Happening Hors d’oeuvres: A Guide to Summer Finger Foods

The range of summer finger foods is vast and there are plenty of delicious options to choose from. The following is a look at some fun options for summer finger foods.

Chips and dips: You can be as traditional as tortilla or corn chips and salsa, or opt for something more original like pita chips with spinach artichoke dip. Remember, with chips you can use cheese and chili sauces or any one of a variety of dips, bean, avocado and sour cream to name just a few. So, don’t discount chips and dip because it is expected, capitalize on it because of the variety.

Fruits and dips: There is something about dipping finger foods, and fruits make for great dippers. You can use any number of items for dipping. For example, you could do a chocolate type dip, fondue or fountain style. You could do a caramel, yogurt or whipped cream dip. There are several fabulous fruit dip recipes on the internet, so cash in on them.

Finger sandwiches: Sandwiches are the all-time favorite finger food. You can make delicate sandwiches like cucumber sandwiches for more formal events, or you can make hearty sandwiches for things like baseball parties and neighborhood bar-b-ques.

Veggies: Veggies are always a great finger food and they’re healthy, too. You can go with a traditional veggie and dip tray or you can get creative and marinate veggies in balsamic and olive oil, or grill some veggies.

Summer Finger Foods

Pre-made heated items: This is where finger food options abound; however, to serve pre-made heated items you have to be in a location with an oven. You can serve things like meatballs in a tomato sauce, mini sausages in a barbeque sauce, chicken kabobs in a teriyaki sauce, Thai chicken balls, mini quiches, mini pizzas and toasted breads with dips. You can also create mini versions of your favorite foods. You might also serve coconut shrimp with a plum sauce, fish bites with tartar sauce, mini burgers, bruschetta or mini burritos. Really, the possibilities here are endless.

Desserts: Desserts make great finger foods, and in the summer you can enjoy plenty of fresh fruit toppings on those desserts. You can do chocolate covered strawberries, just be sure you have refrigeration. You can do mini cheesecakes, cookies, brownie bites, mini muffins or tarts topped with fruits, custards and whipped cream. Again, you can simply take your favorite desserts and make them in miniature sizes. Get a mini muffin pan, and cook your desserts in mini proportions.