Tropical Party Ideas for Summer

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This post is sponsored by Tyson Foods, Inc., but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

A Tropical Party is the perfect way to enjoy a warm summer day with family and friends!

The school year is almost over, which means that it is time to start planning those summer parties! This will be our first full summer in Gainesville, Florida. I’ll be working part-time, Richard will be working part-time, so we will have to find lots of ways to keep the kids busy, happy, and active all summer long. This means lots of fun in our backyard. We have about 1/3 of an acre with beautiful trees, a fun swing set for the kids, picnic table for dining outdoors, and vegetable garden we recently started. To kick off our summer, I decided to plan a Tropical Party.

>> More Summer Party Ideas Here <<

Tropical Party Tablescape

I had so much fun planning this Tropical Party Tablescape! I decided to combine some of my favorite tropical-themed nature pieces – birds, flowers, leaves – with fun recipes and decor. Here are a few must-haves for your tablescape:

colorful cups – these can be disposable paper/plastic cups or reusable cups in bright colors, like the ones I used
patterned tablecloth – how fun are these flamingos?
two sizes of plates for appetizers and entrees
plastic utensils in two different colors
candles and mini tiki torches to go with the tropical theme
themed paper napkins
banners and other knick-knacks that complement the theme

Tropical Party Recipes

To prepare my recipes, I purchased a few party staples at Walmart, including:

Tyson® Frozen Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
Ball Park® Hot Dogs
Ball Park® Hot Dog Buns
Lipton® Iced Tea Bags

These ingredients are great to incorporate into simple recipes for this tropical party, like the jerk chicken kebabs and mango salsa recipes below. Check out more Summer Party Ideas Here!

Jerk Chicken Kebab Ingredients:

2 Tyson® Frozen Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 pineapple, cut into cubes
1 large red onion, cut into large pieces
juice of two limes
2 T olive oil
1 T Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic
1 T minced jalapeño
1 t freshly grated ginger
1 t dried thyme
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground nutmeg
salt & pepper

Begin by combining the juice of two limes, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, two cloves of garlic, minced jalapeño, grated ginger, thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a blender until you form a smooth puree. Cut the chicken breast {you can use thigh as well if you prefer dark meat} into one-inch cubes. Add the chicken, pineapple, and red onions to skewers, and pour the pureed marinade over the top. You can grill these immediately or allow the skewers to marinate over night. When they are ready, place on a grill, and allow to cook on all four sides until the chicken is cooked through {this varies depending upon the heat of your grill}.

Mango Salsa ingredients:

2 mangos finely diced
juice of one lime
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 T finely diced jalapeño
1 t olive oil
salt & pepper

To make the mango salsa, simply combine all of the ingredients above. If you want it to be kid-friendly, omit the jalapeño or substitute with bell pepper for a milder flavor. This mango salsa can be made just before the party or the night before. It is a great topping for tropical hot dogs or can be served with chips!

My kids like to keep things simple, so I set out Ball Park® Hot Dogs andBall Park® Hot Dog Buns with ketchup and mustard. Why over-complicate a good thing, right?

Tropical Party Family Fun

We love spending time together in our backyard. Whether we are gardening, watching the kids play on their swing set, picking mulberries, running around with the dogs, or relaxing with a delicious meal, it’s a great time to enjoy each other’s company, especially during these summer months. A Tropical Party is fun to throw as it’s getting warmer outside!

>> Check out More Summer Party Ideas Here <<

Head to Walmart where you can purchase all of the ingredients you need for a great summer party, including Tyson® Chicken, Ball Park® Hot Dogs andBall Park® Hot Dog Buns, and Lipton® Iced Tea Bags.