Fall Appetizers

FAQs

What Seasonal produce makes delicious fall appetizers?

• One of the easiest ways to incorporate the colors, textures, and tastes of Autumn is to use produce that is in season. These ingredients tend to be the freshest and least expensive. 
  • Vegetables. Arugula, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, butternut squash, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, eggplant, garlic, green beans, leafy greens, onions, parsnips, peas, peppers, potatoes, pumpkin, radish, turnips, sweet potatoes, and zucchini.
  • Fruits. Apple, pear, grape, persimmon, cranberries, figs, key limes, pomegranate, banana, kiwifruit, lemon, mango, pineapple, and raspberry.
  • Fresh herbs. Rosemary, sage, coriander, parsley, dill, and chives.

What is the difference between appetizers, finger foods, and hors d’oeuvres?

• While this post is titled fall appetizers it includes recipes that can also be categorized as finger foods or horse d’oeuvres.
  • Appetizers are the first course of a meal, meant to stimulate the appetite before the main course. Appetizers can vary in size but are typically larger than finger foods and can be eaten with utensils.
  • Finger foods are small, bite-sized portions designed to be eaten without utensils. They can be served as part of an appetizer spread, alongside main courses, or even on their own for casual gatherings. The key characteristic is being easily eaten with your fingers.
  • Hors d’oeuvres are very similar to finger foods, but they are specifically served before a meal, often separately from the main course. They are meant to be enjoyed with drinks while mingling. Similar to finger foods, they are small and eaten without utensils.

How many appetizers should hosts prepare for an event?

• Headcount. Adding RSVP to an invite is helpful to get a head count if a household is invited. Consider that about 10% of people who don’t RSVP will still attend. 
• Number of different appetizer dishes to serve. For fewer than 10 guests offer 2-3 different types of appetizers. For more than 10 guests add another dish for every 5-8 more people.
• How much of each dish per person. When appetizers are the main food at an event plan to serve about 10-12 pieces per person for a two-hour party. Add about 5 more pieces per person for every hour after. 
• If you will be serving dinner, then you will not need as many appetizers. In this case, you’ll only need a total of 3-5 appetizers per person. 

What are some menu planning tips I should keep in mind?

• Plan ahead. Plan your menu a couple of weeks before and then watch ads to see what is on sale. 
• Choose appetizers. Decide which fall appetizers can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Which ones need to be heated? Do you have enough space to heat the dishes properly? The crock pot is a great kitchen tool to use.
  • Add variety, but make sure that the flavors are complementary. 
  • Offer both warm and cool, sweet and savory, veggie and meaty. 
• Practice. Use tried and true recipes. If using new recipes, do a practice run a couple of weeks beforehand to work out any kinks.
• Mix in store-bought. Don’t feel like everything has to be homemade. Decide which dishes can buy premade and which easy fall appetizers you want to make yourself. 
• Get help. Take friends up on their offers to bring a dish. 

How do I keep my appetizers warm?

• One of the easiest ways to keep food warm is to use different-sized crock pots. Be sure that they are located in an area where people do not trip over the cord.
• You can also use chafing dishes to keep foods warm for a classic aesthetic.
• I recommend only setting out what can be eaten within 30 minutes. Keep the remaining appetizers in a warm oven or insulated food warmer and refill platters as needed.