If you decided to throw a graduation party this year and want to skip the catering, this list of easy Graduation Party Recipes is for you. It includes recipes that are simple to make for a crowd as well as plenty of ideas to make your life easier.
Whether you are serving hungry high schoolers or a big group of family and friends, these crowd-pleasers are guaranteed to be a hit.
Graduation Party Food Ideas
Graduation parties have a tendency to grow. Especially when you are throwing a high school graduation, it’s next to impossible to get an accurate head count.
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The last thing you want to do is run out of food, or have a crowd of hungry teenagers! That’s why all of the recipes on this list include easy party food to make for a crowd. Think burgers, sliders, pasta salads, grilled corn, and meatballs.
I’ve also given you a few tips to help you think through your menu and plan your party prep. And don’t forget the desserts! Finish things off with delicious cookies, Rice Krispies treats, and no bake cheesecakes.
What Kinds of Recipes are Good for a Crowd?
- Food that people can serve themselves
- Recipes that can be made ahead of time
- Food that can sit out for a while
- Food that is easy to make in large batches
Tips for Planning a Graduation Party Menu
- Keep it simple! No offense, but people aren’t there for the food. There’s no need to get all fancy here. Just keep the menu simple and make sure there is enough food for everyone!
- Make as much as you can in advance. I highly suggest choosing foods that can be prepped in advance and stored in the fridge.
- For large crowds, a serve-yourself taco bar is a great idea. There is very little prep involved so you can easily feed a ton of people with minimal effort. Serve it along with some of the salads and desserts from this list and you’ll have very happy guests!
Easy Graduation Party Recipes
Here are some of my favorite burgers, sliders, and chicken recipes to make for graduation parties. They are all easy to make in larger batches and involve very little prep!
Smoked Pork Butt
This easy Smoked Pulled Pork recipe doesn’t require any fancy techniques or ingredients—just a smoker, pork roast, and some time. It’s a great way to make juicy, flavorful pulled pork for your celebration.
Burgers
These are the Best Homemade Hamburgers—an easy summer classic that cook up juicy and delicious every single time. Seasoned simply and served on a brioche bun with your favorite toppings, you really can’t go wrong.
Teriyaki Chicken and Rice
This Grilled Barbecue Teriyaki Chicken recipe is everyone’s favorite year-round! It has a delicious teriyaki chicken marinade that can be made in advance and then it’s grilled to perfection.
Copycat Cafe Rio Pork
This Cafe Rio Sweet Pork recipe is spicy and just the right amount of sweet. If you love tex-mex, you’ll love this sweet pork recipe. It has all the flavors and sweetness you love and is perfect for burritos, tacos, or salads.
Slow Cooker Tangy Chicken Sliders
These tangy Teriyaki Chicken Sliders, made in the crockpot, are an easy dinner solution and party food favorite. They’ve got tender, juicy, slow cooker pulled chicken topped with our spicy sesame slaw, all served on your favorite slider buns.
Cheeseburger Sliders
These easy Hawaiian Roll Cheeseburger Sliders are juicy, flavorful, and quick to throw together. Serve with all of your favorite cheeseburger toppings as an easy weeknight dinner, game day snack, or party favorite.
Pizza Sliders
This recipe for Hawaiian Roll Pizza Sliders makes family pizza night a breeze. They are totally irresistible and can be ready in less than 30 minutes making them the ultimate party appetizer.
Graduation Party Salads and Side Dishes
Don’t forget the sides! Pasta salads are perfect for summer parties because they can be made ahead of time and are perfectly fine to sit out for a bit. I’ve also got a few other side dish favorites like grilled corn, cornbread, and more.
Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad
This cold Italian Tortellini Salad with homemade Italian dressing is filled to the brim with chopped veggies, cheese, salami, and chewy tortellini pasta. For a little extra protein, try adding shredded chicken It’s a perfect pasta salad to bring to potlucks and picnics that can even be made the night before.
Caprese Pasta Salad
This Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe is a quick and easy side dish that is perfect for highlighting fresh, seasonal summer produce. It tastes amazing eaten cold or at room temperature, is perfect for serving any side crowd, and can even be made the night before.
Classic Pasta Salad
This Italian Pasta Salad with Mozzarella Cheese is full of spiral pasta and fresh, colorful ingredients all tossed in a homemade Italian dressing. It takes just a few minutes to make, is always a hit, and tastes even better when made the night before.
Grilled Street Corn on the Cob
This delicious Grilled Mexican Street Corn is the perfect side dish to serve at your next BBQ or summer party. It’s an easy elote recipe made with a delicious smoky lime crema and topped with cotija cheese and fresh cilantro.
Corn Salsa
This Easy Corn Salsa is sweet, crunchy, zesty and oh-so-easy to make. Full of sweet corn, cilantro, fresh lime juice, and crisp veggies, it’s the perfect summer salsa to serve with tortilla chips, or to add to tacos, burrito bowls and more.
Mojito Salad
This Mojito Fruit Salad is the perfect summer salad, filled with three kinds of melon and a refreshing mint and lime glaze.
Easy Homemade Cornbread
This Easy Cornbread Recipe is tender, moist, and super flavorful. It’s made with just a few ingredients and can be baked in a cast-iron skillet, baking dish, or muffin tins.
Spicy Italian Meatballs
This Spicy Meatballs Recipe uses half hot Italian sausage and half lean ground beef to make the most amazing homemade meatballs. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or a beginner in the kitchen, this guide will help you master the art of making meatballs.
Mini Bean Dip Cups
This recipe takes one of my favorite cold, layered dips and serves it up into cute individual portions. No oven necessary!
Mini Charcuterie cups
These Individual Charcuterie Cups are an easy to prepare and a super versatile party appetizer. They are filled with all of the meats, cheeses, fruits, and snacks you might find on a traditional charcuterie board.
Graduation Party Desserts
Make desserts fun, easy, and delicious! Cookies and Rice Krispie treats are always a major hit, and easy to make for a crowd. I also love serving no bake cheesecake because they can be made in advance and require zero oven time!
Oreo Rice Krispies
These thick and gooey Oreo Rice Krispie Treats are filled with crushed Oreo cookies and extra marshmallows. This recipe is a fun twist on the classic that is seriously delicious and great parties, school lunches, and more.
Peanut Butter M&M Cookies
These Peanut Butter M&M Cookies are soft, chewy, and loaded with chocolate in every bite. They’re perfect for peanut butter lovers of all ages.
Fruit Kabobs
These Fresh Fruit Kebabs are a fun and healthy snack, dessert, or kid’s project. Fill each skewer with fresh fruit chosen by the colors of the rainbow.
Cream Cheese and Fruit Salsa Dip
This Layered Fruit Salsa Dip is an easy and fun dessert filled with bright flavor. It’s made with refreshing fruit salsa on top and lemon cream cheese dip on the bottom—perfect for serving with crispy cinnamon sugar tortilla chips.
No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Dip
This no bake cherry and Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Dip is creamy, dreamy, and oh-so-simple. In just about 10 minutes you can have yourself a deliciously stress-free crowd pleasing dessert for any occasion.
Cream Cheese Caramel Apple Dip
This easy Cream Cheese Caramel Apple Dip is a delicious and easy cream cheese dip for apples. It’s made with only 3 ingredients and can be served with crisp apples or any of your favorite fruit.
No Bake Mini Cheesecakes
These No Bake Mini Cheesecakes are the perfect dessert to serve at parties, potlucks, or at home for the family. Each mini cheesecake cup has the same rich and creamy texture and buttery cookie crust as a traditional cheesecake but without all of the baking.
Lemon Cheesecake Dip
This creamy, dreamy Lemon Cheesecake Fruit Dip is made with simple ingredients and takes just 10 minutes to prep. It’s tart and sweet, light and fluffy, and perfect for serving at a summer graduation party.
Drink Recipes
Here are a couple non-alcoholic drink recipes to serve to the younger crowds at your gradation party, or anyone else who wants to enjoy a tasty homemade drink!
Tropical Punch
This homemade Tropical Punch is a great way to add a little sunshine to your graduation party. Filled with citrus, pineapple juice, guava juice, and fizzy ginger ale, this easy fruit punch recipe is the perfect refreshing non-alcoholic drink for a hot day.
Homemade Root Beer
This Homemade Root Beer recipe uses just 4 ingredients and can be made in about 15 minutes. Make a big batch before your party and serve out of a big pitcher. Or, use it to make root beer floats!
