How to Host the Perfect Taco Tuesday  

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If you’re reading this article, perhaps you’ve been tasked with hosting dinner for the family this week. Or, maybe you’re having guests over and are searching for the right dish to serve. Whatever the situation, planning the perfect menu is essential. Tacos are an affordable, delicious, fun and easy meal, which makes Taco Tuesday an ideal option for hosting dinner. And you can host a Taco Tuesday on any day, whether it’s a Tuesday or not. 

Learn how to host taco night with the best Taco Tuesday recipes, tips for making taco night quick and easy and some other ways to spice up your meal presentation!

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Spicing up Taco Night

When deciding what to make on taco Tuesday, there are many factors to consider. With a vast selection of meat fillings, tasty toppings, sauces, drinks and desserts to add to your menu, the possibilities for taco night are endless. Additionally, your meal presentation is equally important to consider.

If you’re wondering how to spice up taco night in your household, read the tips below for some ideas!

1. Choose Tasty Fillings

Creating a menu is the first step in planning a taco night or any other meal. If you’re hosting a small group of people, try keeping your taco variety simpler so you don’t end up wasting any food — unless you want leftovers, of course. On the other hand, a larger group may allow you to expand your menu a little and add more fillings to the lineup.

First, think about the main fillings you’d like to provide. Typically, just one or two will complement a variety of toppings, sauces and sides, but you’re welcome to include more if desired. Depending on your menu size and guest count, you might choose one or more of the following fillings:

  • Beef: One of the most traditional taco fillings, browned ground beef is a taco Tuesday staple. You might also opt for carne asada, grilled sliced beef with tasty seasonings. For an authentic experience, try beef tongue, or lengua, a tender street taco delicacy.
  • Chicken: Chicken is great in tacos in virtually all forms — shredded, fried or grilled. 
  • Lamb: While not a very common taco filling, you can cook lamb barbacoa or in a birria stew for a delicious taco filling. 
  • Pork: Pork lends itself to tacos because it is tender and juicy, especially when cooked al pastor or carnitas-style.
  • Shrimp: Grilled or fried, shrimp is a perfect taco filling — especially with a hint of lime.
  • Fish: Fish tacos are perfect with white flaky fish
  • Veggie: For guests who may be vegetarian or vegan, options like potatoes, vegetables or beans are great taco fillings.

2. Pick Your Toppings

Next, consider different toppings to include. If you have many people coming over for tacos, having a wide variety of toppings will appeal to many tastes. Here are some tasty topping ideas:

  • Shredded cheese
  • Black or pinto beans
  • Lettuce
  • Purple cabbage
  • Corn
  • Onion
  • Cilantro
  • Salsa
  • Hot sauce
  • Guacamole
  • Sour cream
  • Jalapeños

Remember to pick up plenty of flour or corn tortillas and hard shells to hold fillings and toppings — or use tortilla chips for nachos!

3. Add Some Drinks and Desserts

No menu is complete without some tasty drinks and desserts. If you’d like to continue the theme, consider providing authentic Mexican desserts such as churros, sopaipillas, tres leches cake or Mexican hot chocolate. However, easier desserts such as cookies or brownies are tasty and classic options as well.

For easy beverages to serve, you can provide a couple of sodas, a pitcher of iced tea, lemonade or water. You can purchase Mexican Coke and other authentic drinks at an international market. If you have some extra time on your hands, consider providing margaritas or beer — cerveza — for the adults!

4. Think About Presentation

After you’ve planned your menu, you’ll want to decide how to serve your tacos. You can almost never go wrong with a taco bar — this is an easy, hassle-free option that allows guests to customize their own plates. Use your kitchen table, island or counter to set up your taco bar, then let guests serve themselves. 

To enhance your taco bar presentation, add some decorative features such as a colorful centerpiece, tablecloth, napkins or a printed menu. Then, put on some background music to set the tone for your fiesta!

5. Try Out Unique Recipes

Trying out some creative taco recipes can be a great way to spice up your dinner menu and presentation. While seasoned ground beef is usually the go-to filling, you might consider experimenting with more unique meat options as well. In the next section, we’ll provide a couple of unique Taco Tuesday recipe ideas to try out.

Taco Recipe Ideas

Need some quick and easy taco recipes to wow your guests? You’re in luck — we have a variety of delicious taco and wrap recipes you might consider trying. We’ve even listed a couple of these recipes below to help inspire your dinner menu.

Chicken Fajita Taco

Loaded with tender grilled chicken, cheddar cheese, fresh cilantro and vegetables, this chicken fajita taco recipe is another excellent way to kick off taco night — plus, they only take minutes to make. For an extra burst of flavor and presentation, serve these tacos with a side of fresh lime wedges. Pick up the listed ingredients and give it a go!

How to Make Taco Night Quick and Easy

How to Make Taco Night Quick and Easy

Besides brainstorming taco night dinner ideas, it’s also important to apply effective time and energy-saving cooking techniques in the kitchen. If you’re looking for additional ways to make your taco night pot luck easy, tasty and nutritious, below are some tips to keep in mind.

  • Keep your kitchen clean. While cooking inevitably leads to a messy kitchen, applying some effective methods can make cleaning up much simpler. For instance, a silicone baking sheet allows food to slide off easier, saving you a considerable amount of cleaning time. Covering the inside of your crockpot with liners can help speed clean-up as well.
  • Invest in a slow cooker. A slow cooker is easy to use, and it allows you to cook your taco meats even when you’re away from the kitchen. Simply add your ingredients to the pot, set the timer and let your slow cooker take care of the rest — this way, you’ll come home to a hot meal that’s ready to serve and eat.
  • Buy frozen, pre-portioned foods. Because you can easily toss them in the oven or microwave with no added steps, buying affordable frozen and pre-portioned meats is an excellent time and money saver when cooking. With the right seasonings and sauces, these ready-made meats can taste like they’ve been marinated for hours!

If you’re looking for the right brand to purchase your frozen foods from, our products at John Soules Foods make hosting taco night — or any other meal — a simple and enjoyable process for everyone involved.

Find Our Fully-Cooked Meat at a Store Near You!

Find Our Fully-Cooked Meat at a Store Near You!

Finding tasty, nutritious and easy-to-prepare meats is essential for hosting the perfect taco night — allow John Soules Foods to make this step easier for you. Whether you’re searching for hearty beef or savory chicken to craft your tacos, our fully-cooked meats are ideal for speeding up meal prep while offering a rich boost of protein.

With a quality selection of chicken tenders, breaded patties, beef fajitas and boneless bites in multiple flavor profiles, you can easily find the perfect meats to make taco night a success. Find John Soules meats at a store near you today!