Finger Foods for Birthday Parties

Does the thought of hosting a birthday party throw you into a tizzy? Granted that organizing a birthday party, be it for an adult or a kid, can be challenging. But with careful planning it can be done successfully. One of the most important component of a birthday party is the food you serve. The food for a birthday party should not only be delicious but it should also be well presented. Having a good mix of appetizers and main course is the key to a successful birthday party food. Ideally, appetizers or finger foods that are dry and not dripping with gravy should be served at a party. These type of appetizers are easy to eat, and guests can move around the room with a plate of food. Of course, the kind of finger food that you serve at a kid's party will be quite different from the ones served at an adult's birthday party.

Ideas for Finger Foods for Kids Birthday Parties

Appetizers for a kid's birthday party should be simple and appetizing to look at. Well presented food in different shapes and sizes are going to attract the kids. Have a good selection of both savory and sweet finger food for a successful birthday party. You do not need to serve fancy restaurant style food to kids, as they are happy with familiar appetizers and finger food like mini pizzas and sausage rolls.

• Panko-Crusted Chicken Bites with Apricot-Mustard Sauce
• Parmesan Spirals
• Pear Pecan Toasts
• Fish Fingers with Pea and Mint Puree
• Mini Frittatas
• Bacon-Chive Deviled Eggs
• Macaroni-and-Pimiento Cheese Bites
• Baked Brie with Pecans
• Pigs in a Blanket
• Cheese Straws
• Goat-Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
• Spicy-Sweet Chicken Wings
• Fingerling Potatoes and Goat Cheese Fondue
• Savory Shortbread
• Mini Lime Cheesecake
• Almond-Orange Cookies
• Mini Chocolate Cupcakes With Multicolored Frosting
• Mini Lemon Tarts

Ideas for Finger Foods for Birthday Parties for Adults

When you are hosting a birthday party for adults, you need party finger foods that are more elegant and sophisticated. You can use more fancy food items like oysters, caviar, wasabi and marinated black olives. The presentation of the food should be pleasing to the eye. If you are serving dry finger food like cheese straws, chips and nachos, they should be paired with creamy dips and salsas. Finger food that is bite sized and served in skewers or stacked in crostinis and bruschetta are just right for a birthday party. For an elegant birthday, you can even have a theme for your birthday party and can also try out some of these finger food recipes. An Italian, Spanish or Mediterranean food theme works best, as you have a lot of flexibility with the kind of appetizers you can prepare.

• Twice-Cooked Potatoes with Caviar
• Crab Salad Canapes
• Endive Boats with Marinated Vegetables
• Potato Pancakes with Gravlax and Dill
• Goat-Cheese Crostini with Fig Compote
• Salt-and-Pepper Shrimp with Garlic Aioli
• Spicy Chicken and Thai Basil Dumplings
• Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Figs with Blue Cheese and Pecans
• Carrot Roulades with Radish and Herb Goat Cheese
• Chive Blini with Creme Fraiche, Quail Eggs, and Tarragon
• Creamy Mushroom Phyllo Triangles
• Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus Bundles with Spicy Dipping Sauce
• Olive Tapenade and Goat Cheese Crostini
• Mini Eclairs with Strawberries and Cream
• Mini Pavlovas
• Mini Blackberry Pies

For hosting a successful birthday party, you should try to prepare as much of the appetizers as possible in advance. Dips, guacamole and salsas can be prepared a day in advance. Preparing and chopping vegetables for bruschetta and crostini toppings can also be done in advance. If you think that you will not be able to prepare so much food, then you can combine store bought food staples like roasted bell peppers and marinated olives with homemade appetizers.