How to Plan an Hors D'oeuvres Menu

Impress your guests with an assortment of interesting hors d'oeuvres.

Hors d'oeuvres are finger foods that can be anything from a light snack (light hors d'oeuvres) to an almost-meal (heavy hors d'oeuvres). Go for light hors d'oeuvres when serving an appetizer before dinner; for an informal, brief gathering; or as a between-meals snack. Heavy hors d'oeuvres should be offered when no meal will be served at a gathering that will last for several hours and might be occurring around lunch or dinner time.

Instructions

1. Consider the time of day the hors d'oeuvres will be served. Light hors d'oeuvres between breakfast and lunch might include fresh fruit and pastries. A mid-afternoon light hors d'oeuvres menu can include fresh fruit as well as sugar-based treats like cookies.

2. Consider where you'll be serving the hors d'oeuvres. This will not only affect your hors d'oeuvres menu, but the type of equipment you need to keep the hors d'oeuvres hot or cold.

3. Determine how much food you need. If you are offering heavy hors d'oeuvres, plan for four to six options each of hot and cold foods. If the hors d'oeuvres are being served pre-dinner, plan for four to six hors d'oeuvres per person. If no meal is being served, plan for eight to 10 hors d'oeuvres per person.

4. Take into consideration who you'll be serving. Is your group of diners primarily composed of teens or adults, vegetarians, dieters, etc.? Are you serving business people, party goers or family?

5. Choose your hors d'oeuvres. Pre-dinner light hors d'oeuvres could be a combination of any (or all) of the following: carrot and celery sticks, raw broccoli and cauliflower crowns, an assortment of cheese and crackers, olives, pickles, deviled eggs, fresh fruits like strawberries and pineapple, nuts, and chips with dip. Heavy hors d'oeuvres should be a combination of hot and cold items. Hot hors d'oeuvre options include assorted quiches, chicken empanadas, chinese dumplins with plum sauce, egg rolls with dipping sauce, fried mozzarella sticks with marinara sauce, meatballs, miniature crab cakes, potato skins and stuffed mushrooms. Cold hors d'oeuvre options include bread and assorted cheeses, brushetta, canapés, cold cut finger sandwiches, deviled eggs, fig toast with brie, prosciutto-wrapped melon and shrimp cocktail.