• Prepare soft tacos for a Mexican food party.soft tacos image by aline caldwell from Fotolia.com
  
  The main ingredients of Mexican food include onion, garlic, peppers (both hot and sweet), avocado, tomato, beans, corn, rice and chocolate. Key spices and flavorings include hot pepper, oregano, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Because of the wide variety of condiments and fixings, Mexican food makes great party fare; guests can pick and choose the foods they like and combine them to suit their own tastes.
  
  

Easy Mexican Food Spread

• Choose a main dish such as Mexican lasagna, enchiladas, a tamale tray or chili. If making a meat chili, you may want to cook and serve the beans separately, so guests can serve themselves as they wish. All other fixings should also be served separately to allow guests to season food according to personal preferences. Include in your spread: avocado or guacamole, sour cream, minced fresh cilantro, grated cheese, seasoned rice, chopped tomato or salsa, chopped bell pepper (yellow, green and red), shredded lettuce, chopped red onion, lemon or lime wedges, hot pepper sauce and beans. Try boiling your own beans for freshest taste; pinto beans are a delicious addition to any Mexican food spread when boiled with a few bay leaves.
  
  

Less Common Mexican Fare

• Mexican food is much more diverse than the chilis, tacos, burritos, fajitas and quesadillas now quite popular in the United States and other parts of the world. For a more unusual Mexican food party, consider making empanadas (savory pastries stuffed with meat, cheese or vegetables), arroz con pollo (Mexican chicken and rice), chicken with mole sauce (a thick, sweet sauce consisting of herbs, spices and chocolate), or one of the many Mexican fish recipes, such as ceviche (citrus-marinated seafood) or Mexican shrimp scampi.
  
  

Kids Party

• Mexican foods are likely to be a hit with kids and teens. Do be careful to prepare mild versions of Mexican favorites for those not used to hot spice; you can always serve hot sauce, hot peppers or hot relishes on the side for those who want it. Good Mexican Food choices for kids include Mexican pizza, nachos, seven-layer dip, hard and soft tacos and, of course, cinnamon ice cream or banana pudding. Because of the wide array of toppings and condiments used in Mexican cooking, picky kids can choose just the foods they like if you serve foods freestyle. You may also want to involve children in the food preparation; instead of making a Mexican pizza for them, lay out the ingredients on a large table, give each child a small crust and have them assemble their pizza how they wish. If oven space is an issue, you can do the same thing with burritos instead.