Creating dessert tables, dessert buffets and candy bars with color themes.

This weekend we will be hosting a party for our daughter’s first birthday.  While I really don’t have a theme, I do have a color scheme – orange and pink.    I’ve always admired the amazing candy buffets, dessert buffets and candy bars that are done at weddings and parties that stick to a color scheme, so I’ve decided to do the same for my daughter’s party.   The food and drinks will all be orange and pink.

While you can find candy in any color, and you can tint frosting or use sprinkles to create every color of the rainbow, it’s a bit more challenging to find non-sweet options, or naturally colored options.     It’s been fun hunting down some creative ideas.   I figure that maybe this information will help others who are planning parties or weddings, so I will do a few posts with color specific food ideas.  We will start with pink and orange…

Pink Foods and Pink Candies

Pink Foods: watermelon, cotton candy, circus animal cookies, raspberries, pink lemonade, strawberry ice cream, pink sugar wafer cookies, pink milk and Hostess Sno Balls.

You can shop for candy by color – and wow are there a LOT of choices.  Pink Candy: pink Kisses, pink taffy, pink M&M’s, pink chicklets, pink Reese Peanut Butter Cups, pink mints, pink Starburst, pink jelly beans and pink Whoppers.

Orange Foods and Orange Candies

Orange Foods: peaches, carrots, cheese puffs, vanilla sugar wafers, orange slices, cheddar cheese, cantaloupe, cheese crackers, orange soda.

Orange Candy: Peanuts, orange M&M’s, orange Peeps, Chick-O-Sticks, orange candy slices, orange taffy, orange Kit Kats, candy corn and orange jelly beans.

And of course with sprinkles, frosting, chocolate coating and food coloring, you can create lots of goodies that will fit your color scheme.  Cakes, cupcakes, candies, cake pops, chocolate covered pretzels, chocolate covered rice krispies treats, chocolate covered marshmallows, chocolate covered Oreos.  Your options are endless!

If you can plan ahead, and shop the seasonal products, it certainly opens up your options.   Right now with Easter coming up, you can find almost any candy in pastel colors (or at least pastel wrappers).  Check the expiration dates and shop ahead when possible.   I’ve also found that some of the dollar stores have a interesting selection of candies you don’t see at the grocery store, so check there, and of course, online.

And how about some fun inspiration for pink and orange dessert buffets and candy tables…

By Amy Atlas for Martha Stewart Weddings

By Eat Drink Pretty at Hostess With The Mostess

Gorgeous pink and orange dessert buffet table by Evantine Design

Pink, orange and yellow candy from Wedding Wire

Pink and Orange Dessert Table by Simply Sweet Designs at Martha Stewart Dreamers into Doers

Bright and Cheery Summer Wedding at Hostess For The Mostess

Pink and orange dessert table at Smart Bride Boutique

Dessert Buffet at Sugar Bunch Creations

Sugar Bunch at Modern Manharanis

Just love these two colors, especially together.   Bright, cherry and fun.   I’d love to hear what pink and orange foods you can think of to add to the list!