Cocktail sticks, stirrers and shot glasses: the little things on your party table
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
6 min reading time
You usually have glasses and an opener. It's the straws, toothpicks, stirrers, and shot glasses that are missing at the last minute. Here's how to calculate what you need per guest.
The drinks are chilled, the glasses are washed, and the opener is ready. During the first round, it turns out there's nothing to stir with, snacks have to be taken from the platter with bare fingers, and there are exactly two shot glasses in the cupboard. You spontaneously take care of the big things for a party. It's the two-euro items that are often forgotten.
This is a checklist for those small items: what you need per guest, which material works for what, and what you buy once versus what you reorder for each party.
What to allow per ten guests
Don't count on one item per person. People grab a second drink, put down a skewer, and forget which glass was theirs. The rule of thumb below assumes an evening of three to four hours.
Item
Per 10 guests
Why
Straws
20 to 25
More than two per person; paper softens after half an hour in the glass
Stirring sticks
15 to 20
Only needed for mixed drinks, not for beer or wine
Skewers
40 to 60
One per snack, and there are usually multiple platters
Shot glasses
12 to 18
Count on two rounds plus a few that are left standing
Ice
2 to 3 refills
One tray is usually not enough for a whole evening
Shot glasses: how many and of what
A standard shot glass is 40 to 60 ml. At the upper end of that range is the Shot Glass Set of 6 pieces of 60 ml for € 3.00. For that price, you can put out two or three sets, and that's exactly what you want: rather a few too many than rinsing them in the sink halfway through the evening.
If you want something eye-catching on the table, there are Funny Shot Glasses with Playful Shape in a set of 2 for € 12.95 and a Shot Glass with Light for € 4.95. These are novelty items: nice as an eye-catcher or a small gift for a bachelor party, not as a basic stock for twenty people.
Straws: paper, PVC, plastic or metal
Paper straws are the cheapest per piece and end up with waste paper or residual waste afterwards. They do soften if they stand in a drink for a long time, especially in something with ice. For a party where people drink through, they are fine; for a long session with thick smoothies or milkshakes, choose a thicker model.
Metal straws are interesting if you often have the same group over: you buy them once and wash them along. For a one-off party with twenty guests, a few packs of paper are more useful.
Skewers and stirring sticks
Skewers do two things at once: they hold a snack together and they prevent people from reaching into the platter with their hands. For ordinary snacks, a large quantity works best, for example the Satay Skewers with Red and White Heart, 50 pieces for € 4.95. If you want to carry through a theme, there are Pride Flag Party Skewers in a set of 10 for € 7.95.
Stirring sticks are only needed if you are mixing. For beer, wine, and soft drinks, they are left alone. The Drink Stirring Sticks Boobie Design for € 2.00 and the Stirring Sticks with Breast Design for € 3.00 belong to the category with a wink: appropriate at a bachelor party or a private gathering, less so at a birthday with the neighbors.
Bottle stoppers, ice, and glassware itself
An opened bottle that you put away halfway will lose its carbonation without a stopper. A Boob Bottle Stopper in a set of 2 or a Penis Bottle Stopper both cost € 7.95 and last for years. Buy two: almost never is only one bottle open.
The same applies to ice as to straws: one tray is not enough. The Ice Ball Maker for Round Ice Balls costs € 1.95 and the Ice Cube Tray in 2 models € 4.95. Fill them a day in advance, tap the cubes into a freezer bag, and refill. This way, you'll have three fillings ready on the evening itself without needing three trays.
Split your list into two columns. In the 'buy once' column belong the bottle stoppers, ice trays, metal straws, and a Bottle Opener with Magnet of 12.5 cm for € 9.95 that sticks to the fridge. Those items will be back in the drawer afterwards.
In the 'per party' column belong straws, skewers, stirring sticks, and disposable cups. Count what you have left afterwards and write it on the pack. Next time you'll know exactly how much to order, instead of guessing again.
For a party of ten to fifteen people, with straws, skewers, stirring sticks, and two sets of shot glasses, you'll spend around ten to fifteen euros. That's less than one round – and it's exactly the part you otherwise forget.
Create your own list
View the full range in Drinks & Bar Accessories for skewers, stoppers, and stirring sticks, Straws for all materials and lengths side by side, Glasses for shot, beer, and disposable glassware, and Openers if your opener has been missing for years. Not sure how much you need for your number of guests, or want to have a list checked before ordering? Feel free to email info@verpakkingdeals.nl — we'll help you calculate.
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