I love being able to host a shower at brunch time because it has such a fun, relaxed atmosphere with lots of delicious food to choose from. There’s always a great mix of snacks for hanging around for a few hours, as well as heartier foods that can be cut into smaller bites.
There’s no pressure to fix yourself a huge plate all at once, you can go up as many times as you want and grab things as you want. This makes the planning really easy as well, because you don’t have to stick to one specific category. I like to make sure there’s a few heartier warm items to be the base, and then I like to mix in fruits, pastries, and other snacky items to go with them.
1) Mini Quiches
This one is a brunch classic for a reason. There are so many different flavor combinations you can have, and they’re especially easy to cook as well as make portable while you’re strolling around looking at photos or doing activities.
They’re really easy to prep ahead of time, and flavor combinations can easily be mixed and matched to have different quantities within the same batch. Spinach and feta with grilled onions is one of my absolute favorites. If you’re looking for something a little heartier, you can go with sausage and cheese. If you have leftovers, these also reheat fine in the oven or in the air fryer.
2) Cinnamon Rolls
Whether you have a from-scratch recipe that’s been handed down in your family or you get them in the tube at the grocery store, these are a hit either way. The warm cinnamon filling that caramelizes on the bottom is always delicious, and they make your house smell amazing.
If you have a lot of other sweets to choose from, make sure to include a knife so the guests can easily split a cinnamon roll if they want to get a sample of all the delicious things you have.
3) Mini Pancakes
This is a way to take a regular breakfast food that’s a little bit harder to serve at a gathering and make it much more plate friendly. Make the pancakes about the size of silver dollars, and then they’re much easier to mix and match with different fruits or savory options.
Get a fun bottle so people can add their own little drizzle of maple syrup if they want, or you can add some different toppings like whipped cream or cream cheese spread. One of my favorite ways that I’ve had this was at a brunch where we had chocolate covered strawberries as well as mini pancakes to wrap them in.
4) Baked French Toast
This is a great one to prep ahead of time so that you’re not up at 3am trying to get all the food ready at the same time. Preparing it ahead also gives the bread more time to soak in the delicious custard.
To make it more presentation forward when it’s sitting on the table, you can add a few fresh berries on top that will still be okay if they get warm. I’d recommend doing something like blueberries or raspberries. This is another place where having a few bottles of syrups or toppings can fit with multiple different types of crunchy desserts.
5) Smoked Salmon Bagel Board
This one really has a wow factor if you take a little bit of time to assemble it, and it doesn’t take that much effort. The main thing is to make sure your ingredients are cut small enough that people are able to build their own delicious perfect bite.
To make it extra easy, you could pre-portion small dipping cups with a generous scoop of cream cheese, and have little signs that label the flavors, like an herb cream cheese or a sun-dried tomato to go with the savory flavors. Give the rest of the toppings their own individual bowl with a small spoon, like capers, thin sliced red onion, cucumber, dill, or small wedges of lemon.
Cut your bagels in a radial pattern so you have little circles of bagel, and then you can build your own perfect delicious bite. You don’t have to worry about arranging every single item so that they’re perfectly even, just putting each item in its own bowl is going to do all the work for presentation. Even if you have some people who aren’t that big on fish, this still works really well as a fancy veggie bagel station.
6) Deviled Eggs
These are a classic for any type of group gathering. A tray of them shows up, and an empty tray leaves at the end. To add a little more flavor to your filling, I recommend adding a little bit of Dijon mustard and maybe some smoked paprika.
My family also loves some very thinly sliced red onion on top as well. You don’t need an overpowering amount of any of those flavors, but all of them are strong enough to fight the strong sulfury egg flavor. This is a dish that should be mixed up the day that you’re going to an event, because they can get a little bit stale and show signs of having a film over the top of the filling.
7) Yogurt Parfait Cups
This is a great way to add a little bit more of a fresh and healthy option, where you can use something like Greek yogurt that’s going to give you a lot of good protein as well as the fresh fruits. If you have the time, you can portion them into individual bowls, or you could do it in one large serving dish almost like a British trifle, but a little bit healthier and more breakfasty.
Use a clear bowl so that people can see what’s on each layer and take a scoop of their favorite things. I’d recommend keeping granola on the side for people to add themselves, otherwise it will start to take in some of the moisture from the yogurt.
8) Fruit Salad
If you want a way to brighten and perk up some of those unappetizing bland melon cubes that are out of season, try adding a dressing to your fruit salad instead. This means you can save money on less expensive fruits and not need to load it sky high, and it gives you a lot of delicious flavor.
My favorite is to add some honey as well as lime juice and zest to give it a really bright and sweet flavor. Another option is to go a little bit more towards mint and sugar. If you have something like pineapple or mango, I like to have a small bottle of Tajín as well, to let people add a little bit of spicy topping if they want.
9) Scones
Scones are an excellent bake to bring even if you’re a beginning baker, because there’s no intricate frosting or specific timings required. If you’re feeling ambitious, you could do one sweet and one savory option to give a little bit more variety.
If you want to keep it simpler, you could make one base dough and add two different types of mix-ins, maybe one with fruit, one with chocolate and almonds, any type of combination that you can dream of, you can mix it into a good base scone dough. Pop them back into the oven just before they’re about to be served, and they’re going to fill the house with a delicious bakery scent.
10) Croissant Sandwich Bar
This option is really low effort and high reward for the host, because you basically just have to take the ingredients and put them on a plate and let everyone do the work. Everyone’s happy because you get your own custom sandwich, and it’s much easier than trying to pack each individual sandwich exactly how you want and having leftovers because some people didn’t like the options.
You don’t need to get super complicated, just one or two options for a meat and a cheese, and then a few other crunchy elements like maybe cucumbers or some fresh greens. There’s now a huge variety of fun spreads as well, just in the regular grocery store. You could do some chipotle mayo or garlic aioli, all of which are going to add another fun customization element to the sandwich with minimal effort and without having to mix something from scratch.
If this is for a baby shower specifically, make sure you have a few options that aren’t cured meat, so that the pregnant person is able to have their own fun sandwich as well if they’re avoiding nitrates.
11) Breakfast Potatoes
This is another super easy dish that’s going to give you some savory options, so that you’re not overwhelmed by desserts trying to show up at 10am. Coat potatoes with herbs, salt, and oil, and then roast them until the edges are crispy. If you’d like, you can also throw in some chopped onions and peppers.
These hold up really well and they taste delicious even if they’re not fresh out of the oven that exact moment. A great way to elevate these even more is to add some sauces to dip them in, like some garlic aioli, or ketchup to treat them more like french fries.
12) Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled eggs might be a little bit basic and boring, but they’re also something that is never left over at a breakfast bake, especially if they’re made correctly. Make sure that when you’re preparing them, you remember that they’re not going to be eaten right away and will have to stay stable on the countertop for a while.
Because of this, you might want to cook on a lower heat than you usually do, so that you can find just the exact point when they become cooked. Another thing that helps with this is if you season after they have already started cooking. This is going to help keep the moisture in the eggs themselves instead of coming out and making them wet and soggy.
I like to let the eggs be seasoned just lightly with salt and pepper, and let other people add the toppings they want. Shredded cheese, chives, or a little bit of hot sauce are all going to be delicious toppings.
13) Breakfast Sausage Links
Having some more protein options is going to help keep people from getting the jitters from too much sugar and carbs. Try to find an option that has a smaller size so that people can take just what they want.
If you want a slightly lighter feeling option, you can have turkey or chicken sausage, which will have a little bit less fat than traditional pork.
14) Vegetarian Frittata
A good frittata is incredibly simple to make, and it also looks amazing with little bits of the vegetables poking up through the cooked egg. The vegetables give each bite a different flavor, and they even taste great at room temperature after they’ve been sitting for a while.
One of my favorite combinations is spinach, onion, and goat cheese. The salty flavor really packs a punch, and it mixes well with the sweet caramelized onions. Another crowd-pleasing combination that I like is tomato, cheddar, and a little bit of cubed sweet potato.
Just make sure to cut all your veggies into bite-sized pieces so that they cook evenly. Let the mixture puff up in the oven, and then it will sink down a little bit as it comes out and cools.
15) Mini Grilled Cheese
This isn’t your typical brunch dish, but it is incredibly easy to make and is always a crowd pleaser. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can make tiny cups of tomato soup to go with it.
Cheese and crispy bread can be made in lots of different combinations. You could almost have it like a pre-built cheese tasting. Just remember to keep the pieces small so that it’s easy for people to pick and try what they want.
16) Waffle Platter
Make a large batch ahead of time and keep them warm in the oven, so that you don’t have to feel like you’re being a personal chef for the entire event.
This makes it easy to enjoy the event, as long as you give them a good amount of toppings to mix and match on top of their delicious buttery waffle. Some peanut butter and chocolate, whipped cream and berries, or brown sugar and walnuts are all always crowd pleasers.
17) Chia Pudding Cups
These ones might not have the shock and awe factor of other desserts, but there is always going to be the one friend with a huge water bottle who’s thankful for a healthy option. Also, near the end of the event when you feel like you’ve eaten way too much, this is going to be just the thing that sounds appetizing as you head out the door.
Chia pudding is super easy to prep ahead of time. I like to pre-soak the seeds so that they can get nice and plump before adding the milk, yogurt, and fruit on top. I also love to mix in a little bit of granola or old-fashioned oats to give it just a little bit more whole grains.
18) Avocado Toast Bites
The iconic millennial breakfast can easily be made into a party option, especially if you’re smart about your bread choice. Using a smaller piece of baguette, you can easily cut individual toast rounds and then add your mashed avocado on top.
I like to mix it with lemon and a little bit of salt to give it a fresh flavor and keep it from going brown during the event. I love to sprinkle these with some feta cheese and a little bit of everything bagel seasoning.
19) Caprese Skewers
To make these individual and bite-sized, I’d recommend using grape tomatoes and small mozzarella pearls. They can be easily assembled onto small cocktail skewers with a little bit of basil, and then given a light drizzle of balsamic glaze.
20) Tea Sandwiches
These might seem a little old-fashioned, but there’s a reason they’ve stuck around for so long. They’re incredibly refreshing, with the crunchy cucumber and the delicious salty flavor of the dill cream cheese.
If you want to feel extra fancy, you can remove the crusts on the edges of the sandwiches. Cutting them into fun shapes is another way to match them to the theme of whatever shower you’re throwing.
21) Baked Brie
Having even just a small wheel of cheese is immediately going to make your event feel much more fancy. Once the cheese becomes gooey and the jam becomes shiny and thick, it’s going to transform the smell and taste of your entire plate.
Serve alongside some crackers or some slices of fruit. You’re sure to have one or two guests who tell you that this is their favorite thing you serve for the whole event.
22) Breakfast Charcuterie Board
A nice looking breakfast board gives the impression of putting a very large amount of work in while really not doing much at all. This can be your little secret that your guests don’t have to know about.
You can get high quality pre-sliced cheeses, slice them into slightly smaller individual pieces, mix in one or two types of cured meats, and then just add small piles of fruit, nuts, and something sweet like a type of jam. Sometimes I’ve added a small pot of honey as well.
It looks incredibly impressive all laid out on the board, and it really gives people what they want because they’re able to pick and choose and customize what they want to put on their plate. This is absolutely what every person wants to see, because it’s basically a grown-up version of a Lunchables.
23) Biscuit Bites
These have all the benefits of a delicious biscuit sandwich but make them much more easy and portable at a party, and easier to lose track of how many you’ve eaten. Take your favorite breakfast sandwich ingredients and wrap them in a little bit of biscuit dough.
Bake them until the edges are lightly golden brown, and you can brush them with a little more butter on top as well. These hold up great sitting at the table, and people really enjoy them throughout the entire event. Optionally, you can also add a little bit of hot sauce or some garlic mayo for people to dip them in as well.
24) Granola Bowl
Granola can be fairly straightforward and not very exciting, but that’s where having variety in toppings is really going to make a difference. Give your guests a few different bowls of nuts, some yogurt or milk to add to the granola, and different types of dried or fresh fruits. People love the crunchy texture that it adds to what would be just a regular fruit bowl.
25) Orange Salad
This Mediterranean inspired salad is going to give a bright, fresh crispness to the rest of your overwhelming, sugary, carbohydrate-laden table. Orange and fennel are going to give a nice crisp zesty flavor, and they go great with a glass of juice or a mimosa.
If fennel seems like too big of a stretch for your table, you can go a little milder with mint and citrus instead.
26) Simple Green Salad
A pop of green is going to add something bright and fresh to the rest of your table. Because of the atmosphere and the foods that you’ll be pairing it with, I recommend doing some greens that are going to give you a little bit of crunch, like some spring mix, or specifically some that have “crunchy” in the label.
Keep the dressing and the garnishes bright as well, with something fresh like cucumbers or a citrus vinaigrette. This is going to pair really, really well with some of the heavier foods like eggs or sausage that are going to be on the table. Slide a tray of ice underneath the tray that the salad will be in, because that will help keep it cold and crunchy for the rest of the meal.
27) Sparkling Mocktails
A custom drink for the event is going to really make it seem personalized. Just a small amount of internet sleuthing is going to give you dozens of mocktail recipes that are going to be even better than the originals. Try to opt for something that feels celebratory but isn’t overly sweet.
If you want, you can have grenadine and other types of syrups to add if people want to customize what’s in their drink. It also helps to have something that can be made in a large pitcher or serving container, so people can help themselves if they want a second one instead of having to ask the host each time.
28) Coffee Bar
This is about more than just the coffee itself that you serve, it’s about having options for people to make their own. Make sure you keep in mind the crowd that you’re going to be serving. Provide regular coffee, but it’s good to have at least one pot of decaf as well, along with a few types of cream or milk and some cinnamon.
Match your cups or mugs to whatever the theme of the party is, and it’s going to look great in pictures. Another thing that can really bring the wow factor for people at the party is to have a few different types of custom syrups to add to the coffee. Try to have at least one that’s unsweetened for people who like to avoid sugar.
29) Mini Muffins
This is another super easy bite-sized snack that’s easy to take one or two or three of if someone really loves how they taste. There’s much less mess to clean up, and it’s easy to portion them out because of the small size.
Flavors can also be easily customized with one base batch. You can have half blueberry, half chocolate chip from the same batter. They’re a little more socially acceptable at brunch than cupcakes, but just as delicious. Don’t worry about making too many for the event, because extras can always be popped in the freezer afterward.
30) Donut Holes
While these ones can get a little bit messy, they are absolutely worth it and always going to be popular at a brunch table. Try to have a few different options, but you don’t have to go too far out of the box to make this a popular item.
Having some glazed and some powdered is going to give a good mix and should have everyone happy. Make sure to add a few extra napkins at the place setting, because these can get a little bit messy and get crumbs on clothing.
31) Baby Shower Cookies
This is another great way to solidify your theme for the event without a lot of commitment. Something as simple as matching the color means they’ll easily go along with the event, and you could also put them in bags to send home as a favor.
Don’t worry too much about each individual cookie being perfect. Just try to match your colors and they will still be absolutely delicious and appreciated.
