Nibbles. Buffet or Snacks? Help!

[Christmasmunchies]

I've invited about 20 family and friends around Christmas Eve. Pretty casual invite - "drop in anytime between 12-2 for a Christmas drink and nibbles if you're free" (type of text sent).
One of my friends yesterday was grilling me on what I class as nibbles, in a slightly condescending tone. I explained its only a pretty casual drop in affair, so won't be a buffet. She then asked me to be more precise about what food will be served (I found it a bit rude tbh!)
I said, crisps, chocs, nuts, cheeseboard- that type of thing. She looked disappointed! Now I'm concerned that everyone else will be expecting a Delia Smith Buffet and I'll have to up my game and get more food in.
If someone sent you the above invite- what would you be expecting?

Oh yes @Luredbyapomegranate this is a must on the Wanky MN Food Pretentious List in fact I think it could push 'Breads' off the top spot:

📣I would now like to submit Gail’s no waste baby sick whey butter to the mumsnet cheese board and crusty breads cannon 🍞🥖🥨🥯🫓

Yeah 12-2 says 'lunch' to me, maybe 3-5 would work better?
nibbles to me would be crisps, nuts, cheese savouries etc which isn't really a suitable lunch.

Thanks be to Jesus someone else mentioned Pringles and a tin of sweets. I was starting to wonder was it just me.
OP what you are doing sounds lovely. It's Christmas Eve normal routine is out the window so I wouldn't worry that they will expect a full on buffet, sausage rolls or the frozen party food platters from the supermarket will be perfect.

At Christmas it would mean lots of party food including plenty of cooked items - sausage rolls, chicken goujons, those Iceland party food things you see in the ads

I think I'm coming from the same place so you! A few After Eights, Pringles and a tub of Roses 🤣

Clearly unless I provide a Selfridges Banquet fit for a King with a Fortnum and Msson Hamper for guests to take as they leave, I won't quite be cutting the mustard! 🤣

This.

But then some people would put out a nice spread for 'drinks and nibbles' so people don't want to be too full to enjoy the hospitality.

Nibbles to me is crisps / nuts or maybe sausage rolls. No way near a buffet amount.

Possibly a bit confusing over lunchtime but you've said it's drop in so if it were me coming I'd eat lunch before or after and wouldn't stay the full 2 hours, as I assume is the idea.

You need to do a cheese and pineapple hedgehog else you're a disgrace.

This made me laugh, a lot!! Thankyou!!

I held something similar in a licensed venue recently, and their interpretation of nibbles was cheeses, crackers, olives, hommous, sliced peppers & carrot sticks, stuffed vine leaves, artichokes.

Nothing hugely substantial but everybody enjoyed them - they were plentiful, I even took some home.

i think as you’ve specified “nibbles”, it should be fine. Your friend is being an arse!

I love hosting, usually I’ll make loads of different nibbles hot and cold, but I really think your friend is being a bit odd. If people invite me over for drinks and nibbles, I would just think it’s some snacks, crisps and the like. If people are that bothered about getting a full meal, just eat before or after you come!! Surely for only two hours people won’t starve!! It’s more for the social gathering! If a friend invited me over, I’d just enjoy the catch up. Nibbles are an added bonus. I would expect a glass of something nice though!!

Mini sausages, breads, ham, quiche etc isn’t fancy at all and easy to put together.

Surely ‘drinks and nibbles’ is a different expectation to ‘I’m hosting a little party/call in for a buffet lunch’? Even if it’s held over lunchtime, only on mumsnet can an adult not be expected to eat lunch after 2pm!

In answer to your question OP I would expect crisps, breadsticks, dips, pretzel/nuts etc, maybe a cheese board/bit of pate etc.

Certainly not ‘lots of party food’ or ‘winter pasta salads’, ‘homemade quiche/pie’ or one of those disgusting graze tables that someone will be along shortly to suggest!

I think as you've made it clear that it's nibbles rather than a full lunch it's fine. Those guests who need a peak lunch will know that they can pack their nice, crusty bread and a gammon in the car to eat on the way home.
Winter pasta salad conjures up imagery of a bog standard pasta salad doused in silver glitter.

What you were suggesting initially would be fine for me. If it didn’t fill me up I’d just have lunch when I got home. I rarely eat lunch before 2pm anyway.
Id just be pleased to be invited to what sounds like a pleasant event, and would be grateful for your hospitality, even if a full ‘lunch’ wasn’t provided!

If you’ve eaten breakfast you’re unlikely to be ‘hangry’ at 12 o clock aren’t you? And if you are ‘hangry’, you can have some nibbles to stabilise your mood and have a meal when you get home shortly later.

It’s a ‘stop in and have a drink’ invitation. If you’re coming at 1 you would eat before. And if you’re coming at 12, you have lunch at 1:30 when you get home.

This is not hard to understand nor to plan your day around.

A metre-high pile of pigs in blankets for me.

You’d honestly hear ‘nibbles’ and expect a full lunch buffet?

Should've just said between 2-4 then they'd have lunch before they arrive 😂

I agree your food is fine, but I think 12-2 is a very short window for drop in!

Or ally a drop in is quite a wide window precisely so people can pop in when they're free.

Tesco and Asda world food freezer aisles do large bags of samosas and spring rolls of around 24:pieces. I'd get a a bag of each and a large tray of deli meats plus salad to supplement what you're already providing. I'd drop the nuts for mini quiches or sausage rolls and that's more than enough. Mince pies, coffee and a tub of celebrations for dessert.

Exactly, if you’re a ‘hangry’ person, take snacks with you or it before. Why would inflict your mood on others if you have the power to stop it?

I'd suggest a few picky bits rather than nibbles.

How can anyone be hangry at 12 o’clock - surely a grown adult can plan around an invitation, have a decent breakfast, early lunch before you go? It’s not hard is it!

Do people genuinely have such set in stone meal times, surely everyone has a degree of flexibility about when they eat?