Whether you’re Irish or not, St. Patrick’s Day is a great reason to celebrate and get together with friends. It is also a chance to dive into a different culture and try out some new Irish dishes. Want to plan a party but don’t know where to start? Here are 5 Tips to Plan a Jolly St. Patrick’s Day Party.

  1. Send out invitations: You can’t have a party without people, so make sure they’re invited. Send out the word to your friends at least a month in advance and ask them to RSVP. It’s St. Patrick’s Day so remind them to wear green, unless they want to get pinched.
  2. Green Everywhere: Get to your closest party store and grab all things green. Balloons, streamers, etc. There’s really no such thing as too much green on St. Patrick’s day. Don’t forget the gold coins, leprechaun hats, and a rainbow.
  3. Food: This can go two ways, or both. Make sure you have plenty of green food dye and put a drop or two in just about everything. If you want to lay off the green dye a little, you can prepare some classic Irish dishes such as Crock Pot Guinness Corn Beef and Cabbage, Light & Easy Shepards Pie, and Irish Soda Bread. They’re delicious and will be a hit.
  4. Beverages: For drinks, prepare a limeade spritzer perfect for this holiday. All you need is some sparkling water, a few limes and a little sugar for a great refresher. Guinness and Bailey’s are fun to have, too.
  5. Games: The number of games you can play during St. Patrick’s Day are endless. An easy one to put together involves Lucky Charms cereal. All you have to do is buy a box of Lucky Charms and place is it in a large bowl. You’ll also need a small plastic spoon, a second large bowl, and a blindfold. Have people compete to see who can get the most lucky charms in the second bowl while blindfolded and maneuvering the spoon with their mouth. They’ll need the luck of the Irish for this one!

Follow these 5 tips for the perfect St. Patrick’s Day party. Have fun, and don’t forget to stay safe. May the luck of the Irish be with you.

Here are some other St. Patrick’s Day Recipes:
Healthy Green Smoothie
Sweet Potato Boxty

5 Shamrock-Shaped Recipes

Liz Rodriguez, Dietetic Intern