Finger food is a versatile way to cater for a variety of events. Whether it’s a casual get-together with friends to watch the big game, a Christmas party with colleagues, or a more formal event where socialising and networking are key, finger foods can keep your guests happy and well-fed.
Finger foods cover a wide range of delicacies and can cater to every diet and palette. If you’re going to serve finger food it’s important that you have a wide selection for your guests to choose from. Let’s look at some finger catering foods ideas you can offer at your next event.
This is a classic starter but also works exceptionally well as finger food. As an hors d’oeuvre, it’s a staple of many classy restaurants and cocktail bars, hence the name shrimp “cocktail.”
But how do you turn it into finger food? By serving your shrimp and sauce in little gem lettuce boats – that’s how.
The key to a good shrimp cocktail is the choice of sauce provided and there are several options, from a sweet cocktail sauce to a rich tomato-based sauce.
These bite-sized pizzas are bound to be a hit at a more casual event. They’re either pastry or pizza dough, spread with classic pepperoni pizza toppings, then rolled up, sliced and baked.
Although better served warm, pizza is one of those foods that can be eaten just as easily when it is cold, making it ideal for a lengthy party.
Anything with cranberry is a perfect finger food for the holiday season. These cranberry brie bites can make use of any leftover cranberry sauce you have and are also delicious!
They’re easy to make as they consist only of squares of puff pastry topped with a slice of brie and a teaspoon of cranberry sauce. For that finishing touch, you can add some chopped pistachios.
Stuffed mushrooms are a popular dish and make for elegant finger food. To make these crispy brie-stuffed mushrooms, simply fill some mushroom caps with brie and flavour with a sauce.
Cook for around 20 to 25 minutes, ensuring the brie has melted and the mushrooms are both soft and golden, and then serve. These are best served hot or at room temperature, so plan accordingly.
If you’ve been to parties that serve finger food, you will have no doubt seen some form of deviled eggs. These whipped deviled eggs with dill don’t require many ingredients but are a delicious option for your guests. They’re easy to make too, as the main base of the dish is boiled eggs.
Finger food ideas don’t get much easier – or tastier – than this.
Popcorn balls are a great sweet treat for any party, but will especially be popular at casual events or any children’s parties. The main ingredient is popcorn, and this is mixed with corn syrup, sugar, and salt to form sticky balls.
You can add toppings to the balls to give them some additional flavour or holiday flair.
There are some classic finger catering foods ideas and this is a spin on favourite.
Here we have a slightly altered version of the classic devils on horseback. Each serving consists of a pitted date stuffed with goat cheese that has been wrapped in bacon.
When you’re hosting an event, presentation is so important. Make sure your finger food looks fabulous displayed on this 3 Tier Collapsible Party Tray.
Once wrapped, use a toothpick to keep the parcel together and bake. You can also use pancetta instead of bacon or use a pitted prune for more authentic devils on horseback.
Although these take more prep and baking time than many finger foods on this list, they are worth the effort. The filling is made from potatoes, cheese, and a variety of seasonings and is baked inside puff pastry.
They can be served hot or cold and with a variety of dips, such as ketchup, chutney, or hot sauce. Trust us – these are a great party food option.
These fried cornmeal balls will go down a treat at any event. Making hush puppies is simple and doesn’t require many ingredients, although you can add more to give your hush puppies a unique twist.
We like adding scallions to the mix before the hush puppies are fried and served with a honey sauce.
Add some spice to your selection of finger foods with these stuffed jalapeño peppers. You can ramp up the spice levels even further by using a spicy sausage instead of a plain one.
To make these sausage-stuffed jalapeños, first, you need to carefully deseed your jalapeños. Precook your sausage and then mix it with some cheese to make your stuffing.
Offer your guests a healthy and vegan option with a vegetable platter. This can be as simple or as complicated as you want as there are no limits to how many vegetables or dips you offer.
Common vegetables include carrot, cucumber, and celery, but you can also offer roasted vegetables. There are no restrictions on your dips either, and the more selection your guests have, the better!
Slider
Mini-burgers are not only a favorite of many parties, but they’re also a cute addition to your selection of finger foods. Much like vegetables and dip, sliders can also be simple and straightforward or offer your guests a variety of options.
Many hosts offer simple burgers and buns, but you can make your sliders more appetising by adding a variety of toppings and relish.
Mozzarella sticks are a staple of any event that provides finger food and are a dish that you can be certain your guests will like. They’re easy to make too, as all you need are some egg roll wrappers and mozzarella cheese for the filling.
Once assembled, fry the sticks and then serve with a dip.
This take on a sandwich wrap is sure to be a huge hit with your party guests. The basic recipe for a party pinwheel is simple, but the amount of customization is endless.
Make sure everyone knows what they are eating with these handy Blank Toothpick Flags. Use them as cheese markers or food labels– the choice is yours.
There are a wide variety of fillings that you can use for these but the basic assembly is the same. Spread your filling over a tortilla wrap, roll the wrap, and slice into bite size pieces.
Pan can tomate is a Spanish dish commonly eaten for breakfast, but it makes an excellent finger food and is also vegan! It consists of toasted bread that is then topped with grated tomatoes.
The tomatoes can be seasoned with foods such as salt, garlic, or parsley to give them some extra flavour.
This is one of our more fun finger catering foods ideas.
These cheese balls will surprise your guests as they contain a hidden olive inside.
Mix butter, cheese, and flour together, and once thoroughly mixed, wrap the mixture around an olive, ensuring it is fully covered. Bake the balls and serve them with a dip.
This is another common starter and finger food, but that doesn’t mean that it needs to be boring.
We like this simple but delicious three-ingredient stuffed peppers recipe that uses only mini bell peppers, goat cheese, and some paprika.
With this as your base, you can then add some extras such as drizzled honey or toasted nuts if you wish. Party food has never tasted to good.
Caramel Apple Dip
Events during holidays give you the opportunity to do something special with your finger foods and this caramel apple dip is the perfect dish for Thanksgiving and other parties during the fall.
To prepare the dip, spread a layer of cream cheese in a serving dish and top it with caramel and toffee bits. Your guests can then dip slices of apple for a delicious treat. You can also offer other foods for dipping, such as graham crackers.
Tartlets always make for great finger food and these Greek veggie tartlets are no exception. The base of the tarts are miniature phyllo tart shells and once baked, these are then filled with a mixture of vegetables and vinaigrette.
To add that finishing touch, you can sprinkle some crumbled feta cheese on top.
This is a variation of the humble onion ring and is bound to make an impression on your guests. The recipe is called blooming onion bites because of how the onion is cut. Instead of being cut into rings, the onion is cut into wedges, coated with a breading mixture, and then fried.
Once cooked, these can also be reheated so you can prepare them in advance of your party.
These bread bites are based on pizza dough. The dough is seasoned with a topping of butter, garlic, Italian seasoning, and salt and then baked for 15 minutes until they are lightly golden in color.
Add a sprinkle of cheese and more or the same topping before serving. These parmesan bread bites are delicious enough to eat on their own, but they can also be served with a dip.
When it comes to great places to eat in Australia, the list really is endless. There are so many different restaurants, cafés, and chains to try that you really are spoiled for choice. From Italian food, to Japanese food, to a good ‘ole rump steak, the food options are endless.
This is why I decided to set up my blog, Eatability, to share the best food and drink spots in Australia with as many people as possible. Hi, my name is Dylan Cole, and I moved to Australia five years ago from England, UK.
Through this blog, I will be sharing and recommending some of my favorite places you need to visit, such as where to find the best pizza in Adelaide, and the best bakery in Brisbane. Whatever food you are fancying, I have got you covered!
