How to Create a Bewitching Buffet | Halloween Food Ideas

Your Halloween party deserves Halloween food ideas that will delight, gross out and complete the party in a way that only themed food can!

We have a love affair with beautifully and aptly displayed food on buffets. Here, we'll take a look at food ideas and recipes as well as different ways to serve them on your Halloween buffet.

Are you ready for some Halloween?

Image used under license: © Karen Foley | Dreamstime.com

for your Spooktacular Party

Some cold food ideas for your Halloween shindig could include vegetables and fruits with dipping sauce or assorted cheeses (chunked or sliced). For a spooktacular party, consider displaying them in a different manner than the old, standard round platter. You could:

• Use a themed basket or Halloween container for displaying your veggies and/or fruit
• Use a large pumpkin as your container and a smaller one for dip
• Make a Graveyard replica from fruits and veggies -- fruits and veggies can be cut and shaped to create elements from a spooky graveyard
• Add some guacamole dip to get the weird, green color into your design

Using place cards on your buffet will help add to the décor of your party. It also lets the guests know what's included in your spread. If you use recipes that call for food coloring, guests can become a bit reluctant to partake since it doesn't look "normal". I suggest using your creepy name in a larger font and then below it, tell them the traditional name.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Punch, Wine or Specialty Drink:

   Swamp Juice

   Witches Brew

   Mauled Moat Juice

   Haunted Hootch

   Swap Spirits

2. Assorted Appetizers:

   Mystery Meaty Balls = meatballs, sausage balls, etc...

   Crude Crudités = Raw Veggies

   Severed Fingers with Blood Sauce = Bread sticks with Marinara

   Bedeviled Eyeballs = Deviled Eggs

   Spider's Eggs - Hard Boiled Eggs

   Guacamoldy Dip = Guacamole Dip

   Bat Wings = Chicken Wings

   Petrified Cheese Chunks or Log = Cheese chunks or ball

   Owl Eyes = Cheese Puffs

   Vampire Vertigo = Pinwheels

3. Desserts:

   Black Cat Cookies = any type of chocolate cookie

   Boston Scream Pie = Boston cream pie

   Poison Apples Caramel Apples

   Boogers on a Stick = (green) Chocolate dipped pretzel rods

   Get creative with your names for desserts!

Image used under CC by 2.0 license, photographer kinwart

Not only can the foods themselves be Halloween themed, the buffet table is the perfect opportunity to add some more Halloween-ish touches.

Below are a few ideas to keep in mind as you decide how you will decorate your Halloween buffet table. Run with them and make your food table the talk of the party!

1. Vary the heights of your dishes. If you are using flat platters for the food, use risers to go vertical with the heights. You can use almost anything to raise platters -- upside down glass and boxes wrapped in fabric or appropriate wrapping paper can be set on top of your table linens. Large cans of food, upside down bowls, unwrapped boxes can also be used as risers. Place them on top of your table linen and then drape them in fabric that matches your theme. Add some cobwebs for fun!
2. Use unusual containers for things like wrapped flatware, vegetables and fruits. Think in shapes -- familiar Halloween shapes you can use for displaying your foods and whatnot on the buffet. Baskets, coffin, bat or gravestone shaped boxes.
3. On a large scale, make a DIY coffin shaped box that will fit your table. Place your food on risers inside the box. Add a shaped lid and write something on it or decorate it with fake blood, cobwebs or a stake. Prop it so it is partially in the coffin.
4. Layer fabrics and colors. This gives depth and texture to your buffet. Use elements like feathers, foam eyeballs, mirrors and candelabras to really bring the creepy, spooky feeling home!

Haunted House Silhouettes Centerpiece Set/3

Creepy Candelabras Package of 2

Tall Wire Dome W/ Stand Set/2

Create Your Own Vintage Halloween "Wicked" Dessert Table.

Lot's of photos!

The thing we all like best about Halloween, young and old alike, is that it's fun! Your party will be the talk of the town if you add Halloween-ish elements to your buffet table. It's always the most visited place anyway, take advantage and decorate it up! It's fun and your guests will talk about it until next year's party!

Good luck!

Image used under license: © Karen Foley | Dreamstime.com