Catering Ideas For A Tropical-Themed Special Event

When planning a special event, one of the first things you should consider is if you'd like it to have a theme or not.  A  theme will help you narrow down choices and decisions, such as decorations, party favors, and even menu items, as it'll give you a specific focus.

Whether you're holding your celebration at the beach or you just want to give your venue an island vibe, you can go with a fresh, vibrant, tropical-inspired theme. Even if you're not lucky enough to host your event ocean-side, you can still mentally transport guests there with the right touches.

A tropical theme will work for almost any type of special event or occasion, including adults' and kids' birthday parties, wedding rehearsals and receptions, anniversary and graduation soirees, family or corporate holiday celebrations, and even bridal and baby showers. You can tweak the themed details to coordinate with your specific venue, such as a reception or banquet hall, a country club, a country barn, a hotel, or a private venue. 

One simple way to infuse the tropical theme into your party is through your menu.You can either make the dishes yourself or hire a professional catering like Remo's Catering to handle the food preparations for you.

Here are some tropical-themed party menu ideas to get you started.

Appetizers 

Start the celebration off on a tasty note with platters of island-worthy appetizers. Some options include pineapple, mango, shrimp, and scallop skewers, which are ideal for outdoor venues with grills.

You also can't go wrong with salsa made with fresh tomatoes and pineapple served alongside tortilla chips. Serve the salsa in hollowed-out pineapples, which will also serve as table decorations.

Main Courses 

When it comes to tropical-themed main courses, consider serving grilled chicken topped with a fresh habanero and pineapple sauce, served along with Caribbean-style black beans and yellow rice. 

Another main dish that is sure to please your guests is coconut shrimp accompanied with a sweet and sour orange marmalade dipping sauce. For the vegetarians in the group, you can serve Hawaiian-style black bean veggie burgers topped with grilled pineapple rings.

Desserts 

Leave guests with a sweet last impression with a variety of island-themed desserts and drinks, including pineapple and mango slush and milkshakes, tangy key lime or coconut cream pie, fresh mango slices served over sticky rice and drizzled with sweetened condensed milk, flan, a tropical trifle, or rum cake. 

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