Good foods for a barn party

Barns are an ideal spot for a large party featuring country music and dance; they are comfortable, have plenty of room and provide a casual atmosphere. The food you serve at a barn party can be as elaborate or simple as you choose, but some menu ideas fit the location better than others. Provide well-prepared, good-tasting food you know your guests will like.

Fried chicken is perfect for a barn party and it can be prepared ahead of time. Fill food warmers with country-style home fried chicken. Serve it with mashed potatoes and gravy or potato salad. Corn on the cob is a perfect side dish to go with the chicken, or you can warm sweet or cream-style corn. Add buttermilk or homestyle biscuits. Bake several apple pies for dessert. Place canned or bottled beverages, such as water, soda, tea and beer, in washtubs filled with ice to keep them cold and easily available to your guests.

Barbecue ribs and serve them with baked potatoes and baked beans. Add large bowls of coleslaw and tossed salad with assorted dressings. Provide slabs of corn bread and offer slices of watermelon for dessert. Fill large, self-serve, beverage containers with lemonade, iced tea and sweet tea to wash down the meal.

Set up several grills outside the barn to cook hot dogs and hamburgers. Slice onions, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes ahead of time. Provide several dishes of condiments including mustard, ketchup, relish, pickles, chilli sauce and mayonnaise. Serve the burgers and hot dogs on buns with chips and salsa, macaroni salad and several flavours of crisps. Add several platters of chocolate chip, peanut butter and ginger snap cookies for dessert.

Chilli is an excellent main dish for a barn party. Fill crock pots with chilli of varying degrees of seasoning from mild to hot and spicy. Include chilli with beans, without beans and vegetarian style. Set baskets of corn muffins and different flavour crackers near the pots of chilli. Serve vegetable salad made with lettuces, greens, cucumbers, onions and red, yellow and green peppers. Offer key lime, lemon meringue and pecan pie for dessert.

Trays of assorted finger foods work well for a barn party. Slice or cube cheese and ham to serve with crackers. Provide several vegetable trays including celery, carrots, peppers, cucumbers, cauliflower, broccoli and dip. Make spinach dip to serve with bread. Add a variety of chips, dips and salsa. Cut up pieces of fruit, such as apples, watermelon, pineapple, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, cherries, kiwi and cantaloupe into large bowls.