If you thought you knew everything about your favorite chocolates, think again. The world of chocolate candy has undergone a huge transformation in the past century or so, and that includes the wrappers too! Early chocolate wrappers had none of the colorful graphics and prints that we associate with modern chocolates and were instead made of basic tinfoil with limited colors and prints. Find out how chocolate manufacturers have changed wrappers to keep up with the growing customer and market demands over the years. Read the full story here:
Candy buffets at an event is always a huge hit. But what if you don't want candy? Other types of buffets are gaining ground. Popcorn buffets are becoming quite popular. They are not only fun and tasty, they are now colorful and they won't melt outside.
There are SO many flavors to choose from. Plain popcorn can be the main stay, with shakers of flavors at the ready. Or maybe a little rolling popcorn cart? Cute take home bags that look like ice cream cones or mini paint pails. Oh, Dorothy, the possibilities are endless.
Popcorn balls, colorful popcorn, drizzled with chocolate, kettle corn, butter flavored Jelly Beans, flavored popcorn, caramel corn, zingy-Ranch, take home bags / containers, mini tins, sweet popcorn. Should we go on? We counted 83 styles/flavors using popcorn here.
Label each flavor.
Provide larger scoops for popcorn, or smaller ones for sampling.
So you are trying to figure out how much candy you will need?
We get this question A LOT. We wish there was a hard fast rule to this question. Some say 1/4 LB per guest, others say 1/2 LB per guest (1/4 cup per 100 people.) But it's all about the way your candy looks. Plan by how you want the display to look, not how many guests are coming. Having enough candy is crucial in making your candy buffet look good.
Small candy scoops = quantity control. Rule of thumb: Give someone a large scoop, and they will take a large scoop.
Wrapped candies: do not need a scoop. Sticky Candy: (gummy) use a tong. Tall containers: use a ladle.
Be creative! A candy buffet does not have to be all candy. Salty goes with Sweet. Fresh fruit for guests who can't have candy. Popcorn! Visit our FAQ page.
Here is a tip a bride told us: "Take your candy buffet bags/containers that the guests will be taking home with them to your local grocery store and fill them the types of candy you will have for your event. Then weigh them. Multiply by how many guests, then you will get an idea of the pounds."
There are 25 Jelly Belly beans in an ounce, 400 Jelly Belly beans in one pound and 880 Jelly Belly beans in a 2.2 lb, or kilo, bag. All counts are approximate, of course.
Friends or family want to help you during your day, assign the job to Aunt Betty, or Cousin Joe. Have them refill when needed, and keep an eye on things. They will have a blast.
You know what's lame about candy buffets? Others people's fingers in your candy. Some big, burly guy with mechanic hands. You know the kind. Stuff under their nails. Where have they been? What kind of fun is that? We'll answer that: NO FUN AT ALL. You know what is fun? Colorful candy, yummy candy, candy that takes you back, way back, like 10 years old back. AND a scoop in the bowl.
You've spent your time and your money putting together a fun, colorful candy buffet. Your guests have arrived and you notice something. WOW, something way out of whack. They are using their hands! Touching and groping all the candy. Cold chills run down your back.
Who likes other people's hands and fingers all over YOUR food? I know I don't. If candy is wrapped, ok, go ahead and touch it. When it's not? Good lordy.
Did you know that scoops, tongs or ladles are the most forgotten items on a candy buffet? Yes! A few things you should know.
IF.......
candy is wrapped, no need for a scoop.
small candy, small scoop. (portion control)
larger candies, (kisses) a larger scoop
sticky candy, cheeses or gummy = tongs
tall containers with long necks = ladle
spoons for tiny toppings
2 ounce = 1/4 cup = 48 to 50 regular M&M's in one scoop
You will find all kinds of candy scoops for your candy buffet, and they're not just metal anymore. Add colored scoops, ribbons and bows. Your candy buffet will be fun and yummy, AND your guests will want to take some home.
Here are a few helpful items to consider. Time of year. Hard candy VS chocolate. When ordering your candy online, please, PLEASE go to the websites shipping information page! It will save you time and disappointment.
First, let talk about what season it is. If you place your candy order during the colder months, you should be OK. But keep in mind when it is warm, not hot, but warm out, you will need to Express ship or make SURE the company ships with ice/cold packs. Hard candy ships well, but it too can melt. If hard candy is wrapped, and sits in the heat, it becomes a hard candy gooie mess. It might not melt, but it sure will be hard to get out of the wrapper.
Chocolate on the other hand (taffy, gummy, and wax candies) can end up at your door, and we mean at your door for a long time. Even if it's in the 70's, you will have a melted or soft mess on your hands. This is where an ice/cold pack comes in. Now, some websites have special boxes that will retain cold packs when shipped during the warm seasons. Most will have you choose Express Shipping as your method of delivery.
Remember, UPS, FedEx and the USPS, will not give a HOOT to leave your package at your front door. Say you are at work, it could sit for hours. Their trucks are not air conditioned!
We just had a candy company send us samples. Yep, chocolate. It arrived via UPS, and we are a business so we were here when it arrived. It was in the upper 70's this day. We opened the box, which was sent UPS Ground. The bags looked oily, and some of the chocolate was squished. When we opened the bag, the candy, which had a hard shell, (like an M&M) looked ok, but the minute you touched it, splat.
Save peace of mind, ask/read HOW WILL MY ORDER BE SHIPPED, first. During the planning of your event, the LAST thing you need is a molten mess of candy on your hands.
"WARM WEATHER/SUMMER SHIPPING (NO REFUNDS FOR MELTED PRODUCTS)"
For you candy lovers out there having an event! Setting up a candy buffet table is fun and creative. Picture this if you will........ Wonderful colors, yummy candy, hand printed take home bags..... HELLO? Huston are you there? A candy buffet is great, but it is a fixture at an event. It should also be EYE CANDY.
Starting from the table up. Is it a wedding? Do you have a theme? Is it rustic? Inside tables for a wedding start with skirting and tablecloths. Themes could use skirting, maybe black or a color that goes with your theme. Rustic? Will you be using a picnic table or bales of hay? The possibilities are endless, and there are no wrong choices. It just needs to be sturdy and not fall over.
Lighting: If your candy buffet table is skirted, you could add rope lighting our white xmas lights under it to give it a glow. You can string lights on or around the candy dishes.
Candles: Use battery operated candles ON you candy buffet table. With guests/children leaning over to reach candy, could be a very, VERY bad mix. Long hair, dresses or ties do not mix with fire.
Levels: Use sturdy items such as books, risers, shelves to make different heights for candy containers. Cover with table cloth to hide. Different heights gives your candy buffet table a 3D look.
Jars/Containers: They do not need to be all glass. Or all the same. Mix it up. We had one customer who loved basketball, cut a basketball in half and line with fabric as their bowls. They can be what ever you want, AND if you ask family members, you just might not need to purchase.
Table Looks Empty: You can add pictures in frames, flowers, take home boxes or bags to add different eye catchers to your candy buffet table.
Signage: A sign on your candy buffet with a cute saying, "Love Is Sweet" will invite your guests to partake. (lots to pick from, do a search for candy buffet signs)
When to Open Candy Buffet: If you are serving dinner and do not want your guests to use candy buffet until after dinner. Place tulleing or tablecloth over the top of candy buffet and when it is open, take off.
Candy: Going for an all white candy buffet?, OK, but boring! Mix it up! And don't use other "holiday" candy, guest can tell. Mix up the candy. Colors, Bold, and most of all, YUMMY!
Scoops, Tongs or Ladles: Scoops will scoop candy, tongs for gummy, and ladles for tall containers where a scoop will not reach. Keep in mind that a scoop and hand will need to fit into jar openings. Plus, this is a BIG one. NOBODY wants other peoples hands in their candy.
Don't Forget: Some guests might not be able to eat candy/sugar. Fresh fruit, cheese or sugar free candy will make them happy. Oh, and salty goes with sweet, put out a bowl of chips or pretzels.
