It can be great fun to host a social event - whether you have just a few guests or a hundred people. Of course, you can invite these people over to your home for a meal and some mingling. If the guest list is large enough, you can arrange to hold the festivities at a church, hall, or banquet room.
As much fun as these indoor occasions can be, there's just something special about hosting a party or a picnic outdoors. After all, there's a lot more room for families to spread out and children to run around and play. Everyone gets to enjoy the fresh air, especially if much of their life is spent being cooped up in an office building or school. Perhaps most importantly, a social gathering that takes place under the bright sun and the blue sky is practically guaranteed to make memories - especially if people bring their cameras along!
But if you do choose to entertain outside, you'll certainly have to take some precautions that you wouldn't have to worry about in an indoor setting. If the sun is especially bright, you should provide sunscreen and shady areas for your guests. It is probably necessary to have a decent supply of insect spray nearby so you can get rid of mosquitoes, ants, or flies (which tend to crash picnics frequently). Finally, it's a good idea to provide ample trash receptacles and recycling containers to simplify cleanup for everyone and keep your party or picnic spot spotless.
What types of outdoor gatherings do you enjoy? Do you love to lounge by the pool and take a dip in the cool waters to escape the sun's heat? What about parties with plenty of activities like horseshoes, badminton, bocce, or even team sports? Maybe you prefer the classic afternoon picnic at a park, lake, or beach with several (or dozens?) of your closest friends and family members.
No matter what form your open-air event takes, there's one thing that can make it that much better: candy!
But you can't just pick up any type of candy. The sweets that are best suited for picnics or outdoor parties are the ones that are "sun safe" - in other words, the heat of the sunshine won't affect them. If your candy choices are not sun safe, you kind wind up with a huge mess made up of chocolate stains and fruity-hued color splotches on clothing and furniture.
So if you need ideas for candy selections for your next event that will be held outside, here are some suggestions for sun safe sweets:
Licorice
The chewy, flavorful treats maintain their shape no matter what the temperature may be outdoors. You can even provide a variety of licorice choices, such as red or black mix, Australian red whips, or red Scotties. Perhaps best of all, almost all licorice is fat-free!
Rock candy
Since it is crystalline in form, rock candy won't melt or rub off if the sun is on it. It's especially tasty at parties as after-meal treats so guests can "cleanse their pallets." Choose from flavors such as grape, cherry, raspberry, or strawberry.
Jolly Ranchers
Because each piece of hard candy is individually wrapped, the sun won't affect the taste or texture at all. They can be toted around anywhere and remain in perfect condition until they're ready to be eaten. Jolly Ranchers come in apple, watermelon, blue raspberry, cherry, and grape flavors.
Very cherry candies
From Jelly Bellies to buttons to Double Bubble gumballs, cherry-flavored candies don't contain artificial coatings that can rub off on your fingers and clothes. So you don't have to concern yourself with stains or sticky fingers.
Gummies
It's hard to find a child who doesn't like to devour gummy bears. Parents love them because they're clean treats which usually aren't messy, even around kids. But you can get more types of shapes than just bears - like Swedish fish, worms, alligators, frogs, cola bottles, letters, octopi, lobsters, snakes, dinosaurs, and killer sharks.
If you are planning on playing host to a birthday party, class picnic, or other event where children will be in abundance, you may be better off buying your candy in bulk. That way, you won't have to mess with opening bags and cleaning up litter. Plus, you're guaranteed to have enough candy on hand without running out! You can even purchase bulk candy online and have it shipped right to your door - so you don't have to make a special trip to the supermarket, drugstore, or sweet shop.
Whenever you choose to socialize under the sun, you have to make a few preparations. You must apply sunscreen, wear a hat, and stay hydrated. You should also make sure that your candy is sun safe so everyone can satisfy their sweet tooth without succumbing to clothing stains or sticky hands. The good news? There is plenty of sun safe candy options to choose from - so pick up some for your next picnic or party!
