Most New Year’s Eve parties will have finger food instead of an actual meal. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t make New Year’s Eve a dinner party occasion. Still, it is a party, so instead of a sit-down dinner, we can use New Years Eve buffet menu ideas to feed the night.

New Years Eve buffet menu ideas are perfect party recipes that allow everyone to enjoy their last meal of the year together. New Year’s Eve parties usually have finger food instead of a full meal.

We want to be able to dance the night away and enjoy the music. But there is more than one way to celebrate the end of the year. We can throw a party that mixes dinner parties and New Year’s Eve parties together.

The trick is not having a full-on dinner but having a buffet instead. Buffets allow people to serve themselves a full plate of food, a complete meal. But there is this sense that the meal is more mobile than a dinner party meal.

We can serve ourselves and then walk around while we eat and enjoy conversations or take the plate to a table filled with friends. There is just more freedom with a buffet-style meal for parties.

Another major benefit of hosting a buffet New Year’s Eve party is variety. Variety is important because people will be nibbling all night long. There may even be some dietary restrictions we need to follow.

These problems are immediately solved when you have more variety. You can have dishes that focus on veggies and a meatier dish, as well as sides that complete each main course you choose differently.

Ultimately, New Years Eve buffet menu ideas will require a bit more work but are more than worth it all. 

Best of Life Recipes

Easy Crockpot Little Smokies

Beanless Instant Pot Chili Recipe

Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes with Cream

Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes with Ground Beef

Shredded Chicken Tacos

Beef Stroganoff Crockpot Recipe

New Years Eve Buffet Menu Ideas

The first question we need to answer is how many main courses do we want? Weddings will usually have one main course for significant dietary restrictions. For example, you will have one vegetarian, one pescatarian, and one meaty main course.

Then, you will pick the sides that go with each main course. We may not need to go that far with this menu. But we will want to have at least one meaty and one vegetarian main course. The main courses you choose will decide the sides.

Mexican Street Corn Casserole | Sunday Supper

Creole Scallop Cakes | Taste of Home

Korean Beef Tacos | Damn Delicious

Baked Mac and Cheese Bites | Pure Wow

Au Gratin Potatoes | Foodie Crush

New Year’s Eve Appetizers

New Years Eve buffet menu ideas will help you get through the night, but we can’t forget the starters. Luckily, you’re providing a full meal for your guests, which means you don’t have to go crazy with the finger food.

Instead, go with something simple like bread rolls and dips for them, chips and dip, or veggies and dip. Basically, a dip is the way to go. You can also think about desserts, which can be as simple as cookies or cupcakes.

The goal for the appetizers and desserts should be to utilize recipes that you can make batches of so there’s enough for everyone.

Cranberry Meatballs | Urban Bliss Life

Shrimp Boil | Simply Happy Foodie

French Dip Sliders | Half-Scratched

Pierogi Casserole with Kielbasa | Daily DIY Life

4-Ingredient Ravioli | Spend with Pennies

More Party Ideas

Fun Non-Alcoholic New Year’s Eve Drinks | Kids may be present at your celebration, which means they will need drinks too.

New Year’s Eve Quotes | Love Quotes for Couples. | There is nothing like sharing love with your partner at the start of a new year.

New Year’s Eve Toast Quotes | Do you need something to say when you raise a glass?

New Year’s Eve Cocktails for a Party | The kids are taken care of, and it is time for the adults to have a drink or two.

Best Quotes to Ring in the New Year | We can never enter a new year with enough motivation or inspiration.