Taco Bar Planning

Taco Bar Planning is so much fun! It is one of the easiest ways to feed a small group or large group of people. The best part is that guests feel comfortable making their tacos just the way they like them. They can be eaten at a table or walking around. Guests can make the exact quantities they desire. Taco Bar’s are festive and easy to set up as well. I also like how you can incorporate the taco bar with other themes. So, it can be the main theme of the party or a station. So it is great for birthdays, outdoor events, graduations, baby showers, bridal showers, anniversaries, and just about any celebration. The fun is with the offerings, toppings and sides.

Planning the Taco Bar takes a little work upfront but once it is set up, everyone can enjoy and the host is free to move around the party. So guests can make a few tacos, or build a taco bowl or make nachos. There are so many possibilities! I will be covering how to plan the Taco Bar in this post.

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For help with easy decorating, get my Taco Bar download bundle here: https://majorgates.com/product/taco-bar-bundle-ne-download/

The Taco Bar download bundle includes 50 food tent labels for almost anything you want to serve, water bottle labels and 8″x10″ Taco Bar sign. All you have to do is print on 65 lb card stock, cut and decorate. This offering is not editable, but I will be offering a editable version bundle soon. However, I probably have covered everything you desire in the 50 labels, just print, cut and use the ones you need. Don’t forget to decorate the water bottles for that extra touch. They print 4 to a page and just repeat print for as many as you need.

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If you want another great recipe, try making my Pico De Gallo here:https://majorgates.com/recipes/pico-de-gallo/

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Supplies Needed

Invitations – Send an evite or use some other web invitation to send by text or email
Crock Pots – Use the ones you have, borrow a few and feel free to use various sizes
Food Warmers
Ice Holding Containers – if flying insects are an issue, get containers with lids
Decorations – this can be simple or as elaborate as you like – these will match my Taco Bar Bundle that I offer (link is at top and below)
Food Labels – see my Taco Bar Bundle here: https://majorgates.com/product/taco-bar-bundle-ne-download/
65 lb regular card stock
Reusable Ice Cubes – these are one of my favorite entertainment secrets
Tables and Chairs – purchase, borrow from friends and family, church or rent depending on the size of your party
Plates, Napkins, Cups, Bowls and Flatware
Serving Utensils – tongs and large spoons work best
Paper Towels – don’t forget these, tacos can be messy sometimes
Party Games
Music, large TV (for watching games) and/or other entertainment

Taco Bar Planning Tips

Pre-Planning

Start by filling out a party planning checklist. I have a free one if you have signed up for my email list. It is important that you plan out your party or gathering. The more you pre-plan, you will be less stressed and really enjoy your Taco Bar.
Make stylish invitations and email and text to friends, guests, and family. Consider the time of day and that you will need time to prep the food before the party.
When entertaining, consider your purchases carefully, as serving dishes can get expensive. You also have to have somewhere to store them. Try to find entertainment serving dishes in silver, white or clear. That way, it is easy to use for future parties and will match any theme. Save the wild colors and prints for the decorations, plates and napkins. That way, when you are over the theme, you can easily move on. Don’t forget the serving utensils. You can buy them in bulk and if you want cheap disposable, try your local dollar store.

When deciding on whether to get pattern or theme plates, cups, napkins or flatware, consider the guests. For a kids party, go for theme!. If it is mostly adults, go with sturdy quality paper or plastic options in white, Kraft brown, or clear. Again, that way you can use it for multiple gatherings or parties. So I get heavy duty plates and quality cups and napkins. The cheaper the quality, the more chance of spills.
Make your shopping list. Break it up between food and non-food. Non-food items can be purchased or ordered weeks to months in advance. Store in a container labeled “Party” and find the items on your list.
Schedule the delivery of items like tables, chairs, margarita machine, jump house, entertainment, etc. Write this all down on a planner or app in your phone. Also, if you are having any of the food catered or ordered for pick-up, get this scheduled as soon as you can. Good choices are fajita chicken and/or beef. Other good choices are your favorite restaurant queso and salsa. Anything too time consuming to make or too difficult, sometimes if just best to order in large quantities.
Then create a visual schedule of what needs to occur 6 weeks ahead, 4 weeks ahead, 2 weeks ahead, 1 week ahead and the detailed schedule 3 days until party.
Don’t forget to ask for help. Friends and family are usually willing to help. They are great to bring the ice and extra coolers. They will offer to pick things up on their way as well, so pencil them in for restaurant pick-ups. So just confirm the time and fully pay and tip first. Have them send you a quick text when it is done.
Taco bar planning includes decorating. What I love the most is this can be as simple or as elaborate as you desire. I like to do the bulk of decorating the day before if the weather is good and it is outdoor. If the party is indoor and at home, this can been done a week ahead or 3 days before. You can create the taco bar as a station, part of another theme or as the party theme.

Taco Bar Set Up

Have a variety of choices for the Taco Bar, this should cover guests that only eat certain meats, as well as the vegetarians. Don’t forget the sides. I strongly recommend food labels. Food labels eliminate the host from constantly answering what certain foods are. They also stop guests from taking off lids from containers needlessly. The host can move about the party, socializing with guests while guests easily help themselves. Foods to consider for Taco Bar:
- Types of Meat – shredded chicken, fajita beef, ground beef, pulled pork, fajita chicken, ground turkey, shrimp, fish
- Types of Taco’s shells – corn, flour, colored, various shapes
- Bean Options – refried, charro, pinto, black
- Cheese Options – cheddar, Monterey Jack, Mexican shredded, queso
- Toppings – lettuce, tomatoes, jalapeños, olives, bell peppers, onions, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, Pico de Gallo, cilantro
- Sides – Spanish rice, corn, white rice, cilantro rice, Mexican corn, taquitos, tamales, tortilla chips
- Desserts – cake, cupcakes, churros, tres leches, cookies

Crock pots and heated servers are needed to keep your food warm. While ice holding trays will keep the lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, salsa, guacamole, chilled throughout the event. After your crockpots are warm, be sure to set to a low temperature to just keep them warm and not continuing cooking. Crock pots are great for keeping the meat warm and flour tortillas. I also use them for queso, rice, beans, etc. and when I run out of crock pots, I move on to food warmers. In addition, I like to set small plates next to the food containers for guests to sit the large utensils on when not using.
Don’t forget the drinks station when planning the Taco Bar. Make punch or several punches and be sure to note if they have alcohol, so the little ones don’t accidentally get the wrong punch. Ice buckets and reusable ice cubes are what I like to use to keep drinks cool. Reusable ice cubes are a punch game changer. They allow you to keep the punch cool without diluting the flavor from ice melting. The colored ice cubes stop people from accidentally throwing them away during clean up. When making punch, frozen fruit also works great to melt appropriately in the bunch. Try making frozen fruit mixed with juice or soda and then freeze it in large cubes or plastic storage containers to just drop into the punch and they will melt as time goes by.
Last have an area for the plates, bowls, napkins, flatware and cups. So I like to place these on each side of the Taco Bar. Don’t forget the trash and recycle bins. Place these accessible, but out of the way for ease of use.

Enjoying Your Party

Now it is time to play games, watch a game, celebrate, socialize with friends and family and eat taco’s! Don’t forget to take pictures to capture the memories. Set up a photo wall with funny prompts for your guests. You could also pass out favor thank you bags with goodies inside.

To get wonderful recipe ideas, visit my Recipes section here: https://majorgates.com/category/recipes/

For a great recipe, try my Shrimp Taco’s here: https://majorgates.com/recipes/shrimp-tacos/

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