Brands
Your Number 1 Guide to Lollies Online
By: admin On: 11 September 2022
Bulk Lollies for your function. How to add a little magic to any event with sweets and lollies. Kids, grown-ups, and anything in between; chances are if you are catering for humans they are going to love lollies
Lollies are as popular as ever and, despite the sugar police, are the best way to bring fun and colour into any event. Loved by kids (did we mention fun and colour) and adults (sweet, sweet nostalgia) alike, lollies always make people smile. Because we all need a little sugar in our life.
In this article we want to show you how to add a little magic to any event with sweets and lollies. Kids, grown-ups, and anything in between; chances are if you are catering for humans they are going to love lollies. Sure, sugary treats taste great, but there is a feelgood factor involved that just triggers a whole ton of positive emotions. And that's what a party is all about, right?
Party planning with sweets and lollies
Why have sweets at a party?
What do lollies mean to you?
Chances are that when you begin to think about lollies at a party or event you have a picture in your head about what that looks like. Maybe it is full of bright colours or sugar-fueled children. Perhaps a bit retro, or even candy-cane nostalgic. But lollies can be all of these things, or none of these things. You can pretty much say whatever you want with sweets, and any occasion goes.
Consider a bowl of pure white sugared almonds at a classic white wedding. These are a tradition; a symbolic gesture. As sweets go, they lend a certain gravitas to the occasion and they certainly look the part. But what if you replace the sugared almonds with white jelly beans, or candy white mice? What would these have to say about the newlyweds, and how they choose to celebrate this occasion? The colour is still a match, but the contents evoke something different entirely. How about if the bowl was filled with not white but a multitude of competing colours. M&Ms for example.
The are two important points here. One is that colour AND content can help you set the scene and dictate the mood. Another is that lollies can find a place at any event. They can function as design element, conversation piece, ice breaker, and memory maker. They can be understated, overstated, fun, cute, happy, or downright silly. One thing they will never be is boring.
Ways to serve lollies
There are many ways to serve lollies at a party, and of course half the point is that guests get to take some home at the end. It is also a question of scale, bearing in mind that if lollies really do make a party then this would include movie night a deux. Or even solo.
So, starting small...
The sweet platter
The candy version of a sharing board, sweet platters have been having a bit of a moment. Lollies don't lend themselves particularly well to a flat surface, although as long as there is a slight lip around the edge then you are ready to get creative. The Victorians (era not area) were particularly fond of sweets and had special platters fit for purpose. Often made of cut glass crystal they were designed to take pride of place on the table or sideboard.
The point of a platter, other than sharing, is variety. And grazing. A little taste, of many different things, to be enjoyed at your leisure. Go for a riot of colours, textures, and flavours. You could also throw in the odd pile of berries or fruit, a few biscuits, and even a few salty bits such as crisps or nuts. the sweet platter is equally at home on family games night as at dinner party for your boss.
The lolly buffet
The lolly buffet is the party equivalent of your local pick and mix station. Quite literally like a kid in a sweet shop. But free! For your guests anyway. Also known as a lolly bar, candy buffet, or lolly station.
Whatever you want to call it, this is a great way to solve the issue of what to serve for dessert. It takes a little more planning, yet involves far less execution, and makes an interesting point as well as providing plenty of insta-moments. If you would rather serve a dessert aswell, then you could consider setting up a candy buffet as a treat station, so that guests can fill their own lolly bags to take home.
You can find out more about creating your own lolly buffet in our article, but here's a few things to think about. You will need a surface for setting up on, as well as bowls and jars for display. Consider tongs and spoons as you don't really want people using their hands. Sweets will need labelling, and it is worth including any allergen information.
Oh, and you might need some lollies. Buying your lollies online can keep the costs down, and with so much to choose from is an excellent source of inspiration.
The pinata
As far as lolly delivery systems go, pinata is possibly the most fun. Not just for kids parties and family gatherings, a pinata can be a great alternative to a candy buffet if you think you can pull it off. Planning the logistics of a large scale pinata for a big event is probably not for the faint hearted but is a worthwhile addition to arsenal of ideas. At the other end of the scale, the mini pinata is also a thing.
In case you have just arrived on Planet Earth, pinata is a hollow container filled with sweets that is strung up so it swings. A traditional game, guests take it in turn to wear a blindfold and hit the pinata with sticks until it breaks and a shower of sweets come tumbling down. It is fun, loud, and can get ridiculously competitive. The ideal icebreaker and an excellent way to get people together and even blow off a little steam. Never underestimate the power of pinata!
Find out more with our post on how to play pinata, or learn how to make a mini pinata.
The lolly bag
The lolly bag is all about party loot to take home. Not just confined to kids parties, any event worth going to doesn't let you leave without a little something to take home. Strictly speaking, the lolly bag is not all about the lollies, however as the name suggests no self respecting lolly bag is complete without a few lollies. Even the swankiest of corporate gift bags should contain a few lollies at the bottom, right? It is the equivalent of finding the very last thing at the bottom of your Christmas stocking.
Lolly bags take two forms. The first is an empty container that you give you guests to fill up from the lolly buffet. You can use paper sweet bags, cones, or even small boxes but just make sure that they can be closed and secured for transport home. The other type is your classic lolly bag, quite often a pre made bag that fits your theme, that is filled with a few little things for your guests to take home. The are usually all identical, or as near as.
What types of lollies should I choose for my party?
Colour
Beyond the obvious blue for a boy and pink for a girl, colour is by far the strongest element to design a theme around. Colour theory is pretty complicated stuff, and our individual reactions to colour is hugely subjective as well as open to cultural interpretation. All that aside, here are some basic colour associations to get you started.
Black is said to be sophisticated and just a little bit mysterious.
White is the colour of purity and innocence, freshness and simplicity, clarity and communication.
Red is stimulating and is the colour of passion and power.
Blue is said to be peaceful and calm.
Green is refreshing and relaxing.
Yellow is sunny and cheerful.
Orange is happy and uplifting.
Purple is the colour of prosperity.
Pink is playful and the colour of joy.
Brown is reliable and dependable.
Pink lollies remain one of the most popular choices, whilst blue lollies often divide the crowd. Or create a riot of colour with a rainbow of coloured lollies.
Texture
Texture is an important part of the eating experience of lollies so it is worth giving more than a passing thought. Offering a range of textures is a good way to make sure there is something to please everyone, or you could make a focus point of one texture. Think about the soft pillow that is marshmallow, or the slight chewiness of jellies and gummies. Jelly beans offer the best of both worlds with a harder shell surrounding the soft jelly inside. Then there is the crunch of honeycomb, or Maltesers. The possibilities to play with texture are endless.
The texture of lollies also directly affects their weight, which is worth considering in terms of how many you get to the kilo, as well as how they may fit in containers or make a pinata too heavy to hang.
Size
As well as the considerations of weight, the size of each lolly will affect how it sits in a jar or bowl. Shape will also make a difference. Lollies come in all shapes in sizes and how you display them will have a massive impact on the overall effect.
Taste
As well as range of textures, think about offering a range of tastes too. Think about how they might taste together, as well as separately. Depending on the overall effect you are trying to create, you may want to focus on one type of taste rather than a riot. Will your guests appreciate sour lollies, or perhaps they would prefer a choice of chocolate lollies. Maybe both together will create an interesting contrast.
Wrappers
For a lolly buffet or platter there are really no limits to the lollies you choose but for a pinata you may wish to stick with individually wrapped lollies. This is no hard and fast rule, and there is nothing quite as pleasing as a shower of M&Ms, but hygiene is still top of mind, particularly post pandemic.
Lollypops
Lollypops belong in a class of their own. Not only are they a different shape, but we eat them differently and even have different associations with them. But really, is there anything more fun than a lollypop? Lollypops make a great display, particularly if you add in a few giant ones.
Gluten free
You may want to think about guests that have allergies and include a separate selection of gluten free lollies.
We hope that this guide to lollies online inspires you to include lollies when planning your next party or event. Some occasions call for lots of lollies and buying bulk lollies online is a really cost effective way of doing it. We have plenty of ideas for putting together your own selection, or you could just make life super easier and go for a ready packed party mix.