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Easy New Year’s Eve Party Food

By: Author Jessica Ashcroft

Posted on  - Last updated:

Check out these easy New Year’s Eve Party Food ideas including appetizers, finger foods, party dips, snacks, and drinks for a crowd!

Pinterest graphic with text and a collage of New Year's Eve party foods and text that reads "family friendly party food and appetizers."

There’s no better way to ring in the new year than with some delicious food!

We’re sharing a roundup of our favorite New Year’s Eve party food ideas, including appetizers, party dips, finger foods, and drinks for a crowd.

You’ll also find fun New Year’s Eve food traditions that are said to bring good fortune.

Use these easy and festive dishes to create the perfect celebration for a crowd: whether you’re hosting a New Year’s Eve cocktail party, dinner party, or kid-friendly family gathering!

Easy New Year’s Eve Appetizers and Finger Foods

The perfect New Year’s Eve party has to start with yummy appetizers and finger foods.

Here are some of our favorite quick and easy offerings!

Our Top 10

Chili cream cheese dip in small Crock Pot with tortilla chips and striped towel nearby.
Several jalapeno poppers surrounded a blue bowl with white dip inside.
A cheese ball with nuts and assorted crackers on a plate.
A charcuterie board with assorted meats and cheeses, olives, and spreads.
Mozzarella cheese sticks with a bowl of marinara dipping sauce.
A bowl of little smokies cocktail weenies on a striped kitchen towel.
A cheesy fondue pot with bread and sliced cheese in the background.
Woman lifts artichoke dip from casserole baking dish with yellow tortilla chip.
Sticky sweet Chex mix with almonds in cream bowl on countertop with pieces of Chex around bowl.

These 10 delicious party foods top our list for New Year’s Eve festivities. You can’t go wrong with any of these options on your menu!

  1. Crock Pot Chili Cheese Dip
  2. Jalapeno Poppers
  3. Classic Cheese Ball
  4. Charcuterie Board
  5. Mozzarella Sticks
  6. Little Smokies
  7. Cheese Fondue
  8. Sparkling Cider
  9. Artichoke Parmesan Dip
  10. Sweet and Sticky Chex Mix

Dips

White baking dish with empty space and Swiss cheese dip next to assorted crackers.
Gray bowl of whipped feta dip with roasted tomatoes surrounded by crackers, slices of bread, and a gold spoon all on wood cutting board.
Fresh garden salsa in white bowl on platter of tortilla chips.

We also love these simple and flavorful party dips.

Finger Foods

White rectangle platter with Mediterranean street fries with yogurt dressing and fresh parsley.
White bowl of Instant Pot sweet and sour meatballs with pineapple and bell peppers with bowl of cooked rice nearby.
Kalua pork sandwich with shredded cabbage cut in half on grey plate.
Woman holds Monte Cristo slider that's been dunked in raspberry jam.

And these delectable finger foods won’t disappoint!

New Year’s Eve Desserts

Stack of 4 chocolate chip blondies on parchment paper, surrounded by more blondies.
Mint brownies with chocolate ganache stacked on top of each other on parchment paper.
Several apple streusel bars on parchment lined baking sheet.

Along with tasty New Year’s Eve party foods, you’ll need some amazing desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Below you’ll find simple and festive dessert recipes that are fit for a crowd.

New Year’s Eve Party Drinks

Two glass mason jars of Meyer lemonade with white and gold striped straws.

And here are some of our favorite kid-friendly New Year’s Eve party drinks that are not only delicious but healthy, too!

New Year’s Eve Food Traditions

Black-eyed peas and collard greens in a gray bowl next to cutlery with wood handles.

Here are some of our favorite New Year’s Eve food traditions from around the world.

  • Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens (Southern United States): Symbolizing wealth and prosperity, black-eyed peas are often served with collard greens, representing greenbacks, for a fortunate New Year.
  • Twelve Grapes (Spain): Spaniards partake in the tradition of eating twelve grapes at midnight, with each grape representing a month of good luck for the upcoming year.
  • Toshikoshi Soba (Japan): In Japan, toshikoshi soba, a noodle dish made from buckwheat, is consumed for longevity and to let go of the hardships of the past year.
  • Lentils (Italy): Lentils, resembling small coins, are a symbol of wealth and prosperity in Italy. They are often included in New Year’s dishes for good luck.
  • Pomegranates (Greece): Greek tradition involves smashing a pomegranate on the ground at the stroke of midnight to release its seeds, symbolizing fertility, abundance, and good fortune.
  • Pork and Sauerkraut (Germany): Germans often enjoy pork and sauerkraut on New Year’s Eve, as pigs represent progress and the act of moving forward.
  • Oliebollen (Netherlands): These Dutch doughnuts, often filled with raisins or currants, are fried and dusted with powdered sugar, symbolizing the sweetness of the coming year.
  • Hoppin’ John (Southern United States): Another Southern tradition, Hoppin’ John is a dish made with black-eyed peas, rice, and pork, believed to bring good luck and prosperity.
  • Sauerkraut Soup (Poland): In Poland, sauerkraut soup, known as “Kapustnica,” is a common New Year’s dish believed to bring good health and wealth.
  • Vasilopita (Greece): A sweet bread or cake with a hidden coin, Vasilopita is served in Greece on New Year’s Day. The person who finds the coin is believed to have good luck for the year.

More traditional New Year’s Foods:

  • Fish
  • Cornbread
  • Cabbage
  • Pretzels
  • Rice
  • Dumplings
  • Noodles

Recipes to Try

Pink fluff in a white serving bowl topped with pomegranate seeds.
Bowl of cowboy caviar with tortilla chips next to cutting board with fresh veggies.
Brown sugar soy sauce salmon on large white serving platter with kitchen towel.
Cilantro lime rice in gray bowl on table with towel and cut lime.
Pieces of cornbread, some with pats of butter and drizzled with honey, on piece of parchment paper.

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