This Graduation Candy Buffet is a fun way to celebrate a high school graduation and easy to customize to fit your party theme!
It’s hard to believe the school year is wrapping up and graduation season is here. My youngest is graduating, and I wanted to do something special for his celebration. Everyone loves candy, and I was inspired by my cousin’s daughter’s graduation party, where they had candy bowls at each table with clever graduation sayings to match the treats.
I told my cousin I was going to take her idea and expand it into a full graduation candy table with a buffet-style setup where guests could grab a bag and fill it with their favorite sweets. She mentioned she was planning to toss everything after the party and generously offered it all to me. Of course, I said yes! It saved me so much money.
To match my son’s school colors, I swapped out cardstock behind the signs. I used vases, candy jars, and scoops from Dollar Tree and stocked up on bulk candy at GFS and Sam’s Club. The setup was a hit! Guests loved it, and whatever candy was left got taken home.
Creating a graduation candy buffet is simple, affordable, and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. You can use my free printable graduation candy sayings (listed below) and mount them on colored cardstock and popsicle sticks, or buy ready-made signs online. You can even skip the labels altogether and just set out a colorful, fun display of sweets.
For more graduation party ideas, check out my graduation cap cupcakes for the dessert table and a DIY money lei for the perfect graduation gift!
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Candy Buffet Supplies
- Candy: Assorted candies to match the pun sayings
- Display & Containers: Clear jars, bowls, vases or trays, scoops, Risers or boxes for height levels
- Table Settings & Decor: Tablecloths to match school colors, candy pun signs, candy, napkins, clear plastic bags with twist ties, bar sign, graduation themed decor (mini caps, confetti, etc.)
- Misc. Supplies: Backup candy for refilling, cardstock, scissors, tape or glue and popsicles sticks (if making your own signs)
Graduation Candy Buffet Sayings
- Ring Pops: Class Rings
- Jolly Ranchers: A Jolly Good Grad
- Nerds: Nerds
- Tootsie Rolls: Honor Rolls
- Starburst: Shining Stars
- Laffy Taffy: Class Clown
- Dum Dums: No Dummies
- Swedish Fish: O-FISH-ally Graduated
- Hershey Kisses: Good Luck Kisses
- Gummy Worms: Bookworms
- 100 Grand: Student Loans
- Skittles: Taste the Success
- Whoppers: Whopping Achievement
- Rock Candy: You Rocked It
- Smarties: Smartie Pants
- Cookies: Smart Cookie
- Reese’s Fast Break: Study Break
- Lollipops: So Long Suckers
- Jelly Beans: Counting Beans
Free Printable Graduation Candy Sayings
Get your free Graduation Candy Saying labels by downloading our printable file! Simply enter your email address to subscribe to our newsletter.
Once you’re signed up, we’ll send the PDF directly to your inbox. After downloading, feel free to print as many copies as you need. Please note, these labels are for personal use only.
Graduation Candy Bar Ideas
- Chocolates: Hershey Kisses, 100 Grand Bars, M&Ms, Reese’s Fast Break, Whoppers, Milky Way, Kit Kat Bars, Almond Joy, Baby Ruth
- Hard & Chewy Candies: Skittles, Starburst, Jolly Ranchers, Laffy Taffy, Tootsie Rolls, Jelly Beans, Smarties, Rock Candy
- Lollipops: Dum Dums, Ring Pops, Blow Pops
- Gummies & Fruity Candy: Gummy Worms, Peach Rings, Swedish Fish, Nerds, Sour Patch Kids
How to Setup a Candy Bar
- Start by gathering your supplies: tablecloths in your graduate’s school colors, clear candy containers, scoops, candy bags, and themed signs.
- Cover a long table with the tablecloths, then arrange your candy containers using risers or boxes to create different heights. This makes everything easy to see and reach.
- Attach a candy pun sign to each container and place a scoop inside each one for easy serving.
- Set up a main “Candy Bar” sign to let guests know they’re welcome to dig in, and place clear treat bags nearby for them to fill.
- Keep extra candy on hand to refill as needed throughout the party.
Enjoy the sweet celebration—and Happy Graduation!
Jenn
Could you please send me the graduation candy bar printable. Thank you.
Cara Nelson
Could you please send me the graduation candy bar printable. Thank you.