Hosting a brunch? Here are over 40 delicious brunch party food ideas perfect for any special occasion you are celebrating with a brunch meal.
Impressive Brunch Party Food Ideas
Hosting a brunch is a really fun way to celebrate a variety of different special occasions.
Brunches usually take place in the morning or early afternoon and involve a delicious spread of food and cocktails that party goers and guests are invited to nosh on buffet style.
A brunch is the perfect blend of breakfast and lunch foods, offering guests a variety of sweet and savory flavors.
Brunch parties can be both informal or formal making them a great choice for everything from a kids birthday party to baby showers, bridal showers, Christmas parties and so much more.
So, whether you’re hosting a holiday brunch party or just an informal brunch gathering with friends and family we wanted to help inspire you with some delicious brunch party food ideas.
We’ve collected over 40 absolutely delicious and very impressive brunch party food ideas to hopefully inspire you to create a fabulous brunch menu.
But first, let’s talk a little about brunch and how to plan one that guests will rave about.
What is a brunch?
Brunch is a meal that combines the best of the breakfast and lunch food worlds.
Literally, the intersection between breakfast and lunch a brunch is a delicious spread of foods that can include everything from omelets and breakfast casserole to salads, tortilla roll-ups, sandwiches, savory snacks and sweet treats.
It’s not uncommon to host a brunch buffet and include traditional breakfast favorites like scrambled eggs, pancakes, waffles, crepes, bacon, sausages, fresh, breakfast potatoes, fruit, and a variety of different Viennoiseries and pastries like brioche, cinnamon buns and croissants.
Lunch foods can include a variety of different small bite appetizers, sandwiches, a charcuterie board, wraps, cream cheese pinwheels, omelets, cheeses, quiche, cured meats, fresh fruit, vegetables, pizza and much much more.
The beauty of hosting a brunch is you can build a menu based on a huge variety of different foods and food preferences.
There really isn’t any easier way to deal with picky eaters, allergies, the health conscious or even vegetarian and vegan diets when it comes to hosting a party.
As for drinks, cocktails made with prosecco and bloody Mary’s are often served as well as coffee, tea and juice. So, don’t forget to consider drink options during your planning phase.
Why host a brunch?
Brunch is simple.
Hosting a brunch doesn’t have to be complicated. Choose to prepare brunch menu items that can be prepped ahead of time to keep same day prep to a minimum.
Cold menu items like fruits, vegetables with dip, cheese, charcuterie, bagels + cream cheese, cream cheese roll ups, muffins, fruit kebabs and pastries are a great way to give guests loads of food options without much effort.
We recommend choosing brunch party food ideas that are both served hot and cold to balance the amount of prep work and cooking you need to do on the day of your party.
Brunch is budget friendly.
A brunch is a great way to keep costs down.
Inspire yourself by seasonal fruits and vegetables to save on costs. Use simple ingredients and recipes to keep the cost of hosting a brunch low so you don’t overspend.
Brunch is flexible.
Brunch can be served for a variety of different occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, baby showers or even just a get together with friends and family.
You can tailor menu items to fit the occasion and keep them as casual or formal as you’d like.
Guests love it.
Hosting a brunch is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.
Guests will appreciate the variety of options and the delicious flavors that brunch has to offer. It’s a really easy way to appeal to a variety of food preferences, making it a great choice for parties with guests of all ages.
Brunch is yummy.
Let’s face it, a huge spread of breakfast and lunch foods is just plain delicious.
Brunch spreads are impressive and yummy making them a great choice for any special occasion you are celebrating.
What is a good time to host a brunch?
Traditionally, a brunch takes place somewhere between 10am and 2pm. But, these are not hard and fast rules and you can host a brunch as early or as late as you’d like.
If you are hosting a formal event, early afternoon is usually a better option since it gives you and your guests time to prepare.
An earlier brunch might be the way to go for smaller, more intimate gatherings.
And, if you’re looking to add some entertainment value, many party planners like to host a brunch followed by fun games like bingo. So, to give themselves enough time they like to schedule their brunch a little on the earlier side.
What are some popular brunch party food ideas?
What we love most about hosting a brunch is how many brunch party food ideas and options you have.
Since brunch is a combination of breakfast and lunch foods you have a lot more flexibility with your menu.
You can choose to serve traditional breakfast foods like eggs, bacon, sausage and potatoes along with a variety of different pastries and Viennoiseries.
Or you can go the lunch route with brunch party food ideas that include salads, wraps, sandwiches, cured meats, vegetables and pizza slices.
We highly suggest offering a nice combination of both breakfast and lunch foods to give your guests the chance to nibble on a little of everything.
Here are some of our favorite brunch party food ideas from both the breakfast and lunch category.
Breakfast foods:
- Scrambled eggs
- Sausage
- Bacon
- Cereal
- Baked beans
- Ham
- Breakfast potatoes
- Waffles
- Pancakes + maple syrup
- Crepes
- Bagels + cream cheese
- Fresh fruit, fruit skewers, or fruit salad
- Baked oatmeal
- Breakfast casseroles
- Cinnamon buns
- Breakfast parfaits
- Croissant
- Pastries
- Muffins
- Scones
- Dutch baby pancakes
- French toast
Lunch foods:
- Omelets or frittata’s
- Quiche
- Eggs benedict
- Smoked salmon
- Avocado toast
- Salami cream cheese tortilla roll-ups
- Cured meats + cheeses
- Shakshuka
- Huevos rancheros
- Chilaquiles
- Breakfast burritos
- Tomato pie
- Grilled vegetables
- Shrimp cocktail
- Vegetables and dip
How do you host a brunch?
Consider how many people you are feeding and pick a menu accordingly. Plan to offer a nice variety of protein, carbohydrates, dairy and fruits and veggies to really please your crowd and offer them a variety of brunch food options.
If you know you’ll have children attending then consider adding brunch party food ideas that you know they will enjoy.
Also, think about how long it will take to prepare each dish and plan accordingly – some of the brunch party food ideas may need to be cooked right before guests arrive while others can be assembled the day before.
Always, consider your fridge and oven space when you are making these decisions.
Gather your ingredients
Once you’ve got a menu for your brunch party planned make a detailed list of all the ingredients you’ll need.
This way, you can check to make sure you have everything on hand before you start the prep process.
Planning a brunch does require some organization since generally a brunch involves a variety of different dishes. Making sure to have all the ingredients you need on hand will make the prep process far easier.
Plan your spread
How you will serve brunch is also another consideration when planning to host a brunch party.
For larger groups we suggest setting up your brunch as a buffet so that people can help themselves to whatever they like. This requires some pre-planning, such as deciding where you will set the buffet up and what tableware you’ll need to serve the food in.
For smaller gatherings you may want to consider setting a more traditional table with place settings and a nice center piece. Guests can eat family style and pass around dishes while they help themselves.
Prep ahead of time
If you plan to serve a variety of dishes, it’s best to start prepping the day or night before so that you’re not rushed on the day of the party.
Consider prepping cold food items that can be safely stored in the refrigerator in anticipation of the party.
Things like salads, fruits, sandwiches and wraps can be made ahead of time to really help cut down on same day prep.
Since hosting a brunch does require prepping a variety of different dishes, consider prepping ahead of time so that hosting brunch isn’t as stressful and you can focus on preparing the hot food items while guests are there.
40+ Impressive Brunch Party FOOD Ideas
So here they are! Our absolutely favorite brunch party food ideas that we just had to share with you.
These impressive brunch party food ideas taste as great as they look.
Let’s dig in shall we!?
Simple Fruit Kebabs
These simple fruit kebabs are a healthy party snack option for kids. Loaded with your favorite fruits these colorful fruit skewers are a perfect snack idea for a child's birthday party, summer party, pool party, brunch or healthy dessert.
Salami Cream Cheese Pinwheel Recipe
A delicious twist on a classic cream cheese pinwheel appetizer. Enjoy these delectable, bite-size snacks made with a savory Italian seasoned cream cheese, salami and freshly chopped pickles all snuggly rolled into a fluffy flour tortilla.
Final Words
Hosting a brunch party is an easy and fun way to entertain friends and family.
By following our tips for planning and building a delicious menu with inspiration from the brunch food party ideas we shared above we know you’ll host a brunch that your guests won’t soon forget.
Which of the brunch party food ideas is your favorite?
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