posted byGina Dicksonon July 11, 2022 (last updated Jun 27, 2023)
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It’s easy and fun to throw an easy-going, relaxed party with these best kickback party ideas, games, and food. Hosting a kickback party should be all about spending an effortless, easy and delightful time with friends.
Not every single party needs to be an over-the-top, elaborate, planned event! Sometimes you want to throw a smaller-sized party in a more relaxed environment but still, make it special.
Just as the name implies, a kickback party is a low-key party where everyone knows each other, and the focus is to spend time relaxing with plenty of food and drinks. The activities for a kickback party may include playing games, dancing, or floating around in the pool.
What’s the meaning of a kickback party?
Kickback parties are stress-free versions of parties. It’s easier to host a kickback party because the focus is on simple and easy entertaining without the hassle and drawbacks of a big party.
A kickback party is usually a small band of friends rather than big group bashes with tons of party guests.
Often parties require a lot of preparation, expense, and clean-up for a hostess. However, a kickback party is a low-key affair that requires minimal preparation and clean-up for the hostess.
What Do You Do at a Kickback Party?
A kickback party focuses on having a relaxed time with close friends. The activities you choose to spend time on can vary, but they will all be low-key activities. Here are some ideas.
Play games
Sit around and talk
Watch a movie
Enjoy a meal or snacks together
Cook something together
Float in the pool and talk
What Do You Need to Throw a Low-Key Party?
The beauty of a kickback party is that you don’t need much to have a great party. Put on some good music, provide enough chairs for a group of friends to sit around and talk, prepare a few delicious recipes or choose to order takeout, and you will have the perfect party.
How Do You Host the Party?
It’s so easy to host an impromptu kickback party or casual get-together. The theme is all about keeping it simple and relaxing with close friends.
Discover below everything you need to do and some inspiration to throw a fun and easy kickback party.
Invitations
No fancy invitations are needed. All you need to do is provide your guests with the details and ask for a response.
Send a group text with a fun party gif to everyone.
Send everyone an email invitation from a service like Evite. It will be delivered right into their inbox, and they can RSVP easily with the click of a button.
For a more personalized approach, call your guests with an invitation.
Be sure to give them the date, time and what they need to bring. Also, don’t forget to ask for an RSVP back so you can easily plan how to set up your party and how much to serve.
Party Theme Ideas
It’s easier to host a party if you pick a fun theme. This helps you narrow down your activities and menus. It also gives your friends an idea of what to wear and bring.
Movie Night: A fun way to spend an evening with friends that will really allow y’all to chill is to host a movie night. Provide a few snacks, such as maple glazed popcorn, some drinks, and a good movie, and you have the makings for a fun night.
Potluck Dinner: Host an old-fashioned potluck dinner. You provide the main dish, and everyone else brings sides and dessert.
Dance Party: Host an outdoor dance party night. Set up some speakers outside and clear an area for a dance floor. String some fun light around the dance floor. You could serve easy snacks and plenty of beverages since everyone will get thirsty.
Takeout Party: In this easy idea, have everyone bring their favorite takeout food. Set them all out and let everyone have a sample from each dish brought. It will be fun for everyone to try new things and maybe find some new favorites as well as super easy for the hostess.
Cocktail Party: Have everyone bring the makings for their own signature cocktail. Make a game out of it and award prizes for the best cocktail, the most unusual, or the prettiest.
Pool Party: A pool party with a focus on relaxing is sure to be a hit with your friends. All you need is some great music playing and a few snacks and drinks to serve. Oh, and be sure you provide enough floats for everyone to relax and enjoy a sip of their drink while floating around.
Birthday Bash: If someone is having a birthday in your group of friends, throw them a birthday party. Remember, keep it simple. Pick up some of their favorite take-out food and serve their favorite cocktail, beer, or wine. For activities, play a game they really enjoy or watch their favorite movie. The whole evening could be centered around this friend’s favorite things.
Pizza & Beer Night: This couldn’t be easier; order some delivery pizza and have everyone bring a six-pack of their favorite beer to share.
Cuisine: A laid-back party with a theme around a popular type of food is one of the easiest to put together. I’ve got ideas for Indian, Mexican, Greek, and Mexican which you can explore below but really any type of food goes!
Scavenger Hunt: Create a clever scavenger hunt with clues for your guests to follow taking them on a hunt to win a prize! You can have everyone end up back at the house for dinner and drinks.
Party Games for a Laid Back Get Together
When it comes to kickback party games, focus on fun party games that everyone will think is a good idea and easy to play.
Video games: Everyone loves a good competitive video game.
Board games: Be sure and pick one that everyone can play or have several different games going at one time.
Card games: Cards are always a fun party game and economical because all you need is a deck of cards.
Outdoor games: Cornhole, croquet, and volleyball are all fun games for a crowd.
Discover more ideas for fun party games your guests will love in this Party Board Games Ideas collection.
Kickback Party Food
When throwing a kickback party, keep the focus on making it easy for you and relaxing for friends. Choose easy-to-make recipes that won’t keep you in the kitchen when guests arrive and remember a takeout is always a great option!
Food Bar Ideas
Food bars are ideal for kickback parties because you can simply set everything out and let everyone fix a plate or their dish just how they want it.
Ultimate Gourmet Hot Dog Bar
Grilled hot dogs are an American favorite but take it to the next level with a lot of different toppings so everyone can create their own fancy hot dog?There's nothing more fun that making a specialty hot dog using different ethnic toppings!
Don’t forget to add on someeasy sides such as potato chips and potato salad. Be sure and have plenty of topping likeMexican Coleslaw, relish, diced onions, cheddar cheese, homemade yellow mustard, and ketchup for toppings.
Vegan Food Bar Ideas
Check out these Vegan Food Bar Ideas, they're perfect for easy and fun entertaining.
Create some fun and easy get-togethers with friends using these Fun Food and Snack Bar Ideas. Food bars create an informal atmosphere that you can prepare before your guests arrive, which allows you to relax and enjoy spending time with your guest.
Similar to a pizza bar, this food bar allows your guests to create their own combination of toppings for a customized crispy flatbread pizza! Get creative and add lots of fun, unique toppings for everyone to enjoy.Using naan or pita bread instead of pizza crusts allows everyone to create a small individual pizza with a crispy crust.
These party food ideas are centered around a central theme and range from classic cuisine favorites to something a bit out of the ordinary.
When using these ideas for a kickback party, consider having everyone bring something that goes along with the theme, opt for takeout or some type of combination to take the pressure off the hostess.
How to Throw a Color and Sip Party
This fun event combines an activity along with some delicious food and drinks. You and your guests will color or paint their own piece of artwork as a group. It's fun to do and also gives your guests something to take home with them. You can use paint by numbers to keep it easy for everyone to easily create.r.
Everyone loves tortilla chips & salsa to start a party off! Discover lots of ideas for what to serve for a dinner or to make a Mexican food bar for your guests.
Your friends will love coming over and enjoying a slow, relaxed Italian dinner. Takeout makes an easy option as well or you can have friends over to help prepare the meal together. Don't forget to grab a few bottles of Italian wine to enjoy with dinner.
Hosting a fabulous Greek Dinner Party is easy to put together using some inspirational menu ideas, easy printable decorations, and even a printable fun Greek game, your guest will have a blast playing. To make it even easier, give each friend a recipe to make and bring.
Use a variety of Greek Meze Plates to blow your guests away! This type of spread offers up a selection of Greek appetizers that are perfect for a summer bbq party, holiday gathering, or a Greek party!Use these alone or in combination with the Greek dinner party above to create a truly memorable experience.
Create a delicious dinner party with these Indian dinner ideas, cultural tips, and decoration ideas. To keep things simple order take out from your favorite Indian recipe and serve up a wide variety of selections for everyone to enjoy.
The whole idea of a kickback party is it’s super low-key and easy to prepare. What could be easier than filling your crockpot the morning of the party and having a meal all ready when guests arrive? Or using the air fryer or pressure cooker for preparing simple foods for entertaining.
Slow cooker chicken pot pie is the perfect meal for a busy day! Comfort food made easy, it’s packed with flavor and sure to be an instant family favorite.
Homemade chicken taquitos cook up crispy and delicious for a warm snack, finger food for football parties and more! Easy to make ahead to store in the freezer so you can make a few at a time or a whole batch for friends!
Roasted chickpeas air fryer style are a crispy, savory snack that’s quick and easy to make. Made with canned chickpeas and pantry spices, this high-protein treat is perfect for gatherings, lunchboxes, or everyday snacking. Enjoy them fresh or prep ahead for a simple, satisfying way to love others through food.
Air fryer turkey meatballs are a juicy, flavor-packed appetizer that’s quick and easy to make. Made with lean ground turkey or chicken, celery, green onion, and tossed in a buffalo-ranch sauce, these meatballs are perfect for game day or casual gatherings. Serve them warm and watch them disappear!
Party Food Ideas for Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot
Quick Instant Pot Cincinnati Chili; Skyline Copycat
This homemade copycat recipe for authentic tasting Instant Pot Cincinnati chile will become a quick and easy family favorite. The sweet and savory sauce is spiced with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, garlic all infused with beef hamburger and tomato sauce.
Boiled peanuts Instant Pot recipe is a salty, savory Southern snack that’s quick and foolproof. Made with green peanuts, salt, and bold seasonings, this method delivers tender, flavorful peanuts in under two hours. Perfect for game day, gatherings, or nostalgic snacking, it’s an easy way to bring a taste of the South to your table.
Here are some ideas to create a casual atmosphere for your kickback party and what to serve for dinner. Perfect for gatherings in the backyard or any outdoor setting.
Mocktail Party
Mocktail Party: A fun and relaxing party idea is a mocktail party. Here are over 40 MOCKTAIL RECIPES to try. You could purchase the ingredients or have each friend pick a recipe and bring the ingredients. Set out the bar area before your guests arrive, and be sure to have plenty of ice and party snacks.
Relax and enjoy hosting your friends with these Casual dinner party menu ideas With a little planning, you can create a relaxed and easy dinner party for you and your friends.
Kickback parties are perfect for snacking! Set up a grazing table instead of serving an entire meal that your guests will love! You can even have everyone bring something a choose a few of these snacks to serve.
Maple Glazed Popcorn
Maple Glazed Popcorn is an addictive treat with a naturally sweet buttery maple glaze made with maple syrup, butter, vanilla, and cinnamon.
This Copycat Gardetto's Mustard Pretzels recipe offers a delightful honey-sweet and tangy coating, making it an ideal snack for gatherings, movie nights, or school lunches. With just 10 minutes of preparation and 30 minutes of baking, you can enjoy these flavorful pretzels in no time.
Check out 50 Budget Friendly Party Finger Food Recipes that will be a hit at your next get-together. Add these to a dinner party or create a full menu of these budget-friendly finger food recipes for a spread everyone will love. Plus they will get you quickly out of the kitchen so you can enjoy mingling with your guests.
Bring a little Sicily to your table with this delicious marinated Sicilian Green Olives Recipe. The olives are infused with fresh herbs, garlic, dried oregano, a pinch of chili pepper for heat all smothered in extra virgin olive oil and white vinegar dressing.
Cauliflower Hummus has a creamy nutty flavor, with hints of roasted garlic, cumin, and sesame. It is a nutritious snack that is paleo, keto, and vegan.
Kick up your next batch of slow cooker Chex mix with a unique flavor combination of spices, that is simple to make. It will be the hit of your next party or a low-key family night. Everyone is going to want this recipe from you.
Ice down a bucket of soft drinks, beer, or water bottles in a festive Inflatable Party Cooler. You could also make ahead some refreshing Iced Tea.
Signature Azalea Cocktail Recipe
The signature Azalea Cocktail recipe combines pink fruity sweetness with vodka to create a delicious, beautiful pink azalea-colored drink. It’s a favorite spring cocktail that is served all over Augusta during Masters Tournament week
Currently, I’m chilling on my sofa with my laptop (quite appropriately) placed on my lap, typing this post and wishing that I had one of these cocktails in my hand. There’s something about Friday nights
Mai Tai cocktails aren’t overly sweet, but they are deliciously potent. Two types of rum and bright flavors take you back to the days of tiki bars and vacays.
Blue Cosmopolitan Cocktail Recipe – Blue Cosmo Martini
There is just something more fun about blue drinks and this Blue Cosmo is no exception. The Blue Cosmopolitan cocktail recipe is easy just as easy to make as the traditional cosmopolitan drink. It tastes
Love the creative party ideas you have, Gina! Looking forward to giving some of these ideas a go this summer! Also, I appreciate you featuring an Easy Chickpeasy recipe! Thanks!
Love the creative party ideas you have, Gina! Looking forward to giving some of these ideas a go this summer! Also, I appreciate you featuring an Easy Chickpeasy recipe! Thanks!