Drinks party buffet

[Wineloffa]

I’m hosting a Christmas drinks party next weekend for 20 guests.

I’d like to do a buffet of finger foods and canapés which people can help themselves to as they wish.

Can I please have all your best food suggestions that don’t cost the earth and aren’t too difficult to prepare!

Thank you

I went to a really lovely similar party this weekend, it all looked very pretty, elegant and was very tasty so I grilled the hosts about it all! I'll try and list out what they did, unsure how much they spent but as a lot was homemade didn't seem as though it would be crazy... hopefully some ideas there for you!

-little crispbreads with smoked salmon, blobs of horseradish mayonnaise and micro leaves on top
-taco shells (bought in) filled with chilli/veggie chilli and topped with salsa/guacamole. There were also bowls of the salsa and guacamole for dipping
-mashed spicy sweet potato, breadcrumbed and baked
-homemade sausage roll chopped into bite sized pieces (also a veggie version)

• cocktail sticks with fig, mozzarella, cherry tomato and Parma ham

-butternut squash puff pastry lattices -tear and share bread -crisps

• breaded prawns, oven baked with sweet chilli dips

-chocolate Tiffin bites -mince pies

Mini cheese scones, halved & buttered topped with a small amount of chutney/slice of fresh fig/cranberry sauce/slice of salami etc etc

Cheese straws, anchovy twists, pesto pinwheels, tomato pinwheels

Blinis topped with tzadziki/smoked salmon pâté/Brussels pâté (beat in a little cream so it spreads easily)

It’s often the garnish and the presentation that makes these simple ideas more interesting, things like salmon caviar on salmon pâté, thinly sliced gherkin on pastrami.

Lots of lovely ideas there! Thank you!

As it's christmas I'd also do a couple of baked camemberts - really easy and with some bread or crostini people can come over and help themselves. Looks good and feels luxurious. It's also less fiddly than things like blinis etc.

Good idea. I love baked Camembert.

So far I’m thinking:

Smoked salmon and cream cheese bilinis
Cocktail sausages
Sausage rolls
Mini pizzas
Crisps / bread sticks and dips (hummus/ guacamole)
Cheese board and crackers
Baked Camembert and bread
Salmon pate and melba toast
Tapenade
Breaded prawns with sweet chilli
Olives / antipasto with selection of meats
Mini mince pies

I love these sorts of things

They look fabulous. So colourful!

@Wineloffa and very easy!!

I always think less is more, or it gets dangerously close to an Iceland buffet. (Although I quite like their 3 for 2s) My works party concentrates more on the cocktails, thankfully. They served baked Brie, arancini with vodka dipping sauce, and tuna poke spoons. It was lovely.

Lots of olives!
More than you think! I don't like them but they get eaten very quickly at the last 2 do's I've gone to (1 my own) and I vowed to make sure I buy double next time!