“This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of McCain Foods. The opinions and text are all mine.”
With the summer months officially here, it’s time to kick off your shoes, roll up your sleeves and enjoy these beautifully warm days with friends and family by your side! Even though the temperatures here in south Alabama keep climbing higher and higher, nothing is stopping me from creating memorable moments for my family to enjoy together! One of my favorite things to do during the long summer days is to get my creative juices flowing and put together a special food-filled evening that my entire family will be sure to enjoy.
As a family that celebrates “Taco Tuesday” on the regular, I was feeling pretty inspired by the idea of hosting a taco or nacho related fiesta, but I really wanted to put a fun twist on it to appeal not only to everyone in my family, but especially to my daughter. She’s been a French fry fan since she was just starting to walk, so I put on my thinking cap and went to town planning the perfect foodie summer celebration: Fiesta Fry Bar style!
The concept of a “fiesta fry bar” is really quite simple, and it’s a quick and easy way to fill everyone’s bellies with some delicious foods that will really keep them smiling! A fiesta fry bar is very similar to a nacho or taco bar where people can choose from a variety of their favorite Mexican-inspired toppings to pile on top of their food, only instead of using tortilla chips, you use crispy, crunchy French fries!
To really take our fiesta fry bar to the next level (and to earn a BIG smile from the kids in the family) I chose McCain Smiles to be the honorary VIP of the party!
McCain Smiles are made with real potatoes, seasoned perfectly with sea salt, and are a super fun treat to have on hand when a French fry craving comes your way! They’re also a fantastic way to make your summer time events a huge hit! It’s always a good day when your food is smiling back at you, right? 😉
The day before our fiesta-fied family get-together, I headed out to my local Publix to pick up all of the ingredients I needed for the fry bar, including a few packages of McCain Smiles Mashed Potato Shapes found in the frozen food section.
I can always count on Publix to have the best selection of foods for my family to enjoy, and my daughter was so delighted when she saw me reach for the McCain Smiles, she asked to hold the bag the entire time we were at the store!
One of the best things about hosting a fry bar is that it’s so easy to get creative and customize your plate! There’s truly something for everyone, even people with a pickier palate. You can add as many toppings as you’d like, or you can keep it simple! Piling up the toppings on top of my fries was a total natural reaction for me. I want ALL the toppings, please! 😉
If you’re thinking about hosting your own fiesta fry bar, here’s a few suggestions on fun toppings you can include! Remember to pick up some things that both adults AND kids will like:
Shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, taco meat (beef, chicken, shrimp, you name it!) guacamole, pico de gallo or salsa, roasted corn, quinoa, jalapenos (for adults) sour cream, black beans, fresh cilantro, black olives, fresh sliced lime, queso dip, chopped onions, Mexican rice, chipotle ranch dip for topping, and the list goes on!
Our fiesta fry bar was the perfect thing to bring my family together at the start of summer. So many of our fondest memories have been made around food, and this was certainly no exception! My favorite part of the day (aside from filling my plate/tummy with the most delicious nacho-fries ever) was sharing a special smile with my daughter. We had to sneak a few of the McCain Smiles off of the tray and take a bite before company came over!
It always makes my heart so happy to take these moments and celebrate family and this beautiful summer season with good food, laughter, and smiles all around. McCain Smiles were certainly the star of the evening, and they’ve quickly become a staple item in our own freezer! Click here to see a full list of other delicious McCain potato favorites available at select retailers near you!
What are some other fun ways you’re celebrating friends and family this season? Do you have any fun outdoor summer activities planned? How are you making the most of summertime together? For more inspiration and fun recipe ideas using McCain foods, visit their website here.
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