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.

Appetizers - For parties where you're only serving appetizers and finger foods, base your estimate on five to eight appetizer bites per person, per hour. If there's a meal included, cut back to four or five per person per hour before the meal. Offer more types of appetizers for a larger crowd.

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."

Deviled eggs are always a crowd-pleaser, but the addition of buttery avocado makes the filling extra smooth and rich. In order to dress them up for the party, finish them with chives to add a little something that will have everyone coming back for seconds.

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.

How do you feed 50 guests on a budget? ›

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.

In general, calculate your appetizer number to be 6 pieces for every 1 guest in attendance. When planning out your wedding timeline, take into consideration how long it will be before guests eat dinner. If you have a long intermission between the ceremony and the reception, you may want to offer more appetizers.

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.

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.

The overall rule that most caterers and party planners use is to calculate a pound of food per person, and a half pound per child. Professionals typically recommend breaking it down further from there: Aim for 2 to 4 ounces of appetizers per person—think 5 to 6 bites.