28 Fun Graduation Party Finger Food Ideas - Raising Teens Today (2024)

This post: 28 Fun Graduation Party Finger Food Ideas / Post updated 2/2024

It’s hard to believe, but graduation season is creeping up on us, which means it’s time to celebrate your grad’s hard-earned, sweet success with a graduation party!

Whether it’s a small party with just the family or a larger backyard bash, it’s fun to step up your food game with a variety of cool finger foods!

If you’re looking to make your grad’s celebration special, here are a few graduation party finger food ideas to inspire you!

28 Fun Graduation Party Finger Food Ideas - Raising Teens Today (1)

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28 Fun Graduation Party Finger Food Ideas - Raising Teens Today (2)
28 Fun Graduation Party Finger Food Ideas - Raising Teens Today (3)

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Tempting 7-Layer Taco Cups

Layered with everything you love in a delicious taco, these 7-Layer Taco Cups are festive, fun, and super easy to make ahead of time. Serve with a big bowl of taco chips for dipping.

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Image: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Gooey Cheese Sticks

The first bite begins with a deliciously crispy outer coating followed by a surprisingly soft, gooey, and cheesy middle. Serve them with homemade marinara sauce for a grad party appetizer your guests will love! Plus, is there a teenager out there who doesn’t love cheese sticks?

Find the recipe HERE at Spend with Pennies

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Graduation Funfetti Cups

We’re a little obsessed with this fun (and simple) graduation dessert idea! Buy plastic glasses at any party store, fill them with fun candy in your favorite color, and top them off with a decorated cupcake. These individual dessert cups will be a total stand-out on your dessert table.

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Image: Living Locurto

Strawberry Brownie Kabobs

Strawberries, mini brownies, and marshmallows with a drizzle of chocolate – who could possibly resist this delicious dessert? Make them ahead of time to keep graduation party day stress-free.

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Image: The 11 Best

Mini Cheeseburger Bites

These Mini Cheeseburger Bites are so temptingly delicious! Plus, they’re just plain fun for a grad party!

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Image: Pizzazzerie

Individual Veggies n’ Dip

You can have a big veggie platter or you can do something a little different and create these fun individual veggie n’ dip cups. Assemble these right before the party begins to keep the veggies fresh and crisp.

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Image: The 11 Best

Loaded Tater Tot Bites

Looking for something different to serve at your child’s grad party? Everyone will love these delicious handheld cups of crunchy goodness that are filled with classic toppings including sour cream, bacon bits, and chives.

Find the recipe HERE at The Feathered Nester

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Mini Graduation Cupcake Caps

Just a handful of ingredients are needed to make these adorable Mini Graduation Cupcake Caps. This is one dessert that won’t last long at your grad party!

Find the recipe HERE at Lil Luna

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Fruit Kabobs

By the time graduation season rolls around, the weather is starting to warm up. These refreshing and colorful fruit kabobs are the perfect treat to cool your guests off. Plus, they’re just plain fun to eat!

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Image: Cassidy Lucille

Ham and Swiss Sliders

I’ve made these easy Ham and Swiss Sliders dozens of times for parties and gatherings and they’re always a hit! They taste seriously amazing and the best part is, they’re super easy to make! Everyone will be asking for the recipe.

Find the recipe HERE at Graceful Little Honey Bee
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Club Sandwich Pinwheels

These delicious Club Sandwich Pinwheels pack in all the yummy flavors of a traditional club sandwich, but they’re wrapped in a flour tortilla and secured with a toothpick making it the perfect finger food idea for your grad party!

Find the recipe HERE at Real House Moms

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Candy-Dipped Marshmallow Diploma Pops

Celebrate the sweet success of your grad with these fun Candy-Dipped Marshmallow Diploma Pops!

Find the recipe HERE at Wilton

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Mini Loaded Baked Potato Bites

Who could resist these tempting Mini Loaded Baked Potato Bites? They’re brimming with all the flavors your guests will love!

Find the recipe HERE at The Comfort of Cooking

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Fruit Cones

What a festive and fun way to serve fruit! I’m not sure there’s anyone who could resist these tempting Fruit Cones! They’re easy to prepare and make a beautiful presentation.

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Image: Pinterest

Perfect Pizza Dippers

These simply delish Pizza Dippers are made with store-bought pizza dough so they’re a breeze to make. Serve them up with pizza sauce for dipping and your guests may never leave.

Find the recipe HERE at Bitesized Kitchen

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Italian Antipasto Skewers

I served these at a party thinking only the adults would eat them (and not the kids/teens). Boy, was I wrong! The teenagers, especially, devoured them! They look pretty on a platter and they’re filled with different flavors that are fun to eat!

Find the recipe HERE at From Valerie’s Kitchen

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Jalapeno Popper Pigs in a Blanket

Mini smoked sausages wrapped in warm, flaky, golden crescent dough filled with two types of cheese, spicy jalapenos, and crispy bacon bits. This little finger food could be the hit of the party.

Find the recipe HERE at A Goud Life

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Strawberry Shortcake Skewers

Is there anything that screams “let’s celebrate” more than strawberry shortcake? This pretty dessert served on a stick makes it even more delectable! It’s the perfect “finger food” dessert for grad parties.

Find the recipe HERE at Karen in the Kitchen

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Copy Cat Chick-fil-A Chicken Nuggets

Well… these could, dare I say, beat the real thing. Instead of catering, why not make your own? These aren’t difficult to make, you can whip up a big batch in no time and they’ll be a hit with your guests!

Find the recipe HERE at Damn Delicious

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Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites

These are always a HUGE hit! And, the best part is, you can make a big batch and serve them warm with delicious cheese sauce or a spicy mustard sauce.

Find the recipe HERE at Two Peas and Their Pod

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Chocolate-Dipped Waffle Bites

Not just for breakfast anymore, waffles have gone mainstream! At weddings, birthday parties, special events, and even grad parties, these bite-sized waffle bites are so incredibly fun, easy to make and they’ll be a real show-stopper on your graduation dessert table.

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Image: Sugar Swings

Mini Chicken & Waffles

Kids and adults alike will love this hearty appetizer finger food. Make the waffles in advance to cut down on the stress the day of the party and serve with different sauces. It’s sure to be a hit!

Find the recipe HERE at Pure Wow

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Enchilada Cups

No forks needed for this yummy graduation appetizer – although, you might want to have a few napkins on hand. These tempting Enchilada Cups are filled with everything you love in an enchilada, only in a small bite-sized cup.

Find the recipe HERE at Gimme Some Oven

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Maple Bacon Popcorn

Butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup drizzled all over some freshly popped popcorn and topped with candied bacon. Your guests are going to think they died and went to popcorn heaven.

Find the recipe HERE at Almost Super Mom

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Oven-Baked Honey Garlic Chicken Wings

You really can’t go wrong with chicken wings. Nearly everyone loves ’em and they’re pretty darn easy to make! Plus, making them homemade is a lot less expensive than catering.

Find the recipe HERE at Simply Stacie

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3-Step Mini Cheesecakes with Fresh Fruit

Did anyone say classy? Put a platter of these gorgeous mini cheesecakes next to your graduation cake and your guests will be in total awe. But, don’t be fooled by how pretty they are… they’re easy to make!

Find the recipe HERE at Kraft Recipes

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Bacon-Wrapped Little Smokies

No graduation party would be complete without the deliciousness of Bacon-Wrapped Little Smokies. But, they’ve taken it a step further by adding a spicy brown sugar rub that makes these absolutely mouthwatering.

Find the recipe HERE at The Chunky Chef

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Italian Pinwheel Sandwiches

These quick and flavorful Italian Pinwheels are the perfect finger food for any graduation party. Layered with a savory cream cheese spread, fresh lettuce, salami, pepperoni, and ham – these little sandwiches won’t stick around long.

Find the recipe HERE at Krolls Korner

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If you enjoyed this post, here are a few other graduation posts you might enjoy!

33 Best Graduation Party Food Ideas

28 Fun Graduation Party Finger Food Ideas - Raising Teens Today (34)

Best Graduation Party Dessert Ideas to Wow Your Guests
28 Fun Graduation Party Finger Food Ideas - Raising Teens Today (35)

28 Fun Graduation Party Finger Food Ideas - Raising Teens Today (2024)

FAQs

What is a good finger food to bring to a party? ›

Easy Finger Food Recipes to Make Ahead
  • Fried Pickles. Treat your guests to fried pickles for fun finger food ideas. ...
  • Fried Mac and Cheese Rolls. ...
  • Deviled Eggs. ...
  • Honey Garlic Meatballs. ...
  • Garlic Breadsticks. ...
  • Salted Soft Pretzels. ...
  • Whipped Ricotta Crostini. ...
  • Vietnamese Spring Rolls.
Apr 22, 2024

What do you put on a finger food tray? ›

As a rule of thumb, you'll want to include a minimum of 1 hard cheese and 1 soft cheese. Along with that, be sure to include something savory and a minimum of 1-2 fruits. Grapes and strawberries are generally a good choice in this scenario. Dried fruits are also a great addition!

How can I feed 50 guests cheaply? ›

Feed the masses without breaking the bank with these budget-friendly dishes.
  1. Mexican Lasagne. A spicy lasagne for those of us who love Mexican and Italian food. ...
  2. Cheese Cob Dip. ...
  3. The Best Burger in Oz. ...
  4. Kangaroo Casserole. ...
  5. Sausage Casserole. ...
  6. Nanna's golden sausage casserole. ...
  7. Quiche Lorraine. ...
  8. Turkey and Pumpkin Lasagne.

What are the most common party foods? ›

38 Ideas For Party Food That Will Please Any Crowd
  • Ham & Cheese Pull-Apart Bread. ...
  • Garlic Parmesan Potato Stackers. ...
  • BBQ Pulled Pork Fries. ...
  • Peanut Butter Blueberry Frozen Yogurt Bites. ...
  • Chocolate Caramel Oat Bars (Carmelitas) ...
  • Curly Fries. tasty.co. ...
  • Strawberry Cheesecake Crackers. tasty.co. ...
  • Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas. tasty.co.
Dec 21, 2023

How much finger food for 30 guests? ›

If you're hosing 25 -35 guests, plan 3-4 bites per person if a full dinner is to be served afterwards, or 5-7 bites per person if a lighter meal will be served. If you're hosting a party of 50, then you can offer 6 to 9 different items.

How many hours should a graduation party be? ›

It can be planned for directly after the graduation or held a few days (even weeks) afterward. Typically you do not host this party prior to graduation. This party can be structured as a typical party (about 2-4 hours) with a start time or as an open house where guests can come and go as they please.

How much money is appropriate for a graduation party? ›

Distant relatives or friends usually send around $15 - $20, while close friends and relatives more commonly send around the $20 - $50 mark. Some families and family friends may choose to spend closer to $100 - $500, depending on their finances and the needs of the graduate.

What is the best time of day for a graduation party? ›

Many graduation parties are presented in a “open house” format. If your graduation ceremony is at 2 p.m., a 10 a.m. to noon or a 4-7 p.m. open house may work best. The time of day you select will also help determine the type of food and beverage you serve.

What appetizers can be served at room temperature? ›

Cold/Room Temperature Appetizers
  • ★Seared Ahi Tuna* Sesame seared Ahi Tuna served on a wonton chip or cucumber round (GF) with wasabi & Asian glaze.
  • Summer Rolls. ...
  • Grape & Goat Cheese Truffles. ...
  • ★Open-face Mini Lobster Roll. ...
  • Southwestern Ceviche* ...
  • ★Stuffed Strawberries. ...
  • Caprese Kabobs. ...
  • Smoked Salmon Cucumber Cup*

Do you serve cake at graduation party? ›

Graduation is a celebration and no grad party is complete without a cake! Surprise your graduate with a custom cake made with their favorite cake flavor, fillings, and decorated with their school's colors.

What do you all need for a graduation party? ›

Graduation party budget line items include:
  • food & beverages (catering)
  • venue rental fee.
  • other rental fees (tables, chairs, linens)
  • entertainment (DJ, photo booth, yard games, etc.)
  • videography and/or photography (if you plan to hire a professional)
  • decorations (balloons, streamers, banners, centerpieces)

How do you honor a loved one at a graduation party? ›

On Graduation Day
  1. Button pin with the name of the loved one or their favorite saying.
  2. A piece of jewelry (necklace or bracelet) with the person's engraved name.
  3. The parent or sibling's shirt worn under their gown, if allowed.
  4. Pin their loved one's favorite flower on their outer garment or hair.
Apr 30, 2024

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