Bank Holiday Buffet Recipes
We all love a bank holiday, especially if the sunshine decides to make an appearance. Rain or shine, celebrating with a buffet is always a good idea – there’s nothing better than a table full of tasty snacks and tempting finger foods.
It’s true that a lot of classic buffet foods aren’t known for being slimming-friendly: we’re talking pastry-wrapped sausage rolls, creamy potato salads and full-fat coleslaw. The good news is that, along with having our own low-calorie versions of all of these foods, we have a whole load of other slimming-friendly goodies that deserve a spot on the buffet table.
String up the bunting, set out the paper plates and get ready to put on the best ever bank holiday spread…
Light Bites
Buffets sometimes get a bad reputation for only offering a selection of various beige foods. In our opinion, no buffet is complete without a salad or two, so you can spoon some green goodness on your plate before diving into the Sausage Rolls.
This Tabbouleh recipe only calls for a handful of ingredients, but each carefully selected item brings big, punchy flavours. Based on a Middle Eastern-inspired salad, it’s no surprise that the flavours are bold and refreshing, with zesty lemon and herby parsley working their magic.
Delicious when paired with practically everything, this one is a no-brainer for your bank holiday buffet. Spoon it into a generous serving bowl and encourage everyone to dig in!
If we’re talking about bright, vibrant flavours, we can’t forget to pop this Summer Pineapple, Lime, Feta and Quinoa Salad on the buffet table. The salty feta cuts through the sweetness of the fruit, with fluffy, light quinoa as the base of the salad to make it really filling.
A real taste of summer holidays, this is a low-calorie side dish that you won’t want to skip. At just 256 calories per serving, you’ll want to save some room on your plate for a spoonful…or two!
We’re pretty sure one of the buffet golden rules is that there must be a quiche on the table! You can’t go wrong with a classic and (even without the crust) that’s exactly what our Crustless Quiche Lorraine is.
Beautifully simple to make, you’ll be amazed at what you can do with some eggs, bacon, cheese and an onion. Mixed up with some quark and baked in the oven, it turns into a golden, cheesy quiche that slices perfectly for a buffet.
A little less conventional, but 100% delicious, these Sticky Chicken Nuggets deserve to be made for the next bank holiday. Quick enough to rustle up any day of the week, the sweet, sticky glaze makes these taste like such a treat.
Coated in crunchy panko breadcrumbs and crisped up in the oven or in the air fryer (there’s an air fryer method here), we’re betting you’ll have to be quick to get a couple of these on your plate. At 212 calories per serving, they’ll be snaffled up in no time!
Finger Food
There’s a reason that sandwiches and snacky bits go down a storm at a buffet, picnic or party – everyone likes finger food that they can graze on during the day. For guests that are just feeling a little peckish, a selection of chopped vegetables, pitta bread and a couple of homemade dips will always be welcome.
Along with a Hummus-Style Dip, we like to make this Spinach and Pesto Dip to go on our table. Ready in 5 minutes, you won’t be spending all your bank holiday in the kitchen – just blend the ingredients together and transfer it into a serving bowl.
If you’re catering for guests who are vegan, vegetarian or dairy- free, simply use plant-based alternatives for the yoghurt and cheese.
Finger food, but make it fancy! These Tomato and Basil Tarts are bright, cheery, and only 53 calories each. The filo pastry cases are filled with a creamy mild cheese mixture, topped with sweet cherry tomatoes.
Pastry doesn’t always freeze well, so we’d recommend making these on the day of your buffet (luckily they only need 20 minutes in the oven). Served warm or cold, they’re a tasty bitesize nibble that you can grab and enjoy while you’re deciding what other goodies to load onto your plate.
You might expect to see coronation chicken on a buffet table, but these Coronation Chickpeas bring the familiar flavour, without the meat. Lovely and light, they’re a versatile addition to your finger food line-up: they can be squished into sandwiches, spooned onto crackers or (our personal fave) wrapped into lettuce cups for the perfect bite.
By swapping mayonnaise for fat-free Greek yoghurt, we’ve said goodbye to lots of calories, and without losing any of the creaminess that you want from the curried dressing. They’re so tasty, you’ll be back for a second helping!
Create a real sense of occasion by displaying this show-stopping Savoury Cheesecake at the centre of your spread. As well as being a great conversation starter (who knew cheesecake could be savoury!), it’s more budget-friendly than putting on a full cheeseboard, but just as tasty.
The base is made from crumbled-up oatcakes, to give a really satisfying crunch. The creamy, cheesy filling is baked on top and finished with sweet cherry tomatoes that’ve been roasted in balsamic until they’re beautifully caramelised.
No one will believe that this is only 159 calories per slice!
Sweet Treats
Once the savoury snacks have been snapped up, your hungry bank holiday buffet guests are sure to be ready for something sweet. You don’t need to whip up anything fancy – a few simple, slimming-friendly desserts should have you covered. From chocolatey to fruity, there’s something for everyone!
An oldie but a goldie, no buffet is complete without our Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries. Each sweet, juicy strawberry is filled with a light yet creamy mixture and sprinkled with biscuit crumbs to give it that unmistakable cheesecake taste.
We love to have a bit of fun when making these, and switch up the kinds of biscuits we use. Try crushing a ginger nut, chocolate bourbon or even a custard cream (just remember to adjust the calories accordingly, if you’re counting).
Colourful and tempting, these Lemon and Blueberry Tarts are easier to make than they look. For 49 calories each, these pretty little pastries have a lovely crunch and a sweet, fruity filling.
They don’t take long to make, although we recommend baking them right before you’re ready to serve – you don’t want the creamy curd filling to make that golden filo pastry too soggy.
If you want to offer a chocolate-based treat, but fancy something different to brownies, these Chocolate Swirls are just what you need. Probably the easiest recipe on this list, you only need 2 ingredients and a spare 20 minutes to make them.
Once your guests smell the buttery, flaky, freshly-baked pastry, we’re guessing they won’t be able to resist! If you agree that they’ll prove popular, you might like to rustle up a few of our other sweet and savoury swirl recipes to make sure there’s enough to go around! We’ve rounded up our favourites for you right here.
There’s something special about a good, old-fashioned Trifle, especially on a bank holiday. With layers of jelly, custard and cream, a shop-bought version can often come with a hefty calorie count, so we came up with our own slimming-friendly recipe: and it doesn’t disappoint!
Perfect for preparing in advance, you can even switch up the flavours of jelly and the fruit inside it. Whatever flavour combo you go for, this classic sweet treat is the ideal final addition to your best-ever buffet table.
Are you planning a bank holiday buffet?
We hope we’ve inspired you to make a few of these slimming-friendly recipes for your next buffet, picnic or bank holiday shindig! Head on over to our Facebook group to let us know which recipes you’ll be giving a go.
For more inspiration, take a look through the Pinch of Nom Gallery to see what everyone else has been cooking up lately! It’s so easy to share your photos – just sign up for a free website account and upload your pics. We can’t wait to see them!
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