Party food has one job: disappearing off the table. Put out canapes, dips, nachos, mini quiches, and skewered bites guests can eat with one hand and a glass in the other. Most of it you can prep ahead and serve cold. Pick what fills your table.
Quick answer
Small one- or two-bite portions: canapés, filled rolls, mini quiches, savory balls, nachos with a dip, or skewers with cheese and olives. Lay out a few kinds so both meat-lovers and non-meat-eaters find something.
Savory bundt cake with ham and cheese (and more)
Puff pastry canapés
Wild garlic triangles – you'll fall in love with them!
Grilled zucchini roll-ups with cream cheese
Bacon-wrapped cheese-stuffed mushrooms
Potato pancakes with marinated trout
Savoury dill crêpes with trout
Avocado canapés with smoked salmon
Rainbow kids' birthday cake
Easy cheese straws
Smashed potatoes on a skewer
Dips, spreads, baked bites, and most canapés can be ready a few hours early and kept in the fridge. Assemble anything crisp or on delicate bread right before guests arrive so it doesn't go soft.
As a side to drinks, plan for roughly 6 to 8 pieces per person; as a stand-in for dinner, closer to 10 to 12. Make several kinds in smaller numbers rather than one big pile of the same thing.
Make at least a third of the spread meat-free — veggie dips, deviled eggs, and cheese-and-olive skewers are gluten-free on top of that. Put little labels on anything with common allergens so guests don't have to interrogate every plate.
Pull anything with mayo, eggs, or raw fish after two hours, sooner in summer. The trick is to put out only half and restock from the fridge — the table keeps looking fresh and nothing turns.