20 Catering Food Ideas For Christmas Parties

Christmas is a time for family gatherings and celebrations. It’s also the perfect opportunity to have fun with your family, friends, and colleagues.

If you want to make this holiday extra special for everyone, then you need to plan. That way, you can be sure that everything will go smoothly on December 25th.

20 Catering Food Ideas for Christmas Parties

Organising a Christmas party can seem daunting, but if you think about it, it’s not at all.

With the house already so festively decorated, the only thing you need to take care of is the guest list and the menu.

And while the former might seem obvious, catering services are always there to help you out with food.

The best catering food ideas for Christmas parties are those that are easy on the pocket and taste great too.

But what are some of the best catering food ideas for Christmas parties?

Here are 20 crowd-pleasing food ideas for your next Christmas party that we know are going to be a big success.

Mini Meatball Sliders

Mini Meatball Sliders

Meatballs are an all-time favourite food that everyone loves. After all, so many cultures have their own version of this classic.

Whether you eat your meatballs with spaghetti or you enjoy your meatball sandwich once a week, you know that getting some meatball sliders will please everyone at the party.

These American-style mini burgers are perfect for people to grab and go without having to sit at a table. Perfect for keeping that party mood going.

Feel free to ask for some additional barbecue sauce and cheddar cheese to make them more interesting.

And if you have someone finishing Uni soon, we also recommend sliders as one of our Catering Food Ideas For Graduation Parties

Turkey & Cranberry Sausage Rolls

Turkey & Cranberry Sausage Rolls - catering food ideas for Christmas parties

Turkey is the ultimate Christmas and Thanksgiving food, but you certainly do not want to bring that big tray you have for Thanksgiving with the whole turkey out for this party.

So how can you still have turkey without the fuss? Well, sausage rolls with turkey are the answer.

Delicious, warm, and the perfect accompaniments to that gluhwein you are serving, ask for them to be filled with some cranberry sauce, and don’t tell your guests.

Instead, wait to see their reactions when their tastes buds are hit by this festive flavour-bomb.

Alternatively, go for some turkey meatballs with cranberry sauce and the reaction will be the same.

We have some great Finger Catering Foods Ideas. Take a look.

Roasted Butternut Squash Hummus

Roasted Butternut Squash Hummus

While you can serve regular hummus, this is a Christmas party we are talking about, so why not make your hummus more Christmas-y?

Instead of going for hummus and carrots, get some roasted butternut squash hummus for the table and replace carrots with some breadsticks.

It is a very creative food idea, and your guests will appreciate the extra thought you’ve put into the menu.

Are you in charge of sorting out a brunch? See our Brunch Catering Food Ideas

Savoury Breadsticks With Tomato Basil Dip

Savory Breadsticks With Tomato Basil Dip - catering food ideas for Christmas parties

If you want to add some variety to the breadstick platter, you can have plain, cheesy, and spicy breadsticks with the addition of extra dips like tomato basil.

Even some onion and chive dip will work great, so why not ask your caterer for more ideas?

Does this talk of basil and tomato make you think of Italian food? Check out our rundown of the Best Italian Restaurants in Brisbane.

Smoky Chipotle Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Smoky Chipotle Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Succulent, flavourful, and perfect for the holiday season, smoky chipotle pulled pork sandwiches can take your buffet to a whole new level.

If you want to prepare your own pulled pork, one of the easiest – and best – ways is in a Crock-Pot or Slow Cooker. These are great for cooking everything from meltingly tender cuts of meat to stews, casserole, curries and more. And best of all, it all happens whilst you are away from the kitchen! For more information and prices, click here.

Not only are they going to be a big surprise to your guests who were probably expecting the typical finger food choices, but they are packed with flavour and won’t be forgotten in a hurry.

If you can’t get enough chipotle, try our Mexican Catering Food Ideas.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos

Grilled Shrimp Tacos - catering food ideas for Christmas parties

Of course, it would not be a party without some tacos.

While you can ask your caterer for some regular tacos, the idea of eating beans during the party might not be in the best of everyone’s interest.

So, what we suggest is you get some grilled shrimp tacos that not only make a difference but will also be easier to digest. In fact, if the weather is hot where you are come the holidays, you could even cook those shrimp on a BBQ for extra smokey flavour.

We love prawns and fish. Here are some of our favourite Seafood Recipes.

Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast

Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast

If you do, however, want something more elaborate or would rather offer a mina meal to your guests, the best option is to go for a slow cooker beef pot roast.

This dish can be served with some Yorkshire puddings on the side if you want to add a British touch to it or with some roasted yams. Either way, it will be yummy.

How Many Catering Trays are you planning to provide? We have some advice for you.

Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeños

Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeños

If you want to spice things up, you can do that quite literally.

If you are planning for some finger food options that are out of the ordinary, then get some jalapeño peppers stuffed with a blend of cream cheese and Cheddar cheese.

Served warm or at room temperature, the oozing cheese will be a crowd-pleaser.

This is another dish that tastes even better cooked over a flame. So why not pop them on the BBQ. No BBQ? No worries. We’ve got your back. For information on some of the best models on the market, see here.

Beware though; some of these bacon-wrapped peppers might be hotter than the rest so don’t say that we didn’t warn you!

Looking for a great Mexican Restaurant in Sydney? See our guide.

Spicy Crab Cakes

Spicy Crab Cakes

This is a delicacy that you certainly do not expect to see at a casual Christmas party.

Spicy crab cakes are similar to other fishcakes, but the addition of crab makes them that little bit fancier.

Ask for them to be served with citrus mayonnaise or mango puree to balance out the spiciness with some sweet and sour dips.

We have some excellent Mango Recipes for you to try.

Chicken Satay Skewers

Chicken Satay Skewers - catering food ideas for Christmas parties

Classic, safe, and yet so tasty.

Chicken satay skewers are always ordered as starters in restaurants and when you get food from the street food canteen on the corner of the street.

High in protein and a healthy choice for your Christmas buffet, they will probably be gone before you even notice.

Have you thought about hiring a Food Truck to cater your event?

Roasted Butternut Squash And Sage Stuffing With Bacon

Roasted Butternut Squash And Sage Stuffing With Bacon - Catering food ideas for Christmas parties

This dish will feel like a warm hug that will make everyone jolly and thankful for this gathering. WHat’s more, it’s proof that not all catering food ideas for Christmas parties have to be overly complicated.

Very seasonal and mouthwatering, the sweetness of the squash goes perfectly with the sage stuffing and bacon.

Want more Bacon Recipes? Click here.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins

Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins

Most people eat their cheesecake cold, so they are probably missing out on it now that it’s cold outside.

So how about a warm pumpkin cheesecake served warm? And how about you make that a muffin?

Are you a coeliac suffer? Our Gluten-Free Date Muffin Recipes are perfect for you.

Spicy Peanut Butter S’mores Bars

We want our catering food ideas for Christmas parties to be fun.

Bringing s’mores to the table can make your party less formal and give people a chance to chill and enjoy their dessert without even needing a spoon or fork.

Chocolate Chip Cookies With Marshmallow Icing

Chocolate Chip Cookies With Marshmallow Icing - catering food ideas for Christmas parties

Well, you can’t really have people around a fire roasting marshmallows (or can you?), but you can definitely add some marshmallow icing on those chocolate chip cookies you offer.

The kids will love it, and so will the adults.

Want to serve hot food? See our piece on Ways To Keep Food Warm For A Party

Miniature Pies Made With Crispy Pastry Dough

Miniature Pies Made With Crispy Pastry Dough

A taste of heaven that can fit in your hand! Alongside those quiche cups, you can have some miniature pies made with crispy pastry dough.

Are your Baking Tins and Muffin Pans looking a bit old and scratched? No problem. We’ve got lots of shiny new pans for you at a range of affordable prices. Click here for more information and prices.

Savory and sweet, filled with mince, chicken, or sweet cherries, they are also a great accompaniment to that gluhwein.

Caramel Apple Cupcakes With Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Caramel Apple Cupcakes With Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Sweet, warm, and tasting like Christmas, caramel apple cupcakes get an upgrade when you add some cinnamon cream cheese frosting on them.

The only problem with this food idea is that people will be asking for more!

How much food should you provide? Our piece on A Simple Way To Calculate Finger Food Quantities may help.

Warm Blueberry Cobbler

Warm Blueberry Cobbler

Another warm hug around everyone’s belly, a warm blueberry cobbler is going to warm everyone’s hands…and hearts.

You can serve it with some ice cream for that extra taste.

Are you providing food for a wake? Check our recommendations on Catering Food Ideas For Funerals

Winter Fruit Salad

Winter Fruit Salad

Not all of our catering food ideas for Christmas parties are overly indulgent.

For a healthier alternative, you can opt for a winter fruit salad served in individual glasses.

Apples, bananas, diced oranges, dried cranberries, yogurt, honey, and cinnamon are a perfect combination, but you can obviously adjust the ingredients to your guests’ tastes.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake With Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Brown Sugar Pound Cake With Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Another dessert idea for a more formal party is that of a brown sugar pound cake, topped with vanilla bean ice cream.

We’ve all got that one friend who is a nightmare to buy gifts for. Well, stress no more. Check out our Gift Ideas for some inspiration.

Ideally, this will be served warm, so if you’re throwing a standing party with finger food and booze you might want to turn this into a cupcake topped with vanilla cream.

Either way, people will love it.

Not sure what to feed a lot of people? Let us advise you with our post, Catering Food Ideas For Large Groups

Ham And Cheddar Quiche Cups

Ham And Cheddar Quiche Cups

Finally, it goes without saying that a quiche has to be on that Christmas buffet.

Go with the classic ham and cheddar quiche cups but order some vegetarian and/or vegan ones too.

Caterers are known for their menu adjustments to all seasons and occasions, so you can easily ask for that extra option.

Summary

We hope you found these 20 catering food ideas inspirational. After all, planning a party can be stressful – especially if you don’t know where to start.

From choosing the perfect menu to finding the right venue, there are plenty of things to consider before you get started. Not least remembering to invite your guests early enough that they don’t make other plans!

So the best thing you can do is opt for a catering service and ask for some of these foods for your Christmas buffet.

Whether you’re hosting an intimate gathering or planning a large event, these festive treats will help create the perfect atmosphere.

And if it turns out that you can’t afford catering, you can make some of those yourselves!

Dylan Cole
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