Whether you’re hosting a dinner party and you want to keep the appetizers simple and accessible, or you’re throwing a more informal get-together but you still want to make sure that no one slinks off because their appetite isn’t sated, finger foods are a great selection. However, you want to make sure that you’re catering to all manner of tastes and not leaning too heavily on any one side of the palate.
To that end, here are some of the best finger foods you should consider laying out in your selection. We will also look at the best ways to serve them both for flavor and presentation.
Crostini
There are few ways to go wrong with a simple bit of mini toast with the right toppings on it. Crostini can go with all manner of toppings, be it something sweet like almond butter, savory like a tomato base, cheese, and ham (also known as a pizza crostini), or even something a little spicy like a nice chili salsa. If your party is a little light on the filling carb-loading foods, then you can make a variety of these to serve all tastes
Shrimp cocktail
Shrimp is super easy to prepare, perfectly sized for finger foods, and easy to arrange into decorative circles or other aesthetically pleasing set-ups. However, the main draw of the shrimp cocktail is, of course, the sauce that you have with it. A cocktail sauce isn’t too difficult to put together, and it always tastes better than storebought. All you have to do is stir the ingredients together, there’s no cooking necessary except for the shrimp themselves, which should be bought fresh and with the shell on to ensure maximum flavor when served to your guests.
Asparagus
There are a few vegetables that work well for finger foods but for one with a taste that complements a range of different dipping sauces well and makes very little mess, asparagus is easily the best choice. These crunchy appetizing sticks of green can also be prepared in a variety of ways, with this fried asparagus side dish recipe working especially well if you want to give them a nice savory crisp. Asparagus is also well paired with any kind of salmon, and most types of fish, really, so serving them together is a good way to offer a mini-meal in a couple of bites.
Tortilla pinwheels
A super-easy way to prepare some finger food for the party is to make a selection of tortillas, then slice them up into pinwheels and serve them skewered. They’re another nice carb-loaded snack that can help fill your guests up and they can be served with all manner of fillings. You can make vegetarian pinwheels, chicken caesar salad pinwheels, serve with pesto, greek yogurt, hot sauce, and just about anything else you might desire. Offering a few different selections will make it easy for your guests to find their perfect bite on a stick.
Guacamole
How can you go wrong with some guac? This avocado paste can be served in sandwiches, in loaded potatoes, or simply in a bowl with some chips or breadsticks. There are a lot of ways to heighten the flavor of your guacamole, as well. Some guacamole tips include using only ripe avocados, using plenty of citrus ingredients (such as lemon juice) to cut through the thickness, and using only fresh herbs and chili. Of course, if you’re serving guacamole, only go homemade with it. The preservative riddled kinds that you can buy in-store won’t taste anywhere near as fresh and are only really good for filling.
Meatball skewers
Red meats tend to be pretty heavy so it’s not uncommon to see them left out of the finger food platters at many a party. However, there are few scents more appetizing to a meat-lover than some freshly cooked minced beef. As such, meatball skewers are the perfect way to serve a smaller portion of red meat. You can serve all manner of dips with it, from sweet chili to soy sauce to offer a variety of flavors for those who want to try different tastes or you can even stuff those meatballs with your own blends of rubs, herbs, and spices.
With the selections above, you should be able to make a selection of finger foods that suit all palates, sate all tastes, and keep all your guests happy. Of course, it’s still best to ask guests in advance if they have any food requirements so you can keep it as safe, healthy, and accomodating as possible.