75 Elegant Christmas Appetizer Recipes That'll Wow Party Guests (2024)

FAQs

How many appetizers do I need for 75 guests? ›

If you're hosting a party of 50, then you can offer 6 to 9 different items. Parties with over 60-75 guests can easily have 9 or more items without over doing it.

Caterers often plan a minimum of 4 different choices for groups of 25-100 or more, adding an additional choice for each 25 people. A good rule of thumb for a dinner party, allow for 6 appetizers per person. For a co*cktail party consider making 12 appetizers per person.

The appetizer selection should be visually appealing, but the way you arrange the appetizers also needs to catch the eye. Consider arranging the foods in a unique way or decorating the serving platter the foods will sit on. Use toothpicks and small plastic skewers to hold small complementary pieces of food together.

Type of Event:

co*cktail Party: For a stand-up co*cktail party where finger foods are the main focus and no other substantial meal is served, plan for 10-12 pieces per person per hour. Mixed Event: If your event includes finger foods as appetisers before a meal, aim for 3-5 pieces per person.

Some of my favorites: Deviled eggs, bruschetta, crackers with cheese and dried salami, artichoke & spinach dip with tortilla chips, stuffed mushrooms, mini-spanakopita, Chinese dumplings. What are some tasty but easy to make snacks or appetizers that don't involve any cooking? Salami cheese wraps.

How many guests will be in attendance? Leslie Levin Nilsson, creative director of catering company Bartleby & Sage, says, "We suggest six passed hors d'oeuvres for a wedding of 50-100 guests, seven to eight passed hors d'oeuvres for a wedding of 100-150 guests, and up to ten for very large weddings."

Too many might spoil your guests' dinner - but not enough is even worse! Serve 4 to 6 appetizers per person at a dinner party. It depends on when you serve them and your dinner's content. An early or heavy dinner means you can aim for fewer appetizers per person.

How do you feed 100 guests on a budget? ›

Serving budget-friendly cuisines like salads, sandwiches and pasta dishes can be a very cost-effective choice. Or, if you're looking for a more casual option, how about a barbeque? Burgers, hot dogs and other grill-oriented foods are sure to be crowd favorites, and they won't rack up a big bill.

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables – are the simplest appetizer. Fruits are good appetizers because they give an attractive appearance, fragrance, appealing taste and delicious flavor. For example, you could serve a platter of thinly sliced cucumbers, chunks of red bell pepper and baby carrots.

Create appealing displays. The appetizer selection should be visually appealing, but the way you arrange the appetizers also needs to catch the eye. Consider arranging the foods in a unique way or decorating the serving platter the foods will sit on.

Quantity. A good rule of thumb when working with your caterer on just how many hors d'oeuvres to choose is as follows: for 10 – 12 guests a minimum of 5 selections, 25 guests a minimum of 9 selections and for 50 guests, a minimum of 13 selections.

Here's a general guideline: Number of Appetizers: Plan for 4-6 different types of appetizers. Quantity per Person: Estimate around 5-6 pieces per person per hour. So for a 4-5 hour party, you'd aim for around 20-30 pieces per person in total.

Appetizers

If you're offering catered appetizers, plan for about six portions per guest. For a party of 100 guests, this adds up to roughly 600 appetizer portions.