Whether it's preschool, high school, college, tech school, or even self-help programs - graduation parties are a ubiquitous part of the social scene - especially in the summer; I think everyone has been to at least one or two of these in their lifetimes. And whether it's being held at an exclusive, private club, community recreation center, or the friendly garage, they all have one thing in common: food. Because even though the decorations might deviate and the specific occasion might change from person to person and situation to situation, everyone goes to these parties for the food.

But what kind of food? There has developed - for whatever reason - a generic-sort of menu that has come to be synonymous with graduation parties over the years. And while there is always room for new entries and "favorite foods" to be served, the generalized graduation menu has become pretty set in stone.

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One of the primary overarching themes with graduation party foods is the ability to eat it relatively easy - without the need for forks, knives, spoons, or even good table space. The majority of graduation party food is of the "finger"-variety -- and is easily eaten just about anywhere.

And when you add our location to the equation, many of the choices you'll see are dictated by geography, local custom, and local taste.  Minnesota and Wisconsin grad parties just seem to feature certain foods on the buffet table more than others.

So what sorts of foods will you see at the next graduation party you attend? Although they might change a little from party destination to the next, the following food items are a good representative sample of what you might expect.  These are the menu items you'll probably see at the next party. (They also make a good starting point if you're the one planning a menu):

Foods You See At Every Graduation Party

While there is always room for "favorite foods", new additions, and change-ups, the following food items are a good representative sample of what you can expect at the typical gradation party.

 

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