6 Favorite Foods for Tea Parties
Tea parties for adults and kids alike need a good assortment of tasty treats, but where to begin? Check out these great ideas and try some of the recipes to take a tea party to the next level. Whether you’re into traditional tastes like scones and sandwiches or modern sweets like cupcakes and chocolate-covered strawberries, it’s time to fill your teatime table.
1. Scones
Scones are a food served at traditional English teas. They come in many flavors and can be topped with butter, jams, jellies, clotted cream and more. For a classic scone, try this recipe. One of these scones ought to do the trick if you’re looking for something a little different.
2. Tea sandwiches
A tea (or finger) sandwich is an easy way to fill your guests’ tummies with either savory or sweet, this collection of recipes has some great ideas for both. Try cutting your sandwiches with cookie cutters to add fun or follow a theme.
3. Tarts
Bite-size tarts are a great food to serve when you want to really make a buffet spread stand out. They come with in many flavors and with many toppings, which makes them a colorful addition to the table. Better Homes and Gardens has a great collection of recipes that are sure to impress your guests.
4. Fruit
Seasonal and buffet-friendly fruits like strawberries often make an appearance at an afternoon tea. They can be served plain alongside other fare, as a fruit skewer or salad, or even dipped in chocolate. Use a melon baller to create eye-pleasing shapes with watermelon or cantaloupe. You may even want to dress things up with a fruit flower like this salad from One Crafty Thing. To make your chocolate-dipped fruits better, follow these tips from The Stir.
5. Cakes and Cookies
Cupcakes, sponge cakes, and other small and simple cakes make great sweets at a tea party. Cakes with a mild sweetness are usually preferred to the full-flavored, birthday-style cake. Madeleines are a classic tea cookie and can be made at home with a good recipe and the right supplies, or purchased, along with other varieties of simple cookies
. You could even try a fun themed cookie like this chocolate-dipped “tea bag” cookie from Munchkin Munchies.
6. Cheese and Crackers
Sliced or spreadable, cheese is always welcome at a party. Use American favorites like cheddars or jacks, or go for something a little fancier with brie or Camembert. Provide guests with an assortment of crackers
to pair with their cheeses.
Other Food Options
While not exactly traditional, there are other foods for tea parties that can really spruce up a table! Vegetables and dip served in small cups are a great option, especially if you want to keep things healthy or vegan. Deviled eggs are an easy bite-size food and small appetizers of any kind can also be appropriate. Check out these recipes to find something great to add to your teatime menu!
Feature and title image via Better Homes and Gardens.
Kayla Lilly is a photographer, writer, wife, and mama making a house a home in eastern Idaho. She met her mister while working at an amusement park and married him a year later after deciding there was no way to live without him. The amusement has continued as they’ve added four kids and a passel of pets to their lives while finishing college and starting a photography business. Drawing inspiration from the whirlwinds of marriage, parenthood, and the media, Kayla blogs at Utterly Inexperienced, and spends the rest of her time chasing chickens, organizing junk drawers, diapering toddlers, and photographing everyone willing to step in front of her lens.
Other great eats and ideas:
