Best Buffet Bites

Everyone loves a good buffet! Whatever the occasion, a well-stocked buffet table is sure to get your party off to the best possible start. From flavour-filled bites to side dishes and sweet treats, your guests will want to load up their plates with all the tastiest offerings. 

The good news is that putting on a slimming-friendly spread doesn’t have to mean scrimping on flavour or missing out any classic buffet dishes. That’s right – we’ve got your next celebration covered with our round-up of Pinch of Nom’s best buffet bites!

Sausage Rolls

We’re starting off with a buffet classic! Who can resist popping a couple of Sausage Rolls onto their paper plate? Crispy and golden, kids and grown-ups alike will be making a beeline for their favourite snack (we’ve even got a vegan version covered).

If you want to go all out and impress your guests, lay out a tray of these Pulled Pork Rolls too. Filled with succulent pork, and finished with a sprinkling of sesame seeds, they’re bound to go down a treat! Why not set out any leftover pulled pork for guests to spoon onto their plates or add into sandwiches?

Tear & Share Cheesy Garlic Dough Balls

Buffets are all about sharing, so you can’t go wrong with these Tear & Share Cheesy Garlic Dough Balls. Making these from scratch takes a little bit of time, but it’s so worth it when you smell them baking in the oven. 

Filled with melty mozzarella and drizzled with garlic butter, a batch of these will serve 16, so everyone will get a chance to bite into that cheesy goodness. Serve them fresh out of the oven for maximum cheesiness!

Ploughman’s Quiche

Slice it up and share it out! A hearty quiche is perfect for a buffet, and our cheesy Ploughman’s Quiche will be your new favourite go-to recipe. It has all the best bits of a Ploughman’s lunch, loaded with ham and cheese (don’t worry, we didn’t forget that glorious tangy pickle). 

This handy dish is freezer-friendly, so you can make it in advance and have it ready to heat in the oven on the day of your buffet. It doesn’t get much easier than that!

Coleslaw

No buffet table is complete without a bowl of Coleslaw. It’s the perfect side dish to scoop alongside your slice of quiche or spoon onto your salad. Crunchy and refreshing, any kind of slaw will do the trick, so why not spice up the table with this Coronation Coleslaw?

We really love this Quick Kimchi Style Slaw for fresh, Korean-inspired flavours. It’s ideal for bringing to a celebration because you can prep it in advance and leave it to ferment for up to 2 weeks – the longer you leave it, the better it’ll taste!

Potato Salad

Whether you’re enjoying a garden buffet in the sunshine or hosting indoors where it’s warm and dry, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got a bowl of Potato Salad ready. Our recipe skips the mayonnaise and uses a mixture of quark and fat free natural yoghurt instead. This means you get the same creamy potatoes, with far fewer calories. 

For a twist on the classic recipe, try out our Sweet Potato and Harissa Salad. The harissa paste gives the spuds a nice kick – it pairs so well with a crisp green salad. 

Greek Salad

Speaking of salad, your buffet spread needs a splash of green! Even the fussy-eaters and salad-dodgers won’t be able to resist brightening up their plates with a serving of this fresh Greek Salad. 

We’ve left out the olives and oil to keep the calories low, while still making sure you get all those refreshing Greek-inspired flavours. With zesty lemon to cut through the salty feta cheese, this is such a versatile salad that’ll go with loads of the dishes on your buffet table. 

Sticky Sesame Chicken Drumsticks

Served hot or cold, these Sticky Sesame Chicken Drumsticks are always popular at a buffet. Marinated in a Chinese-inspired, honey-infused sauce, they take on all those sweet and salty flavours when they’re roasted in the oven. 

You can keep them in the fridge for 3 days, or even freeze and reheat them – so they’re a dream if you want to get organised in advance. 

Chicken Satay Skewers

We love a buffet bite that you can dip! These Chicken Satay Skewers are bitesize chunks of tender chicken, marinated in aromatic spices and served with a moreish satay dipping sauce. 

Traditional satay recipes are made with peanut butter (which is super high in fat and calories). To keep our version slimming friendly, we’ve swapped this for powdered peanut butter combined with Alpro Coconut Drink – just wait until you try it!

Chickpea Tikka Dip

Every buffet needs a selection of chopped veggies, breadsticks, pittas and something delicious to dip them in. This Chickpea Tikka Dip is one of our favourites because it’s so quick and easy to make. 

It can be as spicy as you want it to be, so keep an eye on which curry powder you use. Go for a mild version if you’re not sure all your guests can handle the heat! Paired with crunchy veggies like carrot sticks and celery, this is a winner all-round. 

Biscoff Cheesecake

Once you’ve been back to the buffet table a few times to load up your plate with savoury treats, it’ll be time to move onto dessert. If you want to put on an epic spread, we’ve got two words for you – Biscoff Cheesecake. 

This is going to go down a storm, so you’ll have to be quick if you want to get your hands on a slice! You can cut it into 10 slices (with 234 calories in each piece), or why not halve the slices if you want it to stretch a bit further? That way, you’ve got the perfect excuse to try out the other sweet treats on offer!

(Pssst…you’ll find a whole host of other Biscoff goodies here).

Lemon Sponge Traybake

When you’ve got a fair few mouths to feed, anything that you can make in a big batch is ideal. We reckon this Lemon Sponge Traybake is a dream buffet recipe. Sweet and zesty, it serves 16 people. 

There’s not a chance your guests will be able to resist when they spot this on the buffet table. Light sponge with a tart, lemon curd topping – what’s not to like? Best of all, it’s so slimming friendly, with just 77 calories in each lemony square. 

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

If your guests are looking for something sweet and fruity to finish off their buffet, we’ve got the perfect treat. Our Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries are always a crowd-pleaser! Not only do they taste incredible, they also look so colourful and tempting on the table. 

Filled with a creamy cheesecake mixture and topped with a sprinkle of biscuit crumbs, these are dreamy little bitesize delights! You could even crush up a few different kinds of biscuits to offer a choice of flavours – try ginger nuts or a crumbled bourbon (just bear in mind that you’ll need to work out the extra calories, if you’re counting). 

What are your favourite slimming-friendly buffet recipes?

We’d love to know what recipes you enjoy making for a buffet! Tell us over in our Facebook group, where there are almost 1 million members sharing ideas and inspiration. 

Plus, don’t forget you can also share your tips, quotes and photos over in the PON gallery. There’s even SWAG up for grabs for our favourite submissions.