Large platters of luau party food served on palm fronds or banana leaves will get everyone into the party spirit!
Plan a menu which has a balance of pre-made food and dishes which would have to be served piping hot. Remember, as the host, you do not want to be constantly in the kitchen or outdoors fussing over the grill.
A luau is a fun enjoyable event.
There are wonderfully delicious traditional dishes that are served at every luau party, some more easily prepared than others. However, dishes like the kalua pig can be challenging even to the more accomplished cooks.
Not fond of cooking? Is even preparing a green salad a bit of a challenge?
There is hope yet! Some entrepreneurial cooks in Hawaii have come up with the brilliant idea of freezing freshly cooked Hawaiian luau party food and shipping it right to your kitchen counter.
The cooked food is shipped in an insulated foam cooler and is surrounded by gel ice packs to preserve its shelf life.
You can receive the food just two days after it is cooked! The packages will arrive semi-chilled so make sure you refrigerate them immediately. All you have to do is to heat the food just before the party starts.
The frozen food has a long shelf life and can be frozen for up to six months in most cases. Also, the food is delivered with very detailed instructions for microwaving or steaming the food ahead of your party.
The various types of luau party food that can be bought this way are:
Char siu pork: a Chinese pork dish widely recognized by its trademark red-coloring derived from spices, best eaten with steamed white rice.
Kalua pig: the mainstay of all luaus.
Lau lau: this is the Hawaiian equivalent of the stuffed cabbage. It is made of butterfish, meat and vegetables wrapped in luau leaves.
Lomi-lomi salmon: salmon, onions, green onions mixed with semi-spicy sauces. This is best served chilled.
Poi - taro root which is steamed and pounded and is lilac in color. Poi may be frozen for up to six months.
Portuguese sausage: a spicy sausage which is a tasty addition to your chili.
You can also buy frozen ti leaves which, when unfrozen, can be used for packaging food for storage and preservation and for decoration. If you are a handy craftsperson, you can use the ti leaves to make leis for your party guests!
Make your party interesting by adding own special touches to your luau party food dishes. Take a tip from celebrity chef Sam Choy who adds chopped kukui nuts to his preparation of lomi lomi salmon.
There are some simple items you can prepare the day of your party.
For example, Haupia is a popular dessert which can be made a couple of hours before your guests arrive. All you need is 3 cups of coconut milk, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup cornstarch and a little salt.
Mix coconut milk with sugar and salt in a saucepan and cook over medium heat. When it is warm, mix in the cornstarch, stirring constantly until it thickens. Pour into an ungreased square pan, let cool and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
Do not let concerns about your cooking ability stand in the way of a terrific luau party. There are simple luau party food recipes but if all fails, go to the Hawaiian chefs at 1stluau.com - help is on its way!
There are some simple items you can prepare the day of your party. 
