Plan a traditional luau meal or use the traditional meal for inspiration.
When planning your own luau party, choosing beach-themed foods help tie your party theme together. Choose simple or more complex luau dishes depending on the amount of money you wish to spend and the amount of cooking you wish to do. Does this Spark an idea?
Main Dishes and Sides
Since luaus often take place directly on the beach, roasting a whole pig, either in the sand like a traditional luau or with a rented pig roaster, is an option. Include sweet potatoes, pineapple sauces and even poi. For an inexpensive menu, consider serving finger foods, such as chips and salsa. Use blue corn chips with pineapple and mango salsa to add a tropical feel. Fruit salads made with pineapple, mango and papayas offer a side with a tropical flair.
Beverages
To complement your meal, include a number of beverage choices for adults and children. For a simple, inexpensive option, fill large coolers with ice and store-bought beverages, including beer, soda, bottled water and juice boxes. If a bar is an option, create luau-inspired drinks, such as Mai Tais, Blue Hawaiians and pina coladas. A Mai Tai consists of light and dark rum, creme de almond, triple sec, pineapple juice and sweet and sour mix. A Blue Hawaiian consists of light rum, grenadine, pineapple juice, blue curacao and cream of coconut. Finish of your freshly made drinks with drink umbrellas.
Desserts
Desserts allow you to round out your luau menu. One dessert option is cake. Decorate a sheet cake to look like a beach using colored frosting and crushed graham crackers for sand. Another option is cupcakes decorated to look like sharks swimming in the ocean. Frost the cupcakes blue and then add paper cutout fins on top. A third option is a luau-inspired dessert, such as chocolate lava cakes or a pineapple upside down cake.
Dinner Party Ideas
If your luau party if is a formal event, such as a wedding or dinner party, choose a more elegant menu inspired by foods with a beach flair. For a starter, serve shrimp cocktail or a chilled watermelon gazpacho. When choosing a main course, consider using different kinds of fresh seafood available in your area, such as steamed lobster or seared scallops. Crab cakes are another option that utilize the local seafood options. Instead of making your own cake for dessert, hire a bakery to make a sandcastle- or hula dancer-shaped cake.
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