If you can only stop at one store when you’re stocking up for a summer party, Five Below is the place to go. If you’re not familiar, Five Below is a discount store with locations in 44 states that sells everything from phone cases to pet supplies—and where almost everything costs $5 or less. Pound for pound, it’s got the best deals for summer parties. They have water blasters, pool floaties, yard games, beach balls—you name it! And food. Of course, they have food. Based on a recent visit to our local store, here’s a roundup of what to buy at Five Below if you’re looking to throw a banging summer party.
- Carnival Funnel Cake Pitcher & Mix
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What do the county fair, Six Flags, and your house have in common? They’re all great places to get funnel cakes this summer. It’s pretty wild to start off a list of what to buy at Five Below with something so perfect, but it also wouldn’t feel right giving this funnel cake kit anything but the top spot. This is a crucial grab from Five Below for a classic summer party. It comes with the funnel cake mix and the dang funnel—all have to do is add water (and of course heat up a lot of vegetable oil for frying). Serve these to your buds topped with some whipped cream and chocolate sauce, and you’ll be the talk of the neighborhood all summer long.
- Hawaiian Sweet Maui Onion Kettle Chips
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Of all the chips you can find in stores, I think these have the most convincing “summer” vibe. Maybe it’s because I associate Hawaii with summer vacations. Or maybe it’s because they’re so wonderfully onion-y that you can’t just eat them any old day (especially if you have a dreaded one-on-one meeting at work). Either way, these chips should absolutely be on your Five Below summer party shopping list. Even if you’re land-locked, you’ll feel the ocean breeze blowing through your hair (or is that just someone’s onion breath?).
Read our ranking of the best potato chips
- Paqui Zesty Salsa Verde Tortilla Chips
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Every good party needs chips and salsa on the snack table. “But Vinz, how will I dip my chip when my hands are busy playing cornhole?” Fear not, dear reader. Five Below and Paqui chips thought of the solution. Combine the two! In one zesty, crispy chip you can have beautiful flavors of corn and salsa come together. Now you don’t have to worry about getting salsa in the pool while you’re shoveling chips into your mouth!
Read our ranking of the best salsa verde
- Takis Pop! Fuego
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Popcorn is an excellent addition to our summer party snack spread. And it’s a necessity for summer movie nights. Of the options I spotted at Five Below (ranging from plain to candy coated), this Takis popcorn stood out to me. It’s savory, tangy, and spicy, and that gives you a great excuse to pop open a beer and do some well-deserved summer day drinking.
Read our ranking of the best bagged popcorn
- Starburst Blue Raspberry Drink Mix
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On that note, I’m sorry to report that Five Below doesn’t carry beer. But we still need something to drink for our summer party. They do have a big drink selection but let’s try to be frugal here. At Five Below, individual drinks hover around $2 to $3 each. That’s not gonna fly if you’re buying bevs for a big summer bash. What’s a cheaper option? A box of drink mix! You can get six packets for $1.50. That’s a steal. Pick up a 24-pack of bottled water at your local grocery store (or keep refilling your Brita pitcher to avoid creating a bunch of plastic waste) and a few boxes of Sporked-approved Starburst Blue Raspberry drink mix for a thirst-quenching good time.
Read our ranking of the best water flavorings and water enhancers
- Twizzlers Filled Twists Orange Cream Pop
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Dessert is a must-have item for any party, and since Five Below is renowned for its candy selection, we’re adding some sweet stuff to our list of what to buy at Five Below. It’s summer, so you might be tempted to gravitate toward sundae cones and popsicles. Can I be honest with you, though? That just sounds too messy! Thankfully, Five Below has these Twizzlers filled twists that are inspired by orange cream pops. Bingo! All the flavor (hopefully) and none of the mess. For $4, I think it’s worth adding these to your list of what to buy at Five Below.
- Rice Krispies Treats Original Marshmallow Squares
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Admittedly, Rice Krispies Treats are more summer camp than summer party, but you can’t argue that Rice Krispies Treats are at least summer related. If making them yourself sounds like a messy prospect (it is), buy this value pack instead. If you have leftovers after your summer parties, these will be great in school lunches when fall rolls around.
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!