Open house events are about making a great first impression and getting to know potential buyers. Even if they don’t buy this house right away, you never know when these potential clients could need your services and give you a call.
You want everything to be perfect for making them want to get to know you. A luxury real estate agent, like Dale Bryant, can provide consultation and help you prepare for the open house. In addition, there are other aspects that you can do as the homeowner. Here, let’s talk about open-house food.
You are not going to offer a five-course meal to everyone who comes for a visit. But offering a little something to eat to your open house guests will make them want to stay a little longer, and it could help them remember you fondly after the event.
But what should you feed your guests and potential clients? Get inspired by these nine ideas for open-house food.
Idea #1: Fresh-baked cookies
If you love a classic, consider baking cookies before your first open-house guests arrive. Whether chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies, oatmeal cookies, or any other recipe, they make the house smell great.
Since your guests might not be able to eat only one, you could prepare small paper bags with your logo and allow visitors to take a few cookies when they leave.
Idea #2: Fresh brownies
Instead of cookies, you could bake delicious brownies before your open house event. They are easy to prepare, and everyone loves them. You could make a batch with nuts, one without nuts, and one with caramel.
You could also prepare small paper bags for your potential clients to take a few extra brownies home. This little souvenir will make them more likely to remember you.
Idea #3: Finger sandwiches
Finger sandwiches are a great example of finger food that is perfect for an open house. You could provide paper plates for your guests to fill with cute little sandwiches while they visit the house.
Examples of ingredients you could prepare for your finger sandwiches include cream cheese, ham, smoked salmon, egg salad, and cucumbers.
Be sure to keep most of your sandwiches in the fridge and to bring out a new tray only when the first one is empty. You don’t want sandwiches containing meat or eggs to sit on the counter for too long.
Idea #4: Baked chips
For a healthy, crunchy and savoury snack, you could bake a potato, sweet potato, avocado, carrot, zucchini, kale, or eggplant chips.
Place them in large paper cups so it will be easier for your guests to walk around the house while they eat their snacks. Any food you serve at each open house should be portable unless you want visitors to stay in the kitchen so they can eat.
Idea #5: Cups of roasted nuts
If you don’t want to bake anything before your next open house, prepare some paper cups of roasted nuts. Get cashews, almonds, and pecans with different seasonings.
Why not also serve pretzels, flavoured popcorn, and chocolate-covered raisins for fun, sweet, savoury snacks everyone can enjoy?
Idea #6: Frozen finger foods
If you want to serve something fancier than nuts and pretzels but don’t have time to make any fancy recipe, buy some frozen finger foods. Just think about seasoned meatballs, popcorn chicken, mini samosas, mini quiches, mini spring rolls, mozzarella sticks, or any other appetizers you like.
All you will have to do is put these tasty finger foods in the oven before your first guests arrive. Ensure that any appetizer containing meat doesn’t stay on a countertop long.
Idea #7: Lemonade or iced tea
You should think of offering something to drink to your guests as well. Lemonade will be a great idea if your open house is happening during a hot summer day.
Instead of lemonade, you could serve glasses of lemon iced tea with ice cubes to make it even more refreshing. Fruit-infused water is another option, and it’s pretty simple to prepare.
Idea #8: Coffee and hot chocolate
If your open house is happening during a cold winter, your visitors will probably not be in the mood for drinking cold lemonade. A coffee machine will do the trick.
You could also prepare some sumptuous hot chocolate for children or adults who prefer a caffeine-free hot beverage.
Idea #9: Mocktails
Finally, to ensure your open house is a festive event, you could prepare mocktails for your guests and potential home buyers.
Since they don’t contain any alcohol, mocktails are a good option for kids as well. Think about colourful margaritas, mojitos, sangria, or pina colada.
Your open house should feel like a fun event everyone wants to attend, even if they are not looking to buy a house immediately. The right open-house food and drink will help you meet this goal!
