Summer Party
The Scoop on Hosting an Ice Cream Social Hot
Throw a fun ice cream party with ice cream/yogurt, frozen treats, toppings, sauces, and cones—plus, expert tips and planning advice to help you keep your cool.
One of the best things about hosting an ice cream party—aside from the obvious benefits, such as eating lots of ice cream and getting to say, "I'm having an ice cream social!" in your most wholesome Leave It to Beaver voice—is that you can make the event as simple or elaborate as you like. And even the most sophisticated ice cream social is a pretty easy party to put on.
First you have to head outdoors!
If you're hosting a kid-friendly party, it's best to do the whole thing outside, and provide rolls of paper towels and a few pans of water for sticky fingers and faces.
DIY Dessert
The serve-yourself buffet is the way to go. Another option is to pre-scoop ice cream and put it in chilled dishes; keep them in the freezer until ready to serve. That's a lot less messy, and keeps things a little more under control-although it's kind of fun to scoop. Making your fantasy creation is part of the fun! People absolutely adore the chance to dish up their ice cream and toppings themselves. Set out everything on an easy-to-clean table covered with a piece of oilcloth or plastic tablecloth. Keep a sponge handy, and a basin of water for wiping up any spills.
How much ice cream, total?
Count on each person eating at least three half-cup (4 ounce) scoops, for a total of 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) per person. Here's a breakdown of the total amount of ice cream you'll need based on that calculation:
• 12 people: 1 1/4 gallons (144 ounces, or 9 pints)
• 16 people:1 1/2 gallons (192 ounces, or 12 pints/
• 20 people: About 2 gallons (240 ounces, or 15 pints)
Have a few extra containers of ice cream on hand just in case you run short.
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User reviews
1 reviews
We just did this! We are small community with no pool or clubhouse, but what a great and simple way to get folks together. Here's how simple we made this since it was our first time trying it out.
Vanilla ice cream (just get the minimum you need; our quick stop is just down the road if we needed more), chocolate syrup, caramel topping and whipped cream. We did add cups and root beer for floats. We did not have a huge showing, but people brought their lawn chairs and sat around and visited. We brought out one folding plastic table for the bowls, spoons etc and kept it basic. I think the residents enjoyed being served by management and owners as well. We will definitely do it again.
I believe that when residents meet each other, they realize another human being is living on the other side of the wall and are more likely to approach each other when a problem arises. They also are more understanding.
