a bowl, or separate them out. Candy for 70 people is NOT going to be cheap, however you do it.

Keep in mind that it's so hot out--chocolate might not do well outside, this time of year.

 

[Calee]

Yes I agree candy is not cheap.

For that kind of bar I would avoid most chocolate. M&m's might be ok due to the candy coating

Marshmallows is fine. Gummy stuff like gummy bears, gummy worms, etc.
Skittles, twizzlers, starburst all good choices. These are all colorful and will look nice and won't melt.

 

[hsmamato2]

I have one for this week using leftover easter candy (you heard me lol) bought at 75-90% off.... I have jellybeans, chocolate eggs(wrapped) twizzlers, peeps, etc. any candy is ice cream shoppe style IMHO mine is for 150 at least,and candy is pricey! I've seen amazon has some bulk for not bad prices

 

[QueenIsabella]

Oriental Trading Co. also has bulk candy, and some more unusual choices. I don't know if the OP has time to order and get stuff shipped. Also, I don't find OTC to be inexpensive on candy. But, it's worth a look.

 

[Narnia_girl]

Candy is expensive. I'd check Aldi and see if you can save some money there. Otherwise, bulk places like Sam's or Costco.
If you need pretty containers, hit up Goodwill or thrift stores for a mis-mash of lovely old glass.

 

[disneyhand]

Lot's of good ideas mentioned here already. I think the pink and white frosted animal cookies would work well with your theme and red vines are always a hit

 

[TwoMisfits]

Huh, this one's a little harder since it's gonna be so hot, so most chocolate would melt.

I'd definitely have M&Ms and Reese's Pieces - the candy coatings should help these items not melt.
I'd have Skittles and Nerds - again, candy coatings are glorious things.

After these 4, I'd branch into the "topping" category and buy mini cookies - you have those "snack snaks" by Nabisco and have mini oreos, mini golden oreos, mini chips ahoy, mini nutter butters, and mini animal crackers.

I think this still meets the theme intent, and if you get lucky, those snack sacks can go on sale for $1 or $1.25 (regularly they are usually $3) and you can put them out a bag at a time in your container. (PS - Walmart has these for $1.98 online right now)

That would give 9 "candy" toppings which should be more than enough for a pretty presentation (and you could alternate cookie-candy-cookie-candy)...

PS - And your mini marshmallows make 10 toppings - I think those are a good idea, too

PPS - They also have Teddy Grahams in Snack Saks, but eh, those don't fill me with ice cream thoughts...

 

[DreamIsaWish]

After these 4, I'd branch into the "topping" category and buy mini cookies - you have those "snack snaks" by Nabisco and have mini oreos, mini golden oreos, mini chips ahoy, mini nutter butters, and mini animal crackers.

I think this still meets the theme intent, and if you get lucky, those snack sacks can go on sale for $1 or $1.25 (regularly they are usually $3) and you can put them out a bag at a time in your container. (PS - Walmart has these for $1.98 online right now)


PPS - They also have Teddy Grahams in Snack Saks, but eh, those don't fill me with ice cream thoughts...

I think some of the Snack Sacks are on Cartwheel at Target right now for 50% off. I haven't been in the store lately so not sure which kinds, but that's probably the best price on short notice.

 

[DreamIsaWish]

I'm not sure of the price, but our IKEA has a wall of candy by the pound (by the snack bar at the exit), and some unusual looking ones at that. I wish I had seen the candy wall before the Harry Potter party we had earlier this year. Some of them would have really fit in for that theme.

 

[pblack]

Jelly Belly has an ice cream parlor mix https://www.amazon.com/Jelly-Belly-...pID=51Ovf-9gW7L&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Probably cheaper on the jelly belly website, but don't know if you'd get them in time. You can also sometimes find the packages in store depending on where you live. (I'm on the West Coast about an hour from the actually factory.)

If you're looking for cheap "bowls" to put candy in, i'd hit up goodwill (or similar) and buy a bunch of cheap vases, bowls, etc. Alternatively you could probably find a few cute things at the dollar store.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Thinking of the same theme for my daughter's birthday party. I googled "candy buffet with an ice cream parlor theme" and TONS of stuff came up. I'm also looking on Amazon, typed in ice cream candy and a lot came up too.

 

[Communicore1991]

Swedish fish, jelly beans, gummy bears/gummy worms, and M&Ms are all good ice cream topping themed candies. If there is a Target near you, you can buy their brand of these candies and I think they're only 99 cents a bag as opposed to the name brand stuff. Tastes just as good!

 

[powellrj]

I have done lots of candy buffets and not everyone will fill a bag, so your bowls don’t need to be that big. In this heat I would skip chocolate and go with hard candies, jelly candy, carmels and anything that won’t melt.

Red hots
Lemon heads
Twizzlers
Jelly beans
Tootsie rolls and pops
Dots
Gummies
Hot tamales
Mike and Ike’s
Good and plenty
Gum balls
Candy corn
Gum drops
Bubble gum

If you get smaller amounts of different kinds of candy, you can get your bags at dollar tree or dollar general or big lots.

 

[TCRAIG]

Rock Candy on a stick

 

[DisneyHardin]

I've never put together a Candy Bar, but we have had them at school a couple times for Teacher Appreciation and I do have to say that the chocolate candy goes fastest. I know the non-chocolate is a lot cheaper, but it doesn't have the appeal the chocolate does (at least for a bunch of teachers

 

[Pookles]

Go to Aldi for the ice cream basics like sauces and whipped cream and go to a Dollar Tree or similar if you have one for the candies. There's a huge assortment, and because they come in small sizes you can get a ton of different options for $1 each. Not everyone likes Mike and Ike's say, but if you have 25 different topping options, no one is going to eat that much of one thing. And it's cheap enough you can double up on popular toppings.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

IF you are near a Sprouts store, go there! They have tons of bulk candy and beautiful salt water taffy in rainbow colors.