Here are a few of my super simple, easy to throw together, last minute, even unplanned appetizer ideas!
Flat deviled eggs
Hard boil some eggs, but instead of separating them out and laying them into a deviled egg tray, just slice them right through the entire egg!! Take your whole egg and slice it up! Place each slice on a cracker or piece of meat and make a tray of it. Sprinkle some paprika or salt and pepper on them. It looks fancy and takes WAY less time than the traditional deviled egg but tastes almost the same!
Baked brie cheat
Heat up some brie in a baking dish in the microwave! Heat it for 30 seconds at a time until you get the melted consistency you are going for. The heat will not last as long as if you baked it in the oven, but it’s so easy to keep making more if need be! If you want to go for that sweet or savoury topping, grab some jam or hot pepper jelly from the store and drizzle it on top before serving.
Caprese skewers
Grab some toothpicks and use them to skewer a cherry tomato, a mozzarella ball, and a small piece of fresh basil. It takes a bit of time to skewer them all, but these will surely impress a crowd. Plus, you can’t beat how festive they look on a Christmas table! Drizzle the platter with some balsamic dressing, and you’re done!
Tortellini skewers
So easy and tasty! Grab some rainbow tortellini (it just looks prettier), and cook it up! When it comes out of the pot, just sprinkle it with some parmesan cheese and stick 2 or 3 tortellinis on a toothpick or small skewer. You can add a little jar of tomato sauce for dipping.
Guacamole and chips
Guacamole is super easy to make with a couple of large avocados, or if you feel very short on time, you can buy some premade guacamole. Put out a bowl of guac and a bowl of salsa for some nice red and green festive colours. Fill the rest of the tray with your favourite chips or crackers for dipping!
Christmas shaped platters
Use cut up food to make the shape of a wreath or a tree for your table. Create patterns of colours with a variety of veggies, fruit, cheese, meats, or even nuts and dried fruit. Get creative and have fun with this one. There are literally no rules – just get creative and put the food out!
Broccoli and bacon slaw
This one looks colourful and beautiful on a big table of munchies or even served with Christmas dinner. You can either julienne a bunch of cabbage (red and green), broccoli stems and florets, and carrots, or you can buy a bag of broccoli slaw from the grocery store. Add some bacon bits and some ranch dressing and toss it all in a large bowl. Easy and delish! If you are going to cut up your veggies at home, do it in advance to make this holiday side dish extra quick to throw together!
Cheese and meats
When all else fails, when you are doing your last grocery shop for the season, stock up on food for a charcuterie board. If you don’t know what to get for it, check out Pinterest. There are so many amazing ideas! Really though, just grab some meat, some cheese, olives if you want, maybe some nuts, and some grapes or berries for something sweet. Everyone loves a good meat and cheese board, and when you have everything stocked, it is very easy to throw together. Plus, it always looks so fancy!
There you have it! Nothing over the top, nothing that will take up your entire week in prep. Just simple, basic snacks for a crowd! If you’re having any big gatherings, you could also challenge your guests to bring their own favourite appetizer! It’s great to see what people make or get, AND it cuts the workload way down!
This is the last weekend before the big day! Have a wonderful holiday and a very merry Christmas!
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