This post about How to host a family friendly Cinco de Mayo Party with no added sugar was sponsored by the Florida Department of Citrus. All thoughts and ideas are my own.
Whether you’re ready or not, summer is coming friends!! Keep reading to learn how to host a family friendly Cinco de Mayo Party with no added sugar.
There are so many holidays in the summer time that are perfect for fun, family friendly outdoor parties. These tips and recipes can be used for any warm weather gathering! Like this weekend… National OJ Day on May 4th and Cinco de Mayo is the very next day! The following tips and recipes are perfect for celebrating both occasions.
Cinco de Mayo is kind of the unofficial start to summer here in Texas, and WE ARE READY! This summer is the first summer I’ll have two kids who semi know how to swim and while I obviously still have to keep an eye on them, I can definitely worry less when it comes to pool trips this summer, but I digress…
I am all about enjoying some treats and indulgences, but I also love to find ways to make healthy food and drinks taste just as good as their sugar laden equivalents, or maybe help you find a new way to enjoy an old favorite. Once the warmer months come around, Florida Orange Juice is one of my favorite ways to add some natural sweetness (and amazing flavor) to both sweet and savory dishes, alike.
Below you’ll find my tips for everything you need to host a family friendly Cinco de Mayo party (and for celebrating National OJ Day on May 4th!), including Florida Orange Juice no added sugar recipes, and both mocktails and cocktails for your friends and family to enjoy!
Keep reading to learn all the ins and outs of how to host a family friendly Cinco de Mayo Party with no added sugar
How to host a family friendly Cinco de Mayo Party with no added sugar: The invite
One of my favorite tricks for designing party invites is using Canva to make a custom design (like the one below) and then plugging it in over on Paperless Post or eVite. Feel free to download the pic and plug in your party info!
How to host a family friendly Cinco de Mayo Party with no added sugar: The decorations
Now, I’ll be the first to admit, I am NOT a home entertaining or lifestyle blogger… but I DO love a good trip to Party City and a fun search around Amazon. Here’s some of the fun things I found/recommend for a Cinco de Mayo Party:
How to host a family friendly Cinco de Mayo Party with no added sugar: The Menu
The menu is easily the most important part of any party, but ESPECIALLY when you’re hosting a party that revolves around the food and beverages! But if you’ve read any of the recipes or articles on my website, you know I’m a big fan of EASY, less stress dishes! Here’s what I recommend serving…
Appetizers
I love Charcuterie boards. They’re simple to assemble, require little to no cooking, and make for quite the visual display! I did this one at Thanksgiving and this one at Christmas. So, who says you can’t have a Cinco de Mayo/Summer themed charcuterie board?!
Here’s some of the things I’d recommend putting on the board this time of year:
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Cucumbers
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Carrots
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Cilantro
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Avocados
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Sausage
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Tortilla Chips
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Black olives
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Salsa
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Baby Peppers
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Baby tomatoes
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Pico de gallo
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Queso
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Citrus Avocado Green Dip (see recipe below)
These types of boards make for the best party platters. They force everyone to stay in one area and enjoy each other’s company, because who can resist a board with this much flavor?!
Tacos
Tacos can pretty much solve any world problem, and they certainly bring everyone to the table! Try some of these amazing taco recipes from Florida Orange Juice for National OJ Day or for Cinco de Mayo: Crispy Ceviche tacos, Shredded Chicken Soft Tacos With Orange Chipotle Sauce, Zesty Salsa, Grilled Fish Tacos with Orange Cilantro Slaw, and more!
Side items
You guys know I love a good veggie packed side dish, so a quick and easy option for any Cinco de Mayo party, is to pick a veggie and your favorite way to prepare it… then, throw some taco seasoning into the preparation at some point in the process and you’re good! Here’s my recipe for taco seasoning that never fails! My Mexican Riced Cauliflower recipe is great for any occasion as well.
Beverages
What’s a Cinco de Mayo party or National OJ Day celebration without some tasty beverages?! But, keeping it family friendly means we need drink options for all age groups! Here are some of my favorites (the recipes for all of these drinks are at the end of this article):
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Orange refresher (2-5 yrs old)
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Non-alcoholic Sparking Citrus Spritzer (6-20 yrs old)
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Juicy Orange Margarita (no added sugar) (21+ yrs old)
I use 100% orange juice in all of these as a great way to sweeten things up without using added sugars or syrups. And, you can’t beat the cold refreshing taste of Florida OJ on a hot day. 100% orange juice is also a great source of potassium, vitamin C, and folate.
I also love this Immune Support Antioxidant Morning Smoothie recipe I came up with last year. It’s perfect to get you going in the morning!
Desserts
What better way to kick off summer than with a frozen treat?! These No Added Sugar Orange Creamsicles are a creamy, dreamy treat that everyone will love, I guarantee it!
How to host a family friendly Cinco de Mayo Party: Games and Activities
I was able to find some amazing piñatas (see the links I put above in the decorations section), both miniature and standard size, at Party City and on Amazon. The kids are sure to have a good time! And, let’s be honest, if the kids are entertained and the adults can enjoy some time without being interrupted, that’s entertainment enough, right?!
Now that you know the ins and outs of how to host a family friendly Cinco de Mayo Party and celebrate National OJ Day, what are you waiting for?? Grab some Florida Orange Juice and get to party planning! All of the recipes I mentioned are listed below.
How to host a family friendly Cinco de Mayo Party with no added sugar: Recipes
Citrus Avocado Green Dip
Yield: approx. 2 1/2 cups
1 cup Florida Orange juice
5 large avocados, peeled and pits removed
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 jalapeno pepper with seeds removed (optional)
1 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1 tsp sea salt
Add all ingredients to a food processor or high-powered blender and process until semi-smooth. Mix in the chopped onion and tomato by hand, and garnish with an orange slice and cilantro.
Orange Refresher
Yield: 1 serving (ages 2-5 yrs old)
4 oz. Florida Orange Juice
4 oz. water
Add all ingredients to a small mason jar and shake or mix to combine. Serve with a fun straw and let the kids enjoy! (For more info on kids and 100% orange juice, check out this post I did last May.)
Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Citrus Spritzer
Yield: 1 serving (ages 6-20 yrs old)
4 oz. Florida Orange Juice
12 oz. sparkling water
Add all ingredients to a 16oz. bottle, secure the cap and gently swirl to combine. Serve with a fun straw and let everyone enjoy!
Juicy Orange Margarita (no added sugar)
*Note: Be responsible when consuming alcohol. Women should consume no more than one alcoholic drink/day and men should consume no more than two alcoholic drinks/day. Alcohol is a known carcinogen and can impair judgement when consumed in excess. Do not consume alcohol if you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant.
One thing I really love about this recipe is the natural sugar coming from the Florida Orange Juice and there are no added syrups like most margaritas. There’s also only 1oz. of liquor in each serving, unlike most restaurant or commercially available drinks which often have 1 1/2- 2oz. of liquor/serving.
Yield: 1 pitcher; 8 servings (ages 21+ yrs)
8 oz Florida Orange juice
4 oz reposado tequila
4 oz. orange liquor
8 oz water
4 limes
Add the tequila, orange liquor, Florida Orange Juice, and water to a pitcher. Using a mesh strainer, squeeze the juice from each of the limes into the pitcher. Line the rim of 8 margarita glasses with sea salt and tajin seasoning. Fill each glass with crushed ice, pour your beverage into the glass and enjoy!
If you’re looking to just make one margarita, use these amounts:
1 oz Florida Orange juice
1/2 oz reposado tequila
1/2 oz. orange liquor
1 oz water
1/2 lime
