10 Best Finger Foods for Your Party ...

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While these seem to be the standard at most parties, they are also the appetizers that seem to receive the most attention. Not many people complain about chips and salsa as they gab over a plate full of them. They are so many varieties of chips and salsa today that everyone should be able to find something they like.

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The vegetable platters that I see in the stores usually have baby carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower on them. These finger foods for a party are a much healthier alternative to chips and salsa. They aren't always enjoyed quite as much, but are a great snack for those dieting. French onion dips, spinach dips, and even a bottle of ranch dressing can be the perfect dip for these.

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There are crackers made in just about every shape imaginable. I try to get a variety of shapes, since it makes it interesting when they are placed on the platter or sitting side by side in bowls. Boxes of large round crackers can be purchased and decorated with cheese spreads and garnishes for something a bit dressier and yummier. The only thing about these large crackers is that they are harder to eat. Small crackers can be eaten in one single bite so I usually prefer those.

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These bagel chips are yummy! They are also healthier than regular tortilla chips. I've decorated these the same way I decorated the large round crackers and people really enjoyed them. These bagel chips are usually smaller than the larger crackers as well and that makes them the perfect finger food.

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Unless you have friends that really don't like seafood, having a bowl of cocktail shrimp usually goes over fairly well. Not many people buy shrimp, even the cocktail sized that don't have tails on them. These aren't expensive at all, since they are so small, but they are still just as tasty as their larger kin! And if you have any leftover, you can use it for lunch or some easy to make dinnerthe next day.

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This is a great low calorie choicefor appetizers. Besides cutting up chunks of melon and putting them in a bowl, I find that a much more attractive display can be had by using a melon baller. Sure, the melon is now in ball shaped chunks instead of squares, but it makes it a bit more festive. You can even take some wooden skewers and place a piece of pineapple and maraschino cherries every now and then between the melon balls. I find that these finger foods for a party are perfect for breakfast the next morning as well!

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I like to put a bunch of olives on a platter; green ones, black ones, the huge ones with pits in them, and even garlic stuffed olives. If you want to make sure that they don't all get mixed up together, each kind can be placed in a small bowl of their own. I always try to have a collection of small dishes in bright colors to place olives in. These add such a festive appearance to the table display.

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While these are a bit more time consuming to make, they are usually the talk of the party. I find it easy to make some sandwiches on regular whole wheat slices of bread. I then cut the crust off of the bread and then cut the sandwiches into smaller pieces. Sometimes I will cut them into four squares and other times I cut them into four triangles. Pimento cheese sandwiches go over well and so do ham or turkey slices with a bit of cheese or relish.

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I think I like these a lot because I always remember them at the parties my parents would have. I also love sweet pickles and these are just so darn cute! I usually put a small container of toothpicks out on the table right next to these. It seems that if the toothpicks aren't right next to them, people want to pick them up with their fingers!

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These are another appetizer from my childhood. While they aren't really an elegant sort of appetizer, they are delicious! I've even taken a container of those pre-made crescent rolls and wrapped them around the smokies to bake them together. You don't have to use an entire triangle of the crescent roll, since it will completely engulf the little smokie. I tear off chunks from each one, which makes the can go farther, plus cuts down on the baking time.

I'm sure there are tons more finger foods for a party that you can come up with on your own. Hopefully you will find these 10 favorites of mine to be useful when needing something quick and easy, but can't think of what to get! So far, I have yet to hear any complaints about any of these simple party appetizers. Which finger foods do you always serve? Which do you love to see at a party?

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