How to Host a Going-Away Party That Your BFF Will Never Forget

What do you serve at a brunch party?

Any dish you can break up into smaller servings or finger foods are good for serving at a brunch party. Think mini pancakes, sausage links, breakfast sandwiches, and more.

What activities do you do at brunch?

Playing games, serving food, drinking mimosas, and visiting with friends and family are all activities that you can do at brunch.

How do you throw a casual and fun brunch party?

Keep things low-key for throwing a fun and casual brunch party – first, send out some simple invites to your inner circle and set a realistic budget for the party. You don’t have to necessarily go for a theme or full-fledged party. As long as brunch foods are involved, your guests will feel welcome.

What are some easy brunch party ideas for hosting at home?

You could organize a pancake bar, a coffee station, or a decorate-your-own donut set-up for an at-home brunch party.

Brunch Party Recipe Ideas

Here are some of our favorite recipes for when you wanna be the brunch hostess with the mostess!

Let your brunch party guests have at it. This sharable brunch board hits all the marks – with sweet and savory bites included. (via Half Baked Harvest)

These single-serving tarts make feeding a crowd unbelievably easy, especially since they're made with only 10 ingredients. (via The Edgy Veg)

Luckily, there's not much to making fruit salad. Just toss your favorite fruits in a massive bowl with a ladle, and consider your brunch party side dish done! (via Live Eat Learn)

This *iconic* french toast casserole is made in one pan, plus there's an option for the lazy hosts to let the dish sit overnight before baking. So, if your A.M. routine feels like a Manic Monday every day, all you need to do is pop the prepped casserole in the oven, and voila! (via The Girl On Bloor)

This breakfast sandwich truly delivers the best of both worlds. Each stack is comprised of savory bacon, egg, and cheese, plus sweet waffles and syrup for that *ultimate* flavor balance. For a brunch party, simply prep all of the ingredients, then let your guests build their own sammie! (via Rachel Mansfield)

Dressing up some diced potatoes with bell peppers, onion, and jalapeño spruces up a familiar brunch recipe that'll please pretty much everyone at the table. Bonus points for making big batches for your brunch party! (via This Wife Cooks)

You know (and love) cinnamon rolls – now get ready for something even sweeter and tangier: lemon rolls! This ooey-gooey recipe is ideal for a brunch party because it brings some good 'ol share-worthy pull-apart goodness to the table. (via Half Baked Harvest)

Hear us out: you could host a dippable brunch party. Sounds tasty, right? First up on your menu should be this shakshuka recipe, a prime dish to dip some toast into for those hard-hitting morning munchies. Next up, dippable biscotti cookies! (via Brit + Co.)

Coffee + pastries is the *best* breakfast combo on the weekends, so why not opt for a coffee brewing bar paired with a bake like these colorful biscottis? Your weekend warrior pals will totally dig it! (via Barley & Sage)

These luscious biscuits recall Southern home cooking in every good way possible. Each bite is equal parts cushy and crunchy, the perfect contender for a hearty gravy bath at brunch. (via Cozy Cravings)

This sheet pan recipe is a *total* time saver when it comes to a brunch party! It beats pouring out individual pancakes and waiting for each one to cook by miles. Just don't forget the syrup! (via Feel Good Foodie)

Japanese Fruit Sandwich (Sando)

Japanese sandos are prime picking for brunch because they carry a light, airy, and fruity flavor that just makes mornings better. No matter the type of fruit you use, you can always count on this dish to taste balanced and refreshing. Plus, it's painfully easy to make. (via Takes Two Eggs)

If you're up to feed a large group, casseroles are the #1 move. This brunch-forward recipe idea compiles cheese, sausage, hash browns, and more to form a creative (and communal) dish. (via Culinary Hill)

This brunch party recipe did not come to play. It mixes sticky sweet icing in with caramelized bacon that makes every decadent mouthful feel truly fit for a millionaire. Take care to make extra dozens for your party's company! (via Brit + Co.)

We have to admit, we've never thought of baking yogurt, but now we see the light with this recipe. The dish brings a beneficial amount of protein to any brunch function, plus it can easily be cut up into individual portions for serving the whole table. (via Rachel Mansfield)

These fruit cups are genius for brunch party spreads. It's as simple as staging as many cups as you need for the party the night before, storing them in the fridge, and serving! (via Amanda Wilens)

Bulgur is extremely similar to oatmeal or grits, making it a supremely healthy pick for a brunch party! Cook a large amount for your guests to eat on over time – this recipe calls for blueberries and strawberries, but you can add whatever you're feelin' in the moment. (via Live Eat Learn)

Starbucks' egg bites? Never heard of 'em. This recipe toes the line of being a copycat, except *totally* better than what you can get your hands on in the drive-thru. The cups are prepped in a muffin tin, so you can create countless numbers of the savory breakfast bite. (via Salt & Lavender)

Cookies for breakfast have to be the best thing since sliced bread, TBH. What's even more desirable about this recipe is that it's health-focused, so you don't lose track of your goals at breakfast. Make some for your brunch party guests to take home once the festivities are done! (via The Endless Meal)

Because only a crazy person would say 'no' to breakfast tacos. For your brunch get-together, you can prep the additions separately, then have your attendees build their own tacos! (via Cozy Cravings)

Who's in Greta Gerwig's Narnia cast?

While we also don't have word on Greta Gerwig's The Chronicles of Narnia cast yet, after a reunion with actress Brie Larson at the 2024 Golden Globes (the two women starred in 2010's Greenberg together), X users are hoping the Oscar winner will make an appearance! "She need to get in Narnia somehow," one user said when they retweeted a video of the reunion. The reunion in question features Brie hopping like a bunny over to Greta, who squeals as they hug each other. I don't know about you, but that's exactly how I greet my friends IRL.

"When [Brie Larson] gets the Best Supporting Actress nomination for playing the White Witch, wait," one user added.

Saoirse Ronan told The Wrap at the Sundance Film Festival that she's already asked to be in Greta Gerwig's Narnia movies! The actress played the lead in two of Greta's films: Jo March in Little Women and the titular character in Ladybird. When asked whether she's already asked to be in The Chronicles of Narnia, Saoirse responds with a firm "yes." "We have that kind of relationship where I’m like 'So I’ll be in the next one!,'" she says.

However, it looks like we do have an idea of who we *won't* see in the cast. Original Narnia cast member William Moseley (who played Peter Pevensie) recently told Bleeding Cool he doesn't expect to get a call from Greta Gerwig: "I’m not part of that world anymore, which sometimes makes me sad because I love the world of Narnia and becoming a part of it."

"In terms of what I think about Greta Gerwig directing, I think she’s incredible," he continues. "Barbie was an amazing movie, and Little Woman was brilliant. Everything she touches turns gold, so I think Netflix is lucky to have her, and I’m sure she will embrace the challenge. I hope she enjoys it because it’s an incredible world to create, and I can’t wait to see what she produces."

Which Narnia story is Greta Gerwig adapting?

The specific Narnia movies the writer and director is making haven't been named, but an interview with TIME says that Greta Gerwig is adapting "the first book" in the series. The only hiccup is that they don't confirm whether they mean the first book chronologically (The Magician's Nephew) or the first book C.S. Lewis published (The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe). I'm thinking it'll be The Magician's Nephew since we've never seen that story onscreen.

“[The films] won’t be counter to how the audience may have imagined those worlds,” Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos tells TIME, “but it will be bigger and bolder than they thought.”

While we don't have official confirmation on which movie Greta Gerwig is adapting, we know she wants it to have even more of an impact than Barbie.

"I want to make it feel like magic," she says. “C.S. Lewis said that the goal of writing fantasy — you know, something from his imagination — he’d say, let’s say you wrote about an enchanted forest. The goal would be that then every time you walk into a forest after you read it, you’d say to yourself, ‘maybe this is an enchanted forest.’ So that’s a tall order, but I guess re-enchantment of the world [is my goal].”

It looks like we can expect to come away from Greta Gerwig's The Chronicles of Narnia movies with even more love for the world, more childlike wonder, and more courage and kindness towards each other — and I am totally here for it.

How long has Greta Gerwig wanted to make a Chronicles of Narnia movie?

Like the intentional planner she is, Greta Gerwig actually thought about directing a Narnia movie way before her involvement was ever confirmed.

"I’m writing and I’m sort of starting to dream and think about what I’m approaching," she says on The Empire Film Podcast. "I would say the land of Narnia is equally exciting and terrifying. I have nothing really to report on it other than it’s something I was actually talking about before I made Barbie. So, that’s been sort of in my unconscious working its way through. But that has been a pattern. I wrote a draft of Little Women before I made Lady Bird."

Narnia, Little Women, Barbie — Greta Gerwig has a knack for turning our beloved childhood stories into something complex and emotional that resonates with us even more as adults!

“I’m slightly in the place of terror because I really do have such reverence for Narnia,” Greta tells BBC Radio 4. “I loved Narnia so much as a child. As an adult, C.S. Lewis is a thinker and a writer. I’m intimidated by doing this. It’s something that feels like a worthy thing to be intimidated by."

"As a non-British person, I feel a particular sense of wanting to do it correctly," she continues. "It’s like when Americans do Shakespeare, there’s a slight feeling of reverence and as if maybe we should treat it with extra care. It is not our countryman.”

Are these new The Chronicles of Narnia movies a continuation or a reboot?

We don't have any info yet on whether this adaptation will pick up where The Voyage of the Dawn Treader left off, whether it will be a remake of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, or if it will be a totally new story within the Narnia universe (similar to Prime Video's The Rings of Power).

I'm personally anticipating that it will be the first option because I would love to see Greta bring something like The Magician's Nephew (which has never been adapted) to life onscreen.

What is The Chronicles of Narnia about?

The Chronicles of Narnia revolves around the fictional land of Narnia, and the children in our world who find it. Time passes differently in Narnia than it does on earth, which means that even though around 50 years pass for the characters, they find themselves in a different decade or century every time they reenter the magical land.

Each book has themes like good vs. evil, family, and identity as the characters face different challenges and adventures. The coolest thing about these books is how open-ended C.S. Lewis wrote them — because your own personal experiences, life lessons, and worldview impact your imagination, you have a different experience every time you read them.

“It’s connected to the folklore and fairy stories of England, but it’s a combination of different traditions,” Greta Gerwig tells TIME. “As a child, you accept the whole thing—that you’re in this land of Narnia, there’s fauns, and then Father Christmas shows up. It doesn’t even occur to you that it’s not schematic. I’m interested in embracing the paradox of the worlds that Lewis created, because that’s what’s so compelling about them.”

Are these new The Chronicles Of Narnia movies for Netflix?

Yes! Netflix acquired the rights to The Chronicles of Narnia (which were previously held by Walden Media) in 2018, but there wasn't much news for the next few years. The New Yorker confirmed that Greta is attached to write and direct these Narnia Netflix films in the near future.

Why did Disney stop making Narnia movies?

The final Chronicles of Narnia adaptation for Disney was 2010's The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Even though the film set up a sequel, issues with the rights ended the film series early.

The Chronicles Of Narnia Adaptations To Watch

Animated Film:

• The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe — on YouTube

BBC Miniseries:

• The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe — on YouTube
• Prince Caspian — on YouTube
• The Voyage of the Dawn Treader — on YouTube
• The Silver Chair — on YouTube

Disney Feature Films:

• The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe — on Disney+
• Prince Caspian — on Disney+
• The Voyage of the Dawn Treader— on Disney+

When did the Starbucks summer menu come out?

The Starbucks summer menu came out in two different phases: the spicy Refreshers launched on April 16, while the boba drinks and more come out on May 7.

Does Starbucks have boba?

Yes – with the new summer menu items, Starbucks officially has boba!

Starbucks has never served boba nationwide before this, but they did test it regionally for a brief period in late 2021. According to Tasting Table, only two Starbucks locations (one in California, one in Washington) tested out coffee boba pearls back then. The pearls were also popping boba (like the new summer drinks), but weren't received super well.

One person that tried the boba drinks in 2021 said the pearls were "really small and awkward to drink." People engaging in online discourse about the coffee boba pearls weren't happy about the attention and revenue the boba could potentially take away from small businesses serving authentic Taiwanese boba.

Everything On The Starbucks Summer Menu

NEW! Summer-Berry Starbucks Refresher

The Starbucks summer menu lists a brand-new line of iced Refresher drinks, with the Summer-Berry flavor leading! And... it has boba!

This new sip is described as "a sweet summer blend of raspberry, blueberry and blackberry flavors mixed with water, lemonade or coconut milk and shaken with ice." It's poured over raspberry-flavored popping boba, which amps up the berry vibes even more!

NEW! Summer-Berry Lemonade Refresher

This next sip is shaken with lemonade rather than water, which gives it a citrusy, zingy effect. Lemonade is the perfect bev for summertime, and I have a hunch it could pair really well with the raspberry boba pearls!

NEW! Summer Skies Drink Refresher

The Starbucks summer menu is heating up with this creamy drink! This one's essentially the Summer-Berry Refresher with a splash of coconut milk, much like the Starbucks Pink Dink. It also includes fruity boba! Starbucks will begin to supply wider green straws to help you sip up the pearls.

White Chocolate Macadamia Cream Cold Brew

We've seen this drink on Starbucks menus before, and it's made its return for summer 2024, and I am so excited. The White Chocolate Macadamia Cream Cold Brew features "Starbucks signature cold brew sweetened with macadamia syrup, topped with a silky white-chocolate macadamia cream cold foam and finished with toasted cookie crumbles," according to Starbucks.

I feel like nutty flavors are more fit for fall, but it's nice that Starbucks is offering an option for the warmer months with this returning iced coffee drink!

NEW! Orange Cream Cake Pop

The Starbucks summer menu also introduced a brand-new cake pop! The Orange Cream Cake Pop is described as "orange cream cake mixed with buttercream, dipped in chocolatey icing and finished with an orange slice design." The cute orange slice design honestly does it for me. I love an orange Dreamsicle!

NEW! Pineapple Cloud Cake

This new sweet snack is described as an "airy cake layered with a lightweight pineapple cream and pineapple spread with whole fruit pieces all topped with a sweet drizzle." It looks so yum.

What People Were Saying About The Starbucks Summer Menu Rumors

The Starbucks summer menu rumors sparked a fair amount of excitement online. A few commenters on @markie_devo's initial menu leak post said the proposed lineup looks appetizing and exciting.

"Now this looks good 💯🔥," one person wrote. "Finally something DIFFERENT," another said.

Some Starbucks fans were anticipating entirely different drinks for the summer menu, like the S'mores Frappuccino that came out in 2019.

"Where's the smores frapp😫," the first comment reads. "Wish they’d bring back the S’mores Frappuccino 😔," another wrote.

Starbucks isn't the first big coffee chain to add boba to their menu. Dunkin' had featured strawberry-flavored popping pearls on their menu back in 2021, and Dutch Bros just debuted their version in February 2024. Some Starbucks customers commenting on the menu rumors noticed this.

"Stole from Dutch lmao," one person wrote. "Dunkin did it first lol. But these are super interesting," another said.

Starbucks Is Doing Something Spicy...

Spicy Dragonfruit Refresher

Rumors about some spicy Starbucks Refreshers were floating around the internet after @markie_devo posted a potential lineup. The first drink (of three new Refreshers) is the Spicy Dragonfruit Refresher. The drink is your traditional fruity Refresher, except shaken with lemonade and a new Spicy Chili Powder Blend to bring a nice kick of flavor!

I got to try it out first thing on launch day, and I have got to say that the spice in this drink somehow makes this the most "dragonfruit" dragonfruit drink I’ve ever had from Starbucks. And it's good! Of course, I expected my sips to be spicy, but I underestimated just how much spice would be included. I personally think it’s such a nice balance between sweet and spicy, but I could see where it may be too much for non-spice-lovers.

The spicy Refreshers will be available for limited time. They were released in stores on April 16, 2024.

Spicy Strawberry Refresher

The Spicy Strawberry Refresher is the most refreshing of all the spicy Starbucks drinks. It's just the OG Strawberry Refresher base shaken with zesty lemonade, ice, fruit bits, and the chili spice blend.

When I ordered the Spicy Strawberry Refresher, I was not expecting it to come out an orange color. Though unexpected, the spice in the drink was spicing nonetheless, and I thought it was pretty good! I had sipped this one first out of all three, but it ends up last in my overall Refresher ranking. I think the other bevs do a better job at highlighting the fruit – in this one, the strawberry flavors were undoubtedly eclipsed by the chili spice blend.

I bet it'd be so heavenly if you ordered it blended with ice, so it becomes a nice slushy texture!

Spicy Pineapple Refresher

I was most excited about this new Starbucks drink because in my opinion, pineapple and spice are a classic combo! I've eaten way too much Tajin-covered fruit in my lifetime, and I hoped for this drink to directly emulate those flavors! And y'all, it DELIVERED. 

​The drink is literally gorgeous. With the spice blend, the Pineapple Refresher takes on a orange-y hue, while the pieces of pineapple float at the top. Upon first sip, it tastes exactly like Tajin-covered fruit. I did notice that a lot of the spice blend sunk to the bottom of my cup, so I had to keep shaking it to mix it up. Not a big tradeoff though, for how deliciously fruity this drink is.

Spicy Cream Cold Foam

Starbucks is also offering Spicy Cream Cold Foam for a limited time. It's crafted with Starbucks classic cold foam and their new Spicy Chili Powder Blend, and you can add it to any iced drink!

I tried the Spicy Cream Cold Foam atop an iced mocha. I had a vision, okay?! I really wanted the chili and chocolate to blend together for a tasty Mexican chocolate feel. I admired the specks of spice in the cold foam before sipping down a swig.

My first impression was that the spice isn't as intense in the cold foam as it is with the Refreshers – it honestly made the drink more enjoyable. The chocolate in the mocha made it so tasty, balancing everything out with lots of sweetness. I think the Spicy Cream Cold Foam could be an amazing addition to other sweet coffee drinks like these for those seeking coffee-based bevs.

My Review Of Starbucks Spicy Refreshers

Because of the intensity of the spice, I also think the new Spicy Refreshers work best as a slow sipper. I found that when I drank them quickly, the spice became overpowering, and honestly, unenjoyable after a time. I still need to try the Refreshers with alcohol, but I think adding a lil' splash of tequila for an easy summer cocktail is the move. I could take to the park or a friend's place on a nice weekend. 👀 I can tell these are gonna keep me up and goin’ through summer!

What People Are Saying About The Spicy Starbucks Refreshers

In the wake of brand-new spicy drinks at Starbucks, some customers were thrown off by the initial menu rumors that @markie_devo posted.

"🤮 Kinda takes away the “refreshing” aspect lol," one person wrote. "But I guess people who like spicy stuff on fruit will be happy."

One Starbucks barista commented on the validity of the menu rumors, saying: "As someone who works at Starbucks, this isn’t fake, we got our chili powder in already 😃"