Hors d'oeuvres that Will Work for Any Party

When you invite people into your home, you want to impress them with a fabulous spread that will have them talking long after the event is over. But there’s so much to consider when laying out food choices – any vegetarians? any allergies? anything kids won’t eat? Well, here’s the answer you’ve been seeking out for your gathering. Whether you’re hosting a family holiday get-together, a birthday party, or a baby shower, here are some fail-safe hors d’oeuvres that will work for any party.

Chips and Salsa
This all-time favorite snack food also doubles as great hors d’oeuvres for any kind of party. Salsas are available in hot, medium, and mild, as well as fruit flavors like peach and mango. Chips come in various shapes and sizes from your traditional large triangles to smaller scoopable cups. Don’t just limit yourself to white corn chips. Blue or red chips are delicious and add color to your party table.

Fruit Platter
A variety of fresh fruits is sure to please any of your party guests from kids to those with special food needs. You can purchase one from your local grocery store, or you can choose a mixture of fruits yourself and lay them out on a platter. Berries and melons always make a great addition. Carve watermelon, cantaloupe, and honey dew with a melon scoop and mix with fresh raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. Arrange green and red seedless grapes around the edges of the plate and add juicy, fist-sized strawberries that will have everyone clambering for more. Slice up a kiwi, starfruit, peaches, apples, and/or bananas to add to the dish. One thing to remember about apples and bananas is that they will both oxidize (turn brown) once cut. To avoid this, slice these just before serving and then squeeze fresh lemon juice over both. Add side dips like melted chocolate, plain yogurt, or fruit flavored yogurt to kick things up.

Pinwheels
These tiny roll up bites are easy to make, can be filled with meat, cheese, or vegetables, to accommodate all tastes. Simply get small tortillas and spread cream cheese or Boursin on them. Then layer either ham, turkey, roast beef slices and roll up like a cigar. Add multiple toothpicks across the roll and then slice into small pieces and serve on a plate. For a vegetarian alternative, use alfalfa sprouts and/or thinly sliced cucumbers in place of the meat.

Chicken Skewers
An easy hors d’oeuvres to pass and serve is grilled chicken on a skewer. You can cook these ahead of time and keep them warmed in the oven. Skewers are cheap to buy at the grocery store and hold up well on the grill and in the oven. Guests can easily walk around, eat, and chat with this party pleaser. Have a couple of dipping sauces handy as well, like barbecue sauce, Thai peanut sauce, or simply Ranch dressing. For the vegetarians in your crowd, slice zucchini and yellow squash lengthwise and grill on skewers for the same effect. Just have a plate or basket handy on the table for people to put their empties.

These hors d’oeuvres are easy to prepare, appeal to a variety of guests, and are appropriate for any kind of party.




Criss White writes about babies, pregnancy, and party topics, like how to plan a baby shower menu. For more articles, visit Criss’s website for baby shower ideas and other party planning tips.