As the world is coming back to a “semi” normal way, you might need some simple and cheap graduation party food ideas!
Easy & Cheap Graduation Party Food Ideas 2023
Most of these food ideas will be some of the best finger foods for a party! It definitely can be hard to plan a simple and germ-free graduation party! But here are some great graduation party food ideas for you to save you time! You really only need about 5-7 food recipes of these to complete the party! These graduation party food ideas can be used as appetizers, main courses, desserts and more! You are allowed to switch it up depending on the party you are hosting and the type of guests you may have!
In this picture, of fried macaroni and cheese I had. I have actually recreated this and WOW it is so good. I definitely think if you have the time, you can make something like this and it would be a portion of excellent easy finger foods for graduation parties! Fried mac n cheese should be part of your graduation party food ideas list!
1. EGG SANDWICHES!
This is a no brainer! You want to make easy sandwiches. I find making simple Egg Sandwiches are the best!!! They are SO good and they are ready in minutes. Just boil some eggs, add in mayo and seasonings, and spread them on buns. Then you can cut them up however you want to!
2. DEVILED EGGS!
Okay, what party have you been to and they did not have deviled eggs?! I LOVE deviled eggs and I always make them when I am hosting! I think they are easy to make and super cheap! They are also aesthetically pleasing and a perfect graduation party food idea in 2022! While you are boiling your eggs for your egg sandwiches, you are able to also use those hard-boiled eggs for deviled eggs! It is a win-win!
3. PIGS IN A BLANKET!
Now, simple and easy to throw this together for a perfect graduation party finger food for 2022! I think grabbing some sausages and wrapping them up in a roll, is one of the easiest things you can do and will take literally minutes to finish your party food menu!
4. BACON JALAPENO POPPERS
I LOVE jalapenos. When I make these poppers for a backyard graduation party, I add cream cheese in my jalapenos, and then I just wrap bacon over and heat them up in the oven! It really depends on how crispy you want your bacon to be on how long you cook it. However, I really think it is one of the best finger food ideas for parties!
5. SPINACH & CHEESE PUFFS
There are so many recipes out there for different puffs! I think you really just have to take your pick on what ingredients you want to use for simple finger food for your party!
6. BRUSCHETTA
Okay, so do not judge but I dislike tomatoes. However, I will eat bruschetta on a whole tray in one sitting. It is SO good. Chop some tomatoes and add balsamic glaze to it! Okay, it is a bit more complicated than that. But I think it is super easy and fresh as well! It would go great as a summer party appetizer!
7. BEAN DIP
I love beans and I love bean dip. It is super easy to make a flavorful bean dip by mixing cream cheese and pinto beans together. I like to use fresh beans and then using a food processor to blend it all up. Then top it off with taco sauce, taco seasoning, and some Mexican cheese on top! All you have to do is pop it in the oven right after! It is SO good. You really should try this as a cheap graduation party food idea for 2022!
8. SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP
Spinach and Artichoke dip is so good and filling! It might not be as simple as the other graduation finger foods I have given, but I think if you have the time, you should definitely check this one out! Get some pita chips and/or tortilla chips on the side. This is definitely an easy and cheap party finger food!
Here is a super easy recipe I found!
9. CHIPS AND SALSA
Seriously just buy salsa from the grocery store with some thin cantina chips on the side. Really, though you can pour the salsa in a cute bowl to make it seem like you made it fresh! Haha…just kidding. Not really, I actually love to make salsa, but I do not like making it as part of a party food idea. I think it takes up too much time and I rather just buy it!
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10. CHIPS AND GUACAMOLE
I think ANYONE can make guacamole. Here are my key ingredients: avocado, limes, salt, pepper, fresh garlic, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapenos and that really is it. You can adjust how much you use for this, but I think it depends on your crowd!
TIP: Add in queso to chips, guac, and queso! This is definitely a great idea to spruce up any graduation party and make sure your guests have plenty to choose from. They are constantly snacking in between socializing and coming back to the chips and guac!
11. CHEESE BOARDS
Cheese boards have been the thing since 2020 and now they definitely are the easy graduation party food idea 2021! I think they are simple to make, but they can be overwhelming. Grab 3 types of cheeses, meats, crackers, fruit and that is really it! Just make it look a bit aesthetic and you should be good to go!
12. STUFFED MUSHROOMS
Stuffed mushroom is a perfect graduation party food idea! These so simple to make and you can customize the filling however you would like. After you are done, then you can throw them in the oven and call it a day!
13. PIZZA BITES
Instead of pizza slices for kids, bagel bites are such a good option. You can throw them on a tray and call it a day! They are a cheap graduation party food idea and they are super easy to prepare! You just have to cook them in the oven. They are definitely less messy than pizza slices as well.
14. HAM AND CHEESE SLIDERS
Just throw ham and cheese in Hawaiian rolls for this easy graduation party food idea! You do not even have to bake this one if you do not want to!
15. CHICKEN PESTO FLATBREADS
Flatbreads at Aldi’s are literally $2 for 2. I like to throw pesto, chicken, mozzarella cheese, and some tomatoes on there to bake for 20 minutes! If you cut them up, they are the perfect finger food graduation party idea!
16. SMASHED POTATOES
Smashed potatoes have been so in! You may need to look up a recipe for this one, however, I think boiling up some small potatoes, and then smashing them up with the bottom of the cup is fairly simple for your graduation party food idea! You have to spray oil on them to make them crispy in the oven!
17. CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES
Grab some strawberries and some chocolate bark! I love using white chocolate and melting it! I usually refrigerate the strawberries overnight as they cool with the chocolate. Talk about a simple graduation party finger food idea 😉
18. LEMON TART BARS
You can buy lemon tart bars at Trader Joe’s and lay them out on a marble tray! These are great finger food for graduation parties!
19. BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
First off, yes buy these at the store or just grab the powdered mixture to make at home! Super easy graduation party dessert idea!
20. CRAB WONTONS
Crab wontons are so good and super simple to make for graduation parties! You can grab the mixture and wonton wrappers to just fry them up! Super easy and a great graduation finger food.
21. MINI CHICKEN TAQUITOS
I love the frozen chicken taquitos they sell in the grocery store, however, you can make these fresh if you have the time! You can use an air fryer to save time and calories 😉
22. POTATO TAQUITOS
For all the vegetarian lovers, potato taquitos are one of the best meal ideas to make sure you are covering most of your guest and their dietary restrictions! Of course, it matters on what kind of guests you are inviting, etc…However, I think these are a great food idea for even meat lovers!
23. MINI BEAN BURRITOS
You can buy these frozen or even fresh at the grocery store sometimes. And it is such a good idea to have for guests to munch on while they are getting there and just socializing. This would pair great with those chips, guac, queso, salsa, etc! You can definitely make a little station of these types of food and have it in different sections!
24. CHICKEN SALAD
Now, this is such a good idea that I recently used at a small get together. I made some homemade chicken salad and then used crackers on the side. You can also use chicken salad and make sandwiches with some bread.
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This post was all about the easiest graduation party food ideas that are also some great finger food ideas for your parties in 2022!
