How to Keep Hors D'Oeuvres Cold

Serve cold hors d'oeuvres at a safe temperature.

Whether you call them starters, snacks or appetizers, hors d'oeuvres launch your party with style. Traditionally served with cocktails or wine, these tasty bites whet the appetite for the main course. Display plates of hors d'oeuvres on a buffet table, or pass them to your guests on trays. Cold versions include stuffed cherry tomatoes, deviled eggs, raw shellfish, spreads and dips. Harmful bacteria can quickly multiply when the temperature of cold food reaches 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Protect the health of your guests by following the advice of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to keep foods that require cold temperatures for safe eating, cold.<br> Does this Spark an idea?

Print this article

Serving bowls and dishes
Plastic storage container or glass baking dish
Decorative kitchen towel
Crushed ice

Instructions

- 1
  
  Chill serving bowls and dishes in your refrigerator or freezer several hours before your party. Arrange each type of food on individual serving pieces. Do not place everything on one large platter. Only serve an amount of food that your guests will consume within thirty minutes. Store the rest in your refrigerator until you serve it.
- 2
  
  Fill a large, shallow plastic food storage container or a glass baking dish with crushed ice. Cover the ice with a decorative kitchen towel. Place small plates of cold hors d'oeuvres on the towel.
- 3
  
  Nest small serving bowls in a bowl of ice. Fill a large bowl with a thin layer of crushed ice. Place a smaller bowl on the ice layer. Fill the gap between the two bowls with more crushed ice. Serve dips, sauces or spreads in the small bowl.
- 4
  
  Serve cooked shrimp or raw shellfish on a bed of ice. Cover a large platter with a bed of crushed ice. Arrange the seafood on the ice. Nestle small bowls of cocktail and tarter sauce into the ice. Use separate serving dishes for cooked and raw seafood.
- 5
  
  Keep cold food away from sources of heat. Do not place serving dishes near a radiator or heating vent. In your kitchen, serve cold hors d'oeuvres in an area away from your stove, oven, warming tray or other hot appliance. Do not leave cold food next to a hot fireplace. Avoid placing food in direct sunlight.
- 6
  
  Replace cold hors d'oeuvres every thirty minutes. Remove any uneaten food from the serving dishes. Refill the dishes with chilled food from your refrigerator. Do not mix fresh hors d'oeuvres with food that was already served.

Tips & Warnings

Make or buy enough crushed ice to keep food cold during your party. Store extra ice in a clean cooler.
Serve cold hors d'oeuvres in the shade at an outdoor party. Arrange dishes on a table under an awning or umbrella.
Make sure to replace ice as it melts.
Discard any perishable food that was left at room temperature for more than two hours. If the air temperature is 90 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, discard leftovers after one hour.