Anyone who has ever hosted a bridal shower within the informal setting of a home or backyard will know that food is a major sticking point.  Easily a budget buster, food and drinks will need to be carefully contemplated and planned in order to provide the most bang for the buck. Of course, the question of food is second only to the question of drinks, and most often the idea of having a bridal shower punch is the answer many a bridal shower hostess will receive when wondering what to serve.  Soda and water should always be available, but for an awesome centerpiece as well as a drink mixture that will go a long ways, punch is still hands down a perennial favorite.  Yet not all punches are created equal, and neither do all kinds of punch fit into every type of bridal shower.  Here are the five favorites that seem to have found a large following amongst the bridal shower set:

At the top of the list is the Citrus Punch. Citrus punch is a favorite in the summertime and many women in citrus producing states love this easy to make recipe simply because it can be made from lemons and oranges that are growing in their own backyards.  The ingredients are so easy to come by that even those who do not live in the sun-kissed citrus producing states will be able to enjoy it.  Visit your local mega mart and purchase two cans of frozen lemonade and two cans of frozen orange juice.  Mix them together. Add eight cans of water, two cups of grenadine syrup, and three quarts of ginger ale.  Be sure that the ingredients are mixed together well!  If you have fresh lemons in your backyard, go ahead and add the juice of three fresh lemons.  After mixing the punch more time, go ahead and garnish it with fresh lemon or orange slices.  This is a favorite especially for the kids!

Of course, for those who live in the coldest climates or are looking forward to a wedding in the middle of winter, a Citrus Punch is perhaps not the best way to go.  Instead, how about a Hot and Spicy Punch?  The ingredients are surprisingly simple: you simply need two cups of cider and two cups of 7-Up.  Mix these ingredients together. Then combine this mixture with one cup of orange juice, the juice of one big lemon, half a cup of brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Next, prepare a large tea bag to hold one tablespoon of whole cloves, half a teaspoon of allspice, and three to four sticks of cinnamon. This kind of teabag may be fashioned from a couple of coffee filters, or from a discarded cheese cloth.  Put the cheese cloth into the mixture and boil it for about five minutes.  After the cooking time go ahead and remove the spices and enjoy the punch warm.

If you are pressed for time or money, then the Hawaiian Punch will be a great alternative, and you can be sure that even the younger guests will love it!  Simply visit your local mega mart and purchase two one-liter bottles of red punch commercially mixed.  This can be found in the soda isle. Next, add a forty-six ounce bottle of pineapple juice. Last but not least, go ahead and add a can of pineapple bits.  Voila!  You will have a punch that nobody will be able to resist.

Of course, there will be times that the party will be adults only, and at that time it is entirely appropriate to serve alcohol laced punches. For a Hawaiian Punch with a twist, simply combine one gallon of pineapple juice with one quart of vodka, 7-Up, and brandy. Add some lime juice to taste, and serve the concoction chilled.

 For a more traditional Champagne Punch, simply choose a gallon of white wine as your base; add four bottles of champagne, two bottles of ginger ale, and some ice cubes.  Of course, whenever serving alcoholic beverages, it is imperative that no children are present, that someone will ensure that no inebriated guests get behind the wheel of their cars, and that plenty of non-alcoholic choices are available for the teetotalers of the crowd.

 

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