Cinco de Mayo, an annual celebration held on May 5, has become one of the most loved national holidays across the United States. Often confused with Mexico’s Independence Day, Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican Army’s victory over the French Empire. It has since become a symbol of Mexican-American culture.
Every spring, millions of Americans celebrate over margaritas and tacos in honor of this historical moment. Really, any day is a good day for a taco, but if you’re looking for some ideas for how to plan a Cinco de Mayo office party, we have a few for you:
Party bites that are muy delicioso
Treat your hard-working team to a fiesta filled with mouthwatering appetizers and fun stations. Cinco de Mayo is a flexible holiday to plan food around because there are so many ways to dress a plate in various shades of green and red.
Our creative culinary team would love to help you create a menu for your Cinco de Mayo office party. Whether you’re planning a breakfast workshop, lunch meeting or evening party, we can help you arrange the perfect setup. This post offers a few of our favorite app menu items off our corporate menu that would fit seamlessly into your Cinco de Mayo theme.
Zesty small bites
Every fiesta needs flavorful finger foods, including a table of chips, salsa and the following:
- Siesta Nacho Bar Break. Warm nacho cheese sauce, yellow corn tortilla chips, salsa, sour cream and jalapeño slices
- Carnitas Quesadilla. Tender braised pork, chihuahua cheese, scallions and tomatoes in a flour tortilla
- Chicken Quesadilla. Grilled chicken, tomatoes, red onions and a touch of chipotle chilies in a flour tortilla
- Veggie Quesadilla. Spinach, artichoke hearts, sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions and melted jack cheese in a flour tortilla
Meals with a kick
It wouldn’t be a Cinco de Mayo party without tacos. Here are some of our go-to fiesta picks:
- Taco Stand. Seasoned ground beef, seasoned shredded chicken, refried beans, mexicali rice, shredded lettuce, cheese, salsa, sour cream, warm corn and flour tortillas
- Finest Fiesta. Barbacoa beef, fajita chicken, vegetable fajitas, mexicali rice, refried beans, chipotle roasted potatoes, cheese, salsa, pico de gallo, sour cream, chips, pickled jalapenos, warm corn and flour tortillas
At the same time, it’s important to accommodate guests with various dietary preferences. Try our delicious Mexicali Salad, which can be ordered on its own or along with one of the above packages. It features romaine, tomatoes, pinto beans, corn, red onions, shredded cheese and tortilla strips with cilantro chili dressing
Morning fiesta
Wake your coworkers with a Cinco de Mayo breakfast feast. Regardless of dietary preference, everyone should start their morning out right. Consider these tasty breakfast spreads:
- Make-Your-Own-Breakfast Tacos. Scrambled eggs and sweet potato green chili hash served with warm corn tortillas, pickled jalapeños, guacamole, queso fresco, shredded lettuce, salsa verde
- Make-Your-Own Vegan Breakfast Tacos. Sweet potato green chili hash and breakfast black beans served with warm corn tortillas, pickled jalapeños, guacamole, shredded lettuce, salsa verde
Sippin’ on margs
Someone pass the margaritas! If you’re planning a late-night Cinco de Mayo celebration with some coworkers, consider adding a few margaritas to the lineup as well as some non-alcoholic beverages. Here are some margarita recipes you could try:
- Spicy Habanero Pineapple Margarita. This margarita by Isabel Eats sounds fire: blanco tequila, habanero pepper, pineapple juice, triple sec, lime juice, served with pineapple slices and lime wedges.
- Mexican Margarita. Or try Mely Martinez’s nod to the classic Mexican margarita with natural syrup, lime juice, Noble Reposado tequila and triple sec liqueur.
- Prickly Pear Frozen Margarita. Here’s one for all you frozen marg lovers out there: a prickly pear frozen margarita featuring prickly pears, lime juice, water, crushed ice, frozen limeade, silver tequila, triple sec, agave nectar, salty glass rim and lime wedges for garnish.
- The Tried and True. You can stick with the tried and true margarita, or you can go for something a little different. In honor of this holiday, food blogger Jeanette Esquivel shares her play off the Tequila and Squirt, which features a cleaner, sweeter ingredient that might surprise you. And when you’re done making drinks, freeze the leftovers and enjoy popsicles later!
Colorful décor
It’s important that your Cinco de Mayo party décor pays tribute to the Mexican-American culture and the people responsible for creating its customs, art forms and traditions. Think of any authentic Mexican restaurant you’ve frequented and use it as inspiration.
Corona bottles with tissue paper flowers or lights, succulent centerpieces arranged in empty cans of Salsa de Chile Fresco, multi-colored banners, serape blankets—clear jars filled with red peppers and jalapenos would be easy, inexpensive ways for you to style your office.
Planning a Cinco de Mayo office party will bring a lot of joy and excitement to your office. To enlist the help of our friendly and knowledgeable catering team, contact us online or give us a call at 847.593.2000.
