St. Patrick’s Day snacks are essential for the holiday. From traditional Irish cuisine to green-colored food trends, there are many items that a restaurant business can have on its appetizer list. When coming up with St. Patrick’s party food ideas, it’s essential to keep convenient finger food and bite-size dishes in mind.
In this blog post, we’re going to cover a total of ten items that you can add to a St. Patrick’s Day menu. Now, let the kitchen preparations begin!
5 Popular St. Patrick’s Day Snacks
Every menu needs an appetizer section to pair with the St. Patrick's Day food specials. Below, you’ll find five traditional St. Patrick’s Day food ideas that make for delicious starters. Read on for all the details!
1. Soda Bread
Everyone who celebrates St. Patrick’s Day should have at least a sliver of Irish soda bread at some point. It’s an Irish staple and almost every baked good supplier will be fully stocked with it in preparation for St. Patrick’s Day. Or, you can prepare your own recipe to serve to customers! It’s rather simple to make and will certainly aid your business in maximizing revenue.
2. Irish Cheese Platter
Yes, you can create something similar to a charcuterie board featuring cheeses imported from Ireland. A couple of delicious options include Cashel blue, Irish cheddar, and Dubliner. Then, you can fill the spaces in between with cracker varieties to complete the board. You can even add a miniature pot of beer cheese, but more on that later!
3. Corned Beef and Cabbage Bites
Corned beef and cabbage is part of almost every full course meal on St. Patrick’s Day. But is there a way to add it to the appetizer menu and it not be too filling? There sure is! Simply add all the ingredients together in mini puff pastries. This way, you get all the flavors of the whole dish while it’s just light enough to be a snack.
4. Irish Potato Skins
Potato skins are a popular go-to appetizer for many reasons. For one, they’re extremely versatile. But more importantly, they’re just as easy to prepare as they are delicious. From bacon bits to cheddar cheese, there are so many ingredients that make this appetizer dish burst with flavor. Plus, adding this item to your St. Patrick's Day food selection will help keep up with the Irish theme. After all, the nationality is in the name!
5. Pretzels and Irish Beer Cheese
Here’s an exciting and festive tip: add one of your favorite Irish beer brands to a beer cheese dip. For St. Patrick’s Day, using Guinness in such a recipe will probably be your best choice. It’s a super famous Irish stout, which means that everyone will be drinking it on St. Patrick’s Day. Then, using it in a food recipe will create a perfect pairing. Oh, and you can’t forget about the pretzels. Warm, freshly baked pretzel rods pair amazingly well with beer cheese. It’s the perfect combo for anyone craving a salty snack.
5 Ideas for Green St. Patrick’s Day Snacks
Okay, now that we’ve gotten the traditional dishes out of the way, let’s dive into the fun recipes! Green food for St. Patrick’s Day always adds to the festivities, which is why they should exist on your appetizer menu. See below for five delicious options.
1. Spinach Dip
If you’re looking for a fan favorite that will complement the green theme of St. Patrick’s Day, add spinach dip to the appetizer menu. It’s light yet savory, and is one of the most popular food favorites on menus in general. Then, you can pair it with beer bread or tortilla chips. We’ll talk more about festive chips in a bit!
2. Popcorn
You can add a green hue to popcorn by dying the oil it’s popping in. Or, you can purchase festive flavors of gourmet popcorn from a wholesale business. You might be able to find something that has a green-colored white chocolate drizzle, too. Or, you may find something like green popcorn with gold sprinkles to really suit the St. Patrick’s Day theme.
3. Tortilla Chips
You’re going to need something to pair with all the dips on the appetizer menu. You’ll be happy to know that freshly baked tortilla chips can be dyed green. When you’re preparing the dough for the tortillas, simply add a drop or two of green food coloring. Then, go about making the chips as you normally would. It couldn’t be easier to prepare and will add a festive touch to your menu.
4. Deviled Eggs
The mixture that goes into deviled eggs typically sits in a bright egg white cup. But what if we told you that there is a super simple way to make this dish green? After slicing the egg white but before you fill them, fill a pot with water. Add a splash of white vinegar and green food dye until you reach a desirable color. Then, let the cooked egg whites soak until they take on the color you have in mind. Once you successfully change the color of the egg whites, proceed with the recipe as usual.
5. Fruit and Veggie Platter
There are a number of different fruits and vegetables that are naturally green in color. If you’re searching for healthy St. Patrick’s Day snacks, this item should absolutely be on your menu. Plus, it’s kind of hard to find guilt-free St. Patrick's Day food ideas, which means that fruit and veggies can bring a sense of balance. Some ideas for the platters include kiwi, bell peppers, broccoli, grapes, honeydew, and so much more.
The Importance of St. Patrick’s Day Snack Ideas
Even the most festive holidays can have a very social atmosphere. With this in mind, not all St. Patrick's Day party plans will include a sit-down meal. It's also important to note that something as heavily associated with drinking as St. Patrick's Day is bound to boast a much more casual dining experience.
So, what does one serve alongside the flowing drinks at a St Patrick's Day party? Snacks, of course! Supplying your guests with a number of finger foods is a must. Plus, they’re convenient to serve and consume while enjoying the party. Oh, and you can’t lose sight of how much they complement various drinks.
Frequently Asked Questions About St. Patrick’s Day Snacks
St. Patrick’s Day snacks can include quite a variety of recipes. From traditional dishes to trendy ideas, this post should have covered enough to create an appetizer menu for your restaurant. However, there’s still more to learn about Irish cuisine that could influence St. Patrick’s Day snacks. So, without further ado, read on for additional information! Before you know it, you'll have one of the most popular restaurants or best bars for St. Patrick's Day.
What Are Some Common St. Patrick’s Day Snacks?
Some common St. Patrick’s Day snacks include soda bread, colcannon, anything with minty flavors or hues, and of course, anything that you can dye a fun shade of green. However, it’s important to note that dying food items green isn’t the most traditional practice in Ireland.
What Foods Are You Supposed to Eat On St. Patrick’s Day?
The two types of entree food that people are supposed to eat, according to tradition, are shepherd's pie and corned beef and cabbage. As for appetizers and St. Patrick’s Day snacks, dishes like pudding, soda bread, Irish pancakes, and colcannon are quite popular.
What Foods Can I Dye Green for St. Patrick’s Day?
Some of the best and easiest foods to dye green for St. Patrick’s Day include:
- Sugar and butter cookies
- Irish potatoes
- Deviled eggs
- Muffins
- Eggs
- Bread
- Smoothies
- Milkshakes
What Are Some Popular Snacks In Ireland?
Some of the most popular snacks in Ireland are:
- Crisp sandwiches
- Pudding
- Jaffa cakes
- Apple cake
- Shortbread cookies
What Is a Typical Irish Meal?
You can often find colcannon as a typical Irish meal. The blend of mashed potatoes with cabbage is a staple in Ireland. Plus, the addition of green veggies makes it a perfect option for St. Patrick's Day.
Start the Festivities With Tasty St. Patrick’s Day Snacks
When dining out, the beginning of a meal always contains a variety of appetizers. But if you’re present at something a bit more casual, such menu items can be great snacks. It all depends on the atmosphere. But if you operate a restaurant, always be mindful of the ways you can be creative in regard to festive holiday menus. With the ideas listed in this blog post, you should be fully prepared for St. Patrick’s Day! Stay tuned for future content about all the other holidays!
