In a perfect world, you would have sourced party food ideas on Pinterest weeks before, downloaded them on to your virtual shopping list and done a few test run-throughs to make sure they’d be perfect on the day. It’s a shame none of us actually live there. If your reality runs more to madly trying to come up with ideas and do an emergency shop the day before, try these super-simple, stress-free ideas on for size.

Kiddie fun

Your next kids’ party will be a hit with these fun but oh-so-easy offerings.

1. Tic Toc tea cups

A bit of assembly is all that’s required to create these very impressive looking ‘tea cups’ that both boys and girls will love.

• See here for the Tic Toc tea cups recipe.

2. Tiny Teddy cars

What child doesn’t love both chocolate and Tiny Teddies? Put ‘em together so they resemble gorgeous little racing teddies and they’ll be even more irresistible!

• See here for the Tiny Teddy cars recipe.

3. Party hotdogs

If you can stretch yourself to breaking open a few bread rolls and putting the water on to boil, you’ve more or less got this one licked …

• See here for the Party hotdogs recipe.

4. Nutella fairy bread

Able to be created in a matter of minutes and sure to be gobbled up even faster!

• See here for the Nutella fairy bread recipe.

 

Cool bites

Easy peasy, tasty but no-wastey party bites that you could organise mere minutes before your guests arrive.

5. Guacamole dip

Fresh, tasty and bursting with flavour, guacamole is always a winner and so easy to rustle up.

• See here for the Guacamole dip recipe.

6. Cucumber and smoked salmon roll-ups

Healthy, tasty, easy and impressive looking. That’s a lot of boxes being ticked right there …

• See here for the Cucumber and smoked salmon roll ups recipe.

7. Deli-style antipasto platter

The hardest part about this dish is navigating the ticket system at the deli counter. After that, you’re made in the shade.

• See here for the Deli-style antipasto platter recipe.

8. Watermelon popsicles

So simple you will wonder why you never thought of it before! We feel a bit guilty calling it a ‘recipe’.

• See here for the Watermelon popsicles.

Hot stuff

Hot things always suggest that a decent amount of trouble has been gone to, right? (Let’s not educate them otherwise, eh…)

9. Potato wedges

Simple yet effective, serve them simply with tomato or sweet chilli sauce or accompany with a bowl of our corn salsa.

• See here for the Mexican wedges with corn salsa

10. Ham and pineapple pizza muffins

Classy? Well, maybe not. Scoffed down with reckless abandon? You’d better believe it!

• See here for the Ham and pineapple pizza muffins recipe.

11. Cheats sausage rolls

It’s not like sausage rolls are the most difficult dish as it is … but these ones are even easier. It’s practically a crime.

• See here for the Cheat’s sausage rolls recipe.

12. Vegetarian nachos with guacamole

Bright, colourful and requiring no more than a little basic assembly, this will have your guests hovering around it like kids to a Mr Whippy van.

• See here for the Vegetarian nachos with guacamole recipe.

13. Maple bacon popcorn

Well, sure, for a really simple last-minute dish you could just serve up popcorn, but with just a couple of simple additions, you’ll have your guests whispering later ‘and what about that popcorn?!’ In a good way.

• See here for the Maple bacon popcorn recipe.

 

Two-ingredient wonders

If you’ve left it so last-minute that you’re literally rummaging around in your cupboard for ideas as your guests are due to arrive, these two-ingredient recipes could just be your white knights.

14. 2-ingredient strawberry fudge

Presents beautifully on the plate but the real beauty is the foolproof, fail-safe simplicity involved in creating it.

•  See here for the 2-ingredient strawberry fudge recipe.

15. 2-ingredient chocolate cupcakes

Loved by everyone, cupcakes generally suggest some diligent work in the kitchen in putting them together. That’s because nobody knows about these cheaty little delights.

• See here for the 2-ingredient chocolate cupcakes recipe.

16. 2-ingredient cheese crisps

Delicious with guacamole or salsa, your guests will be so impressed that you made these yourself. Just hope that they don’t ask for the recipe, then your ‘no effort was made whatsoever’ jig will be up.

• See here for the 2-ingredient cheese crisps recipe.

17. 2-ingredient Nutella cake

Got Nutella? Got eggs? That’s cake sorted then. *Dusts off hands and looks smug.

• See here for the 2-ingredient Nutella cake recipe.

18. 2-ingredient Mexican dip

Yes, you could just open a container of store-bought dip. Or you could open two containers, bung them together, then look modest and say, “I made it myself”.

• See here for the 2-ingredient Mexican dip recipe.