With the approach of the teen-age, the type of party which young people enjoy is due for a change. Many of the affairs are still likely to be staged for either boys or girls, but there are some arranged for mixed groups. In the early teens, small groups may be asked for dinner before a dancing class party. Another practice popular at this age is to invite the group to attend an afternoon movie and to come to the house afterward for supper. Instead, youngsters may be invited to gather at the house before supper and then settle down to view some favorite television program.

Menus will not differ from those for any simple dinner party. Novel dishes should still be avoided and the favorite dessert continues to be ice cream. Saturday or holiday luncheons for the girls are also popular, with movies, television or games following. What are known as tricky foods are enjoyed particularly at this time. Among these are gelatin desserts or salads molded in orange cups, butterfly salad and the service of a variety of sauces with nuts and maraschino or candied cherries to pour over ice cream.

When a small group of girls is asked for supper, they will enjoy preparing it themselves if the kitchen is turned over to them. They like to make cookies which will serve as dessert, and to cook hamburgers or frankfurters. Toasted rolls, potato chips, carrot strips, pickles, olives and salted peanuts are the favorite accompaniments. Informal parties in the early evenings are often chosen when both boys and girls are invited. There should be a constant supply of cola, grape juice and other soft drinks. Ice cream to be mixed with the latter may be provided for homemade sodas. Potato chips, popcorn, salted peanuts and plenty of cookies seem to be indispensable.

At Halloween and during the fall and winter, cider, doughnuts and apples are suggested. During the middle teens, the girls enjoy formal service such as described in the section on “Small Dinner Parties and Luncheons,” and the young men will begin to put up with it more gracefully. It will also be safe to stage a buffet supper for which a very liberal amount of each food and plenty of bottled soft drinks should be provided. In the latter teens, the menus suggested in the section on “Buffet Suppers and Luncheons” will be most welcome.

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