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    Home / Eat More Breakfast / Fun Ideas for Hosting a Brunch Party - Inspiration & Recipes

    Jun 21, 2018 · Last Updated: Nov 9, 2021

    Fun Ideas for Hosting a Brunch Party - Inspiration & Recipes

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

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    Want to host a brunch party and need some inspiration? Find brunch party ideas and brunch food ideas below. Hosting brunch can be easy and effortless, and a whole lot of fun. Have a breakfast party any weekend, or make it a special brunch birthday party.

    Hosting a Brunch Party Tips and Tricks | The Worktop

    This post is sponsored by Snapfish. 

    What better way to enjoy the weekend than with friends over good food and a cup of coffee to catch up on the craziness (or lack thereof) from the week before?

    Brunch parties are a whole lot of fun as you can get together during the day. And then afterwards, you still have the whole afternoon and evening ahead of you.

    So how do you host a brunch party? I know hosting a brunch party (or any party for that matter) can be daunting at first thought with all the planning.

    But hopefully I'll provide some inspiration and ideas. My goal is to make it a smooth and easy event for you.

    Host a fabulous brunch party in your home

    The following is a list of brunch food ideas and brunch party ideas I've picked up from my own experience hosting brunches.

    Bacon Deviled Eggs for Breakfast | The Worktop #breakfast #brunch #eggs
    Bacon Deviled Eggs

    1. Take your time to come up with a menu for your brunch party

    Brunch parties are relaxed affairs. You can certainly throw together a menu at the last minute.

    However, if you have the luxury, it helps to be meticulous about planning a brunch party menu. There's a lot of time management involved if you have many mouths to feed. And of course, you want to eat with your guests.

    Personally, I always start planning my menu for a brunch party about a week ahead. That way I know I have enough time to get all the ingredients and knick knacks (skewers, garnishes, fresh cut flowers for the table).

    A well-thought out menu will make all the difference when it comes to seamlessly serving your dishes and drinks.

    Brunch Party Table Setting | The Worktop

    Here's a sample menu (and some brunch food ideas for you) I created for a pop up brunch party I hosted in the past. As you can see, it includes a variety of food types including:

    • a carb dish (berry white chocolate muffins),
    • a dish with greens (dino kale salad with lardons and lemon vinaigrette),
    • a substantive meat/egg dish (dippy eggs with grilled cheese soldiers),
    • a sweet dish (waffles with fresh whipped cream and berries), and
    • a fruity dish (yogurt parfait with spiced berry compote).

    If you want to have a more elaborate main dish, then make sure you have some easy starters to snack on while you're putting the finishing touches on the main.

    Or maybe you want to maximize your socializing time. In which case... see number 5 below for breakfast casserole ideas.

    Apple French Toast Casserole | The Worktop
    Apple French Toast Casserole

    2. If you're hosting brunch, don't forget to set up a coffee station

    I'm not sure you could actually have a brunch let alone host a brunch party without coffee. It is obviously a MUST.

    To make it fun and to everyone's preference, just set up a coffee station. That way, each guest can make their coffee to their liking. Set out milk, alternative milks, sugar, creamers.

    Hosting Brunch Party - Coffee Bar Idea | The Worktop

    And if you're real coffee nuts, set up a couple of different brew methods such as having a bottle of cold brew and a pour-over coffee on display.

    • Here's a recipe for a delicious cold brew concentrate
    • Here's a recipe for a tea-like cold brew that you serve straight up - no milk needed.

    I confess I do enjoy wowing guests with an artisanal pour-over coffee like they're used to seeing in coffee shops. (Learn how to brew coffee using the pour-over method in this detailed post.)

    Brunch Party V60 Pour over | The Worktop

    Although a coffee station can be self-explanatory, a placemat like this is a fun way to designate a coffee station (or maybe that hungover friend really could use the signage!).

    Additionally, the benefit of a coffee station is it keeps guests occupied with something they're familiar with. As they make their own coffees, you can be busy socializing or finishing off the brunch meal.

    As a general rule, the earlier you host your breakfast party, the more coffee you'll need.

    Hosting Brunch Party Idea - Coffee Bar | The Worktop

    I made this coffee placemat with Snapfish. It's a budget-friendly table décor that makes your coffee station look like a million dollars!

    3. Give your brunch a party feel with some cocktails or mocktails

    People need coffee, but people love cocktails and mocktails. There's just something fun about the word and vibes associated with it, like this Good Morning Sunburst Mocktail or this Blackberry Ginger Mocktail. Who can turn down something that sounds so fun?

    Or if you are looking for something stronger, but still refreshing enough for brunch, you'll love this Hibiscus Lemon Gin Cocktail.

    Sunburst Orange Juice Brunch Mocktails
    Sunburst Orange Juice Mocktail

    4. Don't neglect your drinks presentation. A brunch party idea: Coasters

    Just as plating food makes all the difference for whether something looks appetizing, this brunch party idea will make your table setting a little more lux.

    Like having saucers for coffee cups, incorporate brunch coasters as part of your juice or mocktail presentation.

    Hosting a Brunch Party - Ideas - Coaster Gifts | The Worktop

    These coasters are easily made with Snapfish and the personalisation aspect is unique, making them a wonderful keepsake. Be the good host and send your guest home with one or two or three of them. It's a fun and meaningful gift that reflects the time you spent together that morning.

    If you are hosting a brunch birthday party, these coasters make great treat bags for the guests. You can use any fun brunch sayings that you like, but a few to get you started:

    • Brunch Power
    • Brunch Squad
    • Egg-celle-nt
    • Bloom Baby Bloom
    • Where have you bean?
    Hosting a Brunch Party - Ideas | The Worktop

    5. Include at least one casserole on the menu for your brunch party

    I'm not going to lie, but the majority of my brunch parties always involve a casserole of some sort because they are easy. They're the perfect dish to serve because they offer large portions that are ready to be served at the same time.

    Looking for a savory brunch food idea? Try Sausage and Egg Breakfast Casserole, Bacon Breakfast Casserole or Crescent Roll Breakfast Casserole.

    Looking for a sweet brunch food idea? Try Challah French Toast Casserole or Apple French Toast Casserole.

    Here are also some brunch casserole ideas for dietary preferences:

    • Vegetarian Breakfast Casserole
    • Breakfast Potato Casserole (GF)
    • Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole with Tater Tots (GF).
    Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole Bacon | The Worktop
    Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole Bacon

    6. Actually, any make ahead recipes are your friend when planning a menu and looking for brunch food ideas

    If casseroles aren't your thing, then that's OKAY! There are tons of other make ahead recipes that allow you to do most of the preparation before your guests arrive.

    Chia Seeds in Yogurt | The Worktop
    Overnight Chia Seeds in Yogurt

    For a brunch food idea that guests can snack on, you could try these Oatmeal Energy Balls. For a sit-down brunch party, I've found that this Overnight Chia Seed with Yogurt is a popular one.

    But the real winner for the brunch food idea that's also a make ahead recipe is hands down this Healthy Peach Crisp with Granola that can be served warm if baked the day of, or cold if baked the day before.

    7. Set out finger foods and brunch canapes so you have time to finish up your main dish

    When guests have food and a drink in their hands, you don't need to worry about them, so make sure you include at least one "brunch appetizer" on your brunch party menu, just in case that casserole needs a bit longer cooking time than anticipated.

    Mini Pancake Skewers that are perfect for a kid-friendly breakfast! Healthy and delicious, and super simple to make | The Worktop
    Mini Pancake Skewers

    A fun brunch-themed canape are these Mini Pancake Skewers. These will be as much a talking point for guests as it is a food. These can be made and assembled ahead of time, and served with little cups of maple syrup for dipping.

    S'mores Pancake Skewers are also delicious and fun!

    8. Try new takes on traditional fresh juices to liven up a breakfast party

    Orange juice is always a safe classic to have for a breakfast party. However, try mixing it up with a Carrot Orange Ginger juice instead.

    You'll still have the orange juice, but you can give your guests a little health and flavor kick to wake them up.

    Orange Carrot Ginger Juice - serve at a brunch party | The Worktop
    Orange Carrot Ginger Juice

    Yes, you can easily buy juices at the store. But if you have a juicer, fresh juice is a real treat to serve at a breakfast party.

    9. Don't shy away from beautiful brunch tableware

    There's so many fun tableware you can use for a brunch party. If it's a small party, I pull out our nice china.

    The set in the photo on top is this Denby Lucille Gold Set, which was a wedding present. We bought it in the UK, so I'm not sure the best place to buy it if you are in the USA.

    But don't shy away from plastic if you need to feed a crowd for brunch. I love this set of gold glitter tableware (complete with plates, cups, and cutlery to make it easy for you).

    Or something less sparkly, this rose gold set of tableware is gorgeous. Even more, you can even use a rose gold sequin table runner to really emphasize the fabulousness of your brunch party.

    10. Make a brunch birthday party a thing!

    There are so many fun brunch twists on traditional birthday recipes. Think recipe such as Funfetti waffles or a Strawberries and Cream Crepe cake. How fun is that?

    Strawberries and Cream Crepe Cake - Brunch birthday party idea
    Strawberries and Cream Crepe Cake

    11. Don't forget the kids at the brunch party

    It'd be great if we could just miniaturize everything for kids. But since we can't, bake mini toddler muffins. These can be made days ahead of time anyway. The kids will feel special having something their size. And happy kids mean happy parents, which means happy brunch.

    If you want to keep kids entertained and get them cooking at a brunch party, give them the important job of topping this Red, White, and Blue Breakfast Puff Pastry Tart with all the berries!

    Red White Blue Breakfast Puff Pastry Tart Recipe | The Worktop
    Red, White, and Blue Breakfast Puff Pastry Tart

    This post is sponsored by Snapfish. Moreover, if you would like to make the coffee station placemat or the set of brunch coasters, you can use FOODIE40 for 40% off sitewide.

    How to Host a Brunch Party - Ideas | The Worktop
    « Red, White and Blue Breakfast - Puff Pastry Breakfast Tart with Whipped Greek Yogurt and Berries
    Healthy Chocolate Chia Pudding (Vegan, GF) »

    By Tina Jui
    Filed Under: Breakfast for a Crowd, Collections, Eat More Breakfast, Quick and Easy BrunchesTags: birthday

    About Tina Jui

    A breakfast lover and food blogger. Tina develops everyday breakfast recipes on The Worktop, and writes about all things related to breakfast and brunch. Read more about Tina Jui or drop an email to say hi.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jennifer says

      July 16, 2018 at 3:35 am

      You're speaking to my hosting-loving heart! What great ideas for a killer brunch party!

      Reply
    2. Sharon says

      July 16, 2018 at 3:05 am

      What great tips for throwing the perfect brunch! Allt he food looks so good too. I really like the pancake and fruit skewers.

      Reply
    3. Sri Mallya says

      July 15, 2018 at 7:40 pm

      So many great ideas and tips. Thank you so much for sharing. Saving this so that I can use when we host brunch party next time.

      Reply
    4. Tina says

      July 15, 2018 at 4:08 pm

      Oh my gosh, those mini pancake skewers are adorable. Thanks for this article, this is very helpful. The coasters are so clever and fun, I might have to try that. I have used Snapfish to make photo books, I forgot they have other items too. Saving this, too many great tips not to.

      Reply
    5. Lauren says

      July 15, 2018 at 4:34 am

      So many great ideas! I like your suggestions for how to pick your dishes for the brunch party - a great way to make sure you have all the bases covered. Can't wait to do this with my girlfriends!

      Reply
    6. Marisa Franca says

      July 14, 2018 at 6:58 pm

      What great tips and ideas!! I really love brunch and I think the dishes are so appealing to everyone. And I do love pour over coffee. The liquid is good and hot and you can't beat the taste. I'll be pinning this post.

      Reply
      • Tina Jui says

        July 14, 2018 at 7:20 pm

        Hope you get to host a brunch party very soon! Thanks for the pin!

        Reply
    7. Jenni LeBaron says

      July 14, 2018 at 6:11 pm

      I'm totally in for the concept of a brunch birthday party! This sounds so fun! These are really great tips. I especially appreciate your recommendations for having so many carb dishes, fruit dishes, protein dishes, etc.

      Reply
      • Tina Jui says

        July 14, 2018 at 7:23 pm

        A brunch birthday party really let's you start the celebrations early :)

        Reply
    8. Vaishali says

      July 13, 2018 at 3:41 pm

      I am so happy I found your post. I am hosting a brunch for some friends on Sunday. your ideas will come handy. Thanks

      Reply
      • Tina Jui says

        July 14, 2018 at 7:22 pm

        Have a great brunch party!

        Reply
    9. Pearl Rodrigues says

      July 13, 2018 at 12:44 pm

      I'm loving the detailed look of this post. This is surely tempting me to host a brunch party and I can't wait to have one !!

      Reply
    10. Kiki Johnson says

      July 10, 2018 at 11:24 pm

      These brunch ideas and tips are gold! I love the idea with the coffee station and yes, at least one casserole is a must! I will bookmark this for the next time we host a brunch party!

      Reply
      • Tina Jui says

        July 14, 2018 at 7:22 pm

        Thanks for saving the post. I hope you get to host a brunch party soon!

        Reply
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    Hi, I'm Tina and a lover of breakfast! The Worktop is where I share my everyday breakfast recipes. You can find lots of breakfasts and brunch ideas on my site. Many of the recipes are easy to make and healthy, but of course, you'll also find big brunch indulgences.

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