Some of the best times of childhood can be remembered dancing in the streets, music blasting, with a handful of cotton candy, and loving life at local street festivals. Relive that feeling by hosting your very own summer block party!

Start by sending out e-mail invites to all of your attendees on the block. This is an environmentally sound way to get your message across, and many websites allow you to design creative and innovative invites that are interactive. For those neighbours or friends that simply do not have e-mail access, or are unsure of their information, approach them with a friendly house call, or mail them a small card that you can get your child to design.

If you plan to take the entire venue to the street, you will want to check your local bylaw offices to ensure that you can host an event in your area, noise bylaws, along with any permits you may need to purchase in order to host it.

When the guests and venue have been solidified, the next item on the agenda needs to be the food items that will be served, as well as how everything will be distributed.

If the venue is small (10-20 people), it is very plausible that you and your family can handle the cooking and assembly. However, if 20 + guests are attending, it may be a good idea to arrange a potluck style party, where everyone brings a dish to share.

Arranging a potluck is a stress-free way of having a multitude of options from which to choose, without the hassle in the kitchen. Ensure there is a list circulated which reflects who is making each dish. To ensure no dish duplications, assign sections for Main Dishes/Desserts/Appetizers and Snacks.

When all of the dishes arrive at the party, ensure the snacks and appetizers are scattered and accessible to every guest. This will allow them to mingle around the yard/street. When the main dishes are ready to be served, arrange on a long table, or 2-3 picnic tables in a row. For easy identification of the dishes, prepare name tags. This is something that children can assist with.

Some innovative meal ideas that are easy to prepare from Summer Fresh include:

1. Fire up the neigbourhood grills and BBQ’s and create delicious grilled pizzas! Simply lay whole pita breads on the grill, add Summer Fresh Artichoke & Asiago Dip on the base and layer with sliced tomatoes, asparagus and button mushrooms. For those who enjoy simpler tastes, create a basic cheese & pepperoni pizza, and use Summer Fresh Roasted Red Pepper Dip as a pizza dipping sauce.

2. Chop and grill a variety of vegetables including eggplant, red peppers and purple onion until tender. At the same time scoop Summer Fresh 3 Cheese & Artichoke Hot Cheesy Dip into a deep aluminum pan (cake pan etc…), cover top with tinfoil and heat on the BBQ until cheese is bubbly. Pour over the grilled vegetables and serve.

3. Fresh vegetables cut up and arranged with baked pita chips, accompanied with Summer Fresh Hummus Chick Pea Spread for dipping.

4. For extra cheesy Lasagna, replace ricotta cheese with Summer Fresh 3 Cheese & Artichoke Hot Cheesy Dip.

5. Create a mini-sandwich platter consisting of whole-wheat breads, spread with Summer Fresh Creamy Feta Spreads in Peri Peri, Fig & Balsamic and Sundried Tomato & Kalamata Olive, layered with sliced cucumber and tomato.

6. Toss elbow pasta with Summer Fresh Artichoke & Asiago Dip for a creamy sauce.

7. Make it simple by bringing pre-packaged Summer Fresh Salad Bowls! Simple and ready to serve, simply remove the lid and serve.

As the day wears on, and the party winds down, be sure to send your guests home with a little memory of the night. Allow them to take home the tastes of Summer Fresh with these innovative party favour ideas!

Stack three containers of Summer Fresh Dips and tie with a red ribbon, topped with a small Canadian ornament. This can include Summer Fresh Hummus, Tzatziki, Artichoke & Asiago, or dozens of other combinations!

For the long summer work weeks, fill a small lunch bag with Summer Fresh snack'n go™ in THREE amazing hummus flavours, Summer Fresh pre packaged Grain Salads, or for the kids, Nickelodeon Snack n go featuring Dora the Explorer and Spongebob Squarepants. All perfect options for quick and healthy lunches!

Take all of the pictures snapped throughout the party and put them into a slideshow. Burn the file to disk or e-mail to all of the guests. This is a sure fire way for them to relive the great memories of that day. If you feel extra ambitious, invite the guests back to your home for a “post party” to watch the show on the big screen! Be sure to put together some appetizers including a “mezze” platter containing pita bread, kalamata olives, cut veggies with Summer Fresh Hummus, Tzatziki and Baba Ghanjoui

With the warmer weather basking in our presence for a few months, be sure to take advantage of the days ahead. Summer Fresh can provide you with hundreds of party , BBQ or meal ideas that are simple, delicious and affordable.