If you are planning a special event or gathering and your budget is limited, you might want to buy gourmet appetizers online. It is one way to serve impressive food within your budget, without the headache of cooking yourself or the expense of hiring a caterer.
The first thing you need to do is determine the budget that you have to work with. When you are planning any party or gathering, knowing what your budget will be is extremely important. This way you can be sure to plan accordingly for how much you will have available to spend on food. If the plan is to serve only gourmet appetizers, the average that is recommended by most party planners and guides is 7 per person.
Make sure and plan a menu. This is a good idea even if you are only going to be serving appetizers at the party. If there will be a theme, you can order foods that are based on your theme. You will also want to decide between hot or cold appetizers, or even a menu that consists of both. Several of the Internet sites will allow you to make your choices based on a specific food, event or theme.
The next step is to order the appetizers online. To find a website that is offering the types of food you are looking for, do a quick Internet search. With some searching, you may find companies that are close enough to your home that will allow you to pick up the appetizers in person and save a few dollars by not having to pay for shipping. You might also find promo codes online for the site you decide to order from so that you can receive additional savings off of your order.
Try to find sites that offer reviews of what others have said about the service and food. Review the site carefully to ensure they carry exactly the food you are looking to serve at your party. You may also be able to find recommendations of the site and the food when you search the Internet.
Look for a site that is known for its reliability and that offers overnight shipping at a reasonable price. This will help ensure that your appetizers will arrive fresh and on time for your party.
If you ordered hot appetizers, you should expect them to show up at your door in a frozen state with directions on thawing and serving them. Cold appetizers may also arrive frozen but will still include specific directions to thaw them. To ensure that your appetizers retain their quality, be sure to follow the directions that are included to a tee.
When you buy gourmet appetizers or other gourmet foods online, you can normally find a wide variety of appetizers to select from. You can often find anything from duck to shrimp to gourmet popcorn. Most of the time appetizers will be sold in large quantities to serve 10 or more people. If you find that you have bought too many you can always freeze the extra and use them for a smaller gathering in the future.