Christmas snack buffet ideas

[tellermorrow]

So I just found a pack of last years Christmas chocolate covered nuts (eating as we speak) and it's made me think about our Christmas this year. It'll be a bit different so looking for some ideas!

Me and my partner will have a 2 year old and are due our second on December 1st. We usually host Christmas for 6 other family members (adults) as we have the biggest dining and living space. I have told them we won't be hosting the same as previous years due to having a tiny baby and we don't want the stress... plus want to spend some quality time with each other. So we've decided we will have our own mini roast dinner (probably m&s stick in the oven) at lunch time, then have asked family if they want to come over about 4/5pm to see 2yo for a couple of hours and we will put on a snack buffet to pick at. Family are aware it will be picky foods and are doing their own roasts at home for lunch.

So my question is... whats your favourite good and easy but nice picky food? Something you wouldn't have on a daily basis? Partner is happy to do minimal prep for it like putting sausage rolls in the oven etc. so it doesn't have to be all cold, but as little faff as possible will be good 😊

Thanks x

What time will they eat lunch? Even if they eat at 12 which I imagine is unlikely I doubt they will want to eat much 4 hours later. Perhaps you could serve desserts but I would ask them about that first.

Gosh, is 4/5pm not a brave time to for visiting a 2 year old?

I love pigs in blankets. Could eat those all day.

Smoked salmon (m&s do nice roulades too)
Charcuterie with lovely bread
anchovies, olives, rollmop herrings
There will be some nice veggie things like mushroom tartlets or tomato tartlets that would do well hot from the oven or any time afterwards. You could buy or make.

Cheeseboard, Christmas cake, mince pies
Baked camembert is super easy, nice with boiled potatoes, gherkins, little gem leaves and cherry or baby plum tomatoes.

@Caravanvirgin hmm I did think that, but they will likely be here until 8/9pm so surely by then they would be peckish enough to want something? I'm usually at the snacks come evening 😂 Perhaps I'm overthinking and should just get the Roses out!

I’d do a good cheese board with biscuits, grapes and pickle. Some pate & smoked salmon pate with baguette/rolls. Sausage rolls & pigs in blankets, with some crisps. I’d then put out a large tub of Celebrations mixed through with chocolate coins and some mince pies/Xmas cake.

Its Christmas day, the kitchen is not the place to be in our house so we keep it simple at nights. Fresh bread (early to supermarket on Christmas eve) or consider those bake at home ciabatta type things, real butter, a mix of cheeses and cold meats- Morrisons do a really nice deli selection, ham, tomatoes, pickles, crudités, dips, crisps and nuts and some nice sweet things.

🤤

😋 Rolls, leftover turkey & stuffing, some pickled onions, maybe throw some chips on, cheese, crackers, chutneys, a cake, some crisps and a box of celebrations. Should mean there's something for everyone (this is usually our Boxing Day feast)

We normally do a buffet on Boxing Day for family and the following goes down well:

Cheese board with nice crackers, a couple of different chutneys and some grapes.

Charcuterie/cold sliced meats.

Crisps.

Crusty bread, butter and paté (part baked rolls are fine.)

Pigs in blankets.

Some oven cook party food that's easy to just heat up.

Mice pies.

Lebkuchen.

Christmas cake.

Selection box of chocolates.

Then plenty of booze and soft drinks.

Be careful you’re not making more work for yourself!

My suggestion would be to open a few tins of sweets, plate up some mince pies, Christmas cake and a cheese board. And get a selection of party food from M&S or Aldi that can all be cooked at the same temperature so the only thing you have to do is pop the oven on for a few minutes later in the evening.

Has everyone agreed to that plan? I’m surprised no one else has offered to host instead. I wouldn’t be to keen to get up and go visiting after my Christmas dinner. It might work better either side of Christmas - on Christmas Eve or on Boxing Day.

I think I agree with Begonne, both about the date and the potential for it to be more work. It might be a nice Xmas Eve thing, then everyone can retreat on Xmas Day and not have to factor in getting out of the house to yours?

Regardless, I think be careful of making it into a lot of money and faff. Subject to dietary requirements I'd do a big cheese board with crackers, pickled onions, maybe festive chutney/ies, fresh bread. Possibly a gammon but it might be just another bloody task. Then Christmas cake or mince pies or something else if you're not festive fruit dessert people (madness! It's delicious!). Basically what a lot of people have already said. I don't think I'd be doing oven stuff.

I'd let nice fresh bread do a lot of the heavy lifting here.

Get several loaves so everyone can have plenty then do pate, cheese plate, deli meats, pickles, maybe a baked Camembert (or 3).

Ready made desserts like gateau, pavlova or trifle, for afters.

Mice pies

Only if you're inviting the cats

You could bake a ham on Christmas Eve for the buffet. Slice it up just before the buffet and serve with nice bread, selection of cheeses, and chutneys. Fresh salad, potato salad, and coleslaw. Crisps, breadsticks, hummus/dips, olives, and gherkins.

Tell each of the 6 adults to bring x2 types buffet items for everyone? How long have you been doing Christmas meal and have you solely funded it?

Are you wanting Christmassey food or just "nice food" that you wouldn't normally have ?
Do you want people to sit down to eat at the table or in the lounge ?

Soup would be easier at the table
Quiches

I make potato wedges (skin-on, par boil , this can be done ahead, Then oven bake with some Lakeland "Good With Everything Sea Salt" , they are delicious and easy .

Of course by the 14th December you could be thinking Are we MAD ?

I’ve been eyeing up the Stollen in the cupboard this week. Can’t eat it now though as I have DD’s graduation in 2 weeks.

I’d get everyone to bring something, share the load of the catering. People are usually more than happy to contribute and bring something.
If you sort some bread, cheese and a bit of charcuterie (easily available in packs and ready to plate up) then it’s minimal stress and time so you can enjoy your day and your little ones. Whatever anyone else brings is a bonus, but don’t put all the pressure on yourself,

'home made' sausage rolls (not really homemade but really good, and a family favorite).

Get some sheets of ready rolled puff pastry. You make 2 large rolls per sheet. Cover one side of the pastry with either mango chutney, or another nice chutney, then roll around a roll of sausage meat. Sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top, and bake. Then slice up for the buffet.

Ooh I want this now

I'd do this plus lots of clementines, grapes etc. Mince pies/Christmas cake. Tin of chocs.