Celebrating Summer With An Outdoor Dinner Party

This post was sponsored by Fresh From Florida as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central, however all opinions expressed are my own.

Hello, June – hello, Summer!

As a Floridian I really like to start Summer off right. That means shaking off the cobwebs of Winter and throwing a celebratory Summer party with family and friends. Whether it be a pool party, grill out or backyard bonfire, no gathering is complete without delicious food.

And right now is the perfect time to get Fresh From Florida watermelon and sweet corn in season here in the sunshine state, along with tomatoes, blueberries, bell peppers, mangoes and star fruit. Thanks to Florida farmers, the freshest produce is available all year round. All you have to do is look for the Fresh From Florida logo at your local grocer (featured on the seedless watermelon below).

Hey, I see you gawking at my watermelon concoctions.

Not so fast.

I’ll fill you in on the goods, don’t worry. But first let me tell you a bit more about all that went into my celebratory summer outdoor dinner party. It’s a simple, versatile and eco-friendly focused setup that suits perfectly for any summer backyard party or picnic-style gathering.

celebrating summer

with an outdoor dinner party

Simplicity is key

Functionality played a huge part in the setup of this party, and I wanted simplicity with bright pops of color for that summer vibe.

I could have easily gone ham on a theme, limitless decorations and six different style napkins, but I really wanted the food to be the star of the show.

So I kept the basics in mind – tablecloth, plateware, silverware and glassware. Everything was versatile, reusable or recyclable. I even used things I already had around the house (like the chip sand bucket and glass drink dispenser pictured below). You’d be surprised what you can do with what you already have to help lay the foundation of a party from home.

Go Eco-friendly

I made my very best attempt, to say the least. That counts for something, right?

As previously mentioned, the set up was mostly reusable and recyclable. I found these adorable pineapple and flamingo paper straws, and purchased small glass mason jars instead of using plastic cups. The plateware is made from sustainable and harvested fallen palm leaves, which are super durable, biodegradable and compostable, as well as the birchwood “spork” silverware.

There are so many ways to incorporate environmentally friendly decor and utensils when hosting a party or gathering. It’s important to remember that every little alternative counts, especially when you’re buying and using in bulk.

Think fresh, fresh, fresh

Literally.

It’s all in the details – from the halved watermelon salsa bowl, to the fruit skewer pineapple arrangement. Even those sunflowers were hand picked. I splurged a little extra on food knowing it would all be eaten either way!

Speaking of the food – yay, here’s the best part – would you get another look at these frozen chocolate drizzled watermelon slices? Simply pop slices of seedless watermelon – drizzled with your choice of melted chocolate – in the freezer for at least 4-5 hours. On a hot summer day, these beauties are a unique sweet treat!

Obviously the dessert was the highlight of this dinner party, but there were other recipes prepared that featured Fresh From Florida’s in-season produce. Like this savory, bright and flavorful sweet corn salsa. It was definitely a crowd pleasure, and not just because it was served in a watermelon bowl that you scooped using a beach shovel. It was a perfect starter for guests to munch on.

You can get the full recipe and list of fresh ingredients for the sweet corn salsa at the bottom of this post.

A fruit skewer assortment also made a great palette cleanser while waiting for the main course – grilled chicken and steak kabobs (featuring Fresh From Florida peppers) with mushrooms, red onion and pineapple.

So whether you’re looking to throw an upcoming summer party, or to sit back and simply enjoy in-season food (who says you have to share, anyway), be sure to pick up Fresh From Florida fruits, vegetables and seafood at your local grocer.

For additional watermelon, sweet corn and other delicious Fresh From Florida recipes, visit Fresh! Recipes and Follow The Fresh on social media.