It is that time of the year when people invite their friends and family over for dinner to celebrate the festive season. However, you do not have to stick to a simple dinner and can consider serving your guests appetizers. These are finger foods or small portions of food usually served before the main course or in between meals. These tiny meals could be whipped using easily available spices, fruits, vegetables, and meats.

Types of appetizers
Appetizers can usually be categorized into the following various types:

Cocktails
Cocktail appetizers, unlike the beverage, consist of bite-sized pieces of cold food, like fish, veggies, and fruits, usually served with tangy flavors. These types of recipes are best served fresh. Plating the food in a glass can also help enhance the visual appeal. A few cocktail juices you can try are ones made using pineapple, oranges, tomatoes, or grapefruit. It is important to serve cocktails with cold salad dressings.

Canape
Canapes are delicious finger foods, irrespective of whether you serve them hot or cold. These bite-sized foods consist of three parts: a base (like bread or crackers), a spread, and a garnish on the top. A canape does not have a fixed set of ingredients that you must have on hand. You can use a variety of items, such as bread, crackers, and toasted biscuits for the base. You can also saute the bread in butter and add a well-seasoned mixture of cheese, egg, fish, or meat.

Hors d’oeuvres
Hors d’oeuvres are tiny portions of foods rich in seasoning. They are usually considered a broad category of tiny meals served before a meal. You can combine hors d’oeuvres like stuffed celery, pickled radishes, fish, and canapes to form a delicious bunch of quick bites before the main course. The hors d’oeuvres can be served hot or cold on a single plate.

Relish
Relishes, also known as crudites, are usually plated and served to guests in a deep, boat-shaped dish. These are cooked and pickled foods prepared with ingredients like chopped fruits, vegetables, or herbs. You can choose any veggies you like, such as carrots, celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, and beans. You could also place a dip on the platter so your guests can enjoy a strong, distinct sauce-like flavor while munching on these appetizers.

Petite salad
These are smaller-sized versions of large, wholesome salads. Petite salads are served as two or three bite-sized appetizers and are categorized into two types.

Plain salads: These are simple recipes that focus on one item, like a cucumber salad, beetroot salad, or tomato solid.
Compound salads: A compound salad could consist of a combination of foods. For instance, salad Russe is a popular recipe made using diced vegetables mixed with mayonnaise. You could also combine lettuce and a vinaigrette with croutons, garlic, and grated parmesan cheese to make a mini Caesar salad. Alternatively, you can whip up Waldorf salad, which is made with diced celery, walnuts, and apples dressed with mayonnaise.

Chips and dips
Chips and dips are by far one of the most popular appetizers people serve. These are easy to put together and are extremely budget-friendly options. You can serve any combination of chips or dips that you think your guests may like. However, you should ensure that the dip is not thick enough to break the chip used for scooping it up. So. it is important to have the right consistency for the dip.

Soup
Soups can be considered meals or can accompany the main course, however, over time, they have become popular appetizers. You can opt for a vegetable soup or a soup made using chicken, beef, or fish broth.

Fresh fruits and vegetables
If you do not have a lot of time and want to come up with something quick, then serving fresh fruits and vegetables as an appetizer is an ideal option. You can serve slices or cubes of fresh fruits and cooked vegetables or can cut them up in various shapes to make them more appealing. Further, serving such fresh finger foods can be a great option when trying to follow it up with heavy main courses.

Now that you understand the different types of appetizers, you can find a few classic recipes online that you should consider making at home. You can serve pieces of smoked salmon with brown bread and lemon slices. You can also try making a seafood cocktail, for instance, prawns served on shredded lettuce with a coat of mayonnaise. Potato skin bites make up another great recipe to add to your cookbook. You can easily look up the exact ingredients and quantities online and pick the recipe you like the best.