7 Food Parties You Should Try With Friends

Are you throwing a party on a tight budget with your friends? We’ve compiled a list of our favorite low-cost party food ideas for parties, ranging from impressive appetizers to scrumptious desserts and everything in between. With our slow cooker eats like pizza and pastries, make-ahead recipes, and self-serve food bars like a popcorn bar, hot dog bar, kettle chip bar, and candied apple bar, you can step away from the kitchen and make hosting a party a breeze.

Whether the gathering is large or small, we all know that good food brings people together. I’m sharing all of the tips for organizing and prepping an amazing party on a budget, regardless of the size or style of your party! Not only that, but we have a fantastic list of food party ideas to help you decide what to serve.

Here are some ideas to get you started with your party:

Indulge in Desserts

Consider a dessert party: if there is a greater variety of desserts, people will eat less of each and be satisfied with smaller bites. If you have a dessert party with only three cakes, you should cut large servings and expect them to be wiped out. However, because there is more variety in smaller cakes, cookies, pastries, cake bites, brownie bites, and other items in small proportions, you can serve less of each and make much smaller portions.

Enjoy a Variety of Toast

Set the standard for future parties by offering your friends a toast bar where they can create their own toast. Crisp bread slices provide an unrivaled foundation for sweet, salty, and flavourful toppings alike. Warm bread should be served with a wide assortment of extras for your guests to choose from. Fresh berries, prosciutto, hot honey, and crumbly gorgonzola cheese are some of our favorite toppings.

Savor some Pasta Salad

Create this make-ahead pasta salad recipe to impress your guests from the first bite. Bow-tie pasta, shredded chicken, sesame seeds, soy sauce, ginger, fresh green onion, and sliced cherry tomatoes make up the addictive dish. Pro Tip: Make this quick and easy recipe even easier by completing it with a store-bought rotisserie chicken.

Go Simple with Skewers

These melon and prosciutto skewers are salty, sweet, and oh-so-refreshing, and they’re the perfect party snack. To make them, carve a watermelon, honeydew, and cantaloupe balls with a melon roller. Thread alternating melon balls, fresh basil leaves, buffalo mozzarella, and salty prosciutto slices onto skewer sticks. Serve plain or with a sprinkle of freshly cracked pepper.

Prepare a Beer-ful Chicken

Many people are impressed by beer-can chicken, but the cooking method is more for show than for function. This is because the beer doesn’t add much flavor or moisture. It can, on the other hand, serves an important purpose: it allows you to cook the chicken in an upright position, similar to a rotisserie chicken, so the skin crisps all over. Try beer-brining the chicken before you start grilling it. You can fill the drip pan with beer as well for a more reinforced flavor.

Try Vegan Buffalo Wings

With this nutritious hot wing substitute endorsed by Food Network, you can cater to your health-conscious, vegan, or vegetarian friends. The toasted buffalo cauliflower bites have the same addictive spice as traditional chicken wings. The good thing is you can enjoy it in food parties without the extra grease and cholesterol.

Set Up a Popcorn Bar

A popcorn bar is a crowd-pleaser and a cost-effective way to feed a large group. Serve with specialized seasonings such as garlic salt, Cajun seasoning, or lemon pepper seasoning. and by including a curated candy topping section, you can encourage friends to delight in a sweet-and-salty mix.

Key Takeaway

It is always nice to spend time with your friends and enjoy a time filled with laughter and ridiculous stories told. Food parties can be something you can always do every week, every month, every year, or even just after a long-tiring day at work. When it comes to spending quality time with others, food can always make things more enjoyable. This is why preparing the right food is important if you are looking for a mood booster.

From making well-cooked recipes to going as easy as making popcorn, trying different things will definitely help make a party memorable and delightful.