The countdown to 2022 is officially on, and what better way to ring in the New Year than hosting a cozy NYE Party at Home! When it comes to hosting, food is really at the heart of entertaining, which is why I relied on Heinen’s, my tried-and-true favorite grocery store, for everything needed for my NYE menu this year.
From experience, I have found that the kitchen tends to be the gathering point for most informal parties, so I decided to utilize my kitchen island to create an enormous appetizer bar featuring small bites that guests could nibble on throughout the evening. I also made sure to style a Bubbly Bar so guests could help them self to sparkling wine throughout the night too. Here’s a round-up of everything I served at my NYE party!
Bubbly Bar
I’m not sure it would be a NYE party without a little bubbly. My sparkling wine bar featured Heinen’s new limited-edition Vin Hunter sparkling rosé, which is the perfect choice for someone who likes a twist on traditional sparkling wine, yet still prefers something that isn’t too sweet. I displayed the rosé on an Acrylic Champagne Wall with DIY tinsel stir sticks in each glass to add a pop of sparkle.
Macaroni & Cheese Bar
If there ever was a night to serve up comfort food, the last night of the year would be it! This Macaroni and Cheese Bar was incredibly easy to pull together, featuring ready-made macaroni and cheese from the Heinen’s Prepared Foods Department, as well as toppings on the side for guests to add to their liking. The toppings included bacon crumbles, chopped green onions, Heinen’s shredded cheddar cheese and bruschetta tomatoes.
Cocktail Shrimp
I’ve always said that it is not necessarily what you are serving, but how you serve it that makes it feel extra special. For this appetizer, I purchased cocktail shrimp from the Heinen’s Seafood Department, and served them in mini shooter cups with cocktail sauce at the bottom, garnished with arugula microgreens. It was a simple, yet elevated dish, and the individual cups made it easy for guests to grab at their leisure while mingling.
Crudité Shooter Cups
For these crudité cups, I layered Heinen’s Hummus Dip in the bottom of the glass and then added a pre-sliced carrot stick and a pre-sliced celery stick (both found in the refrigerated section of the Heinen’s produce department), along with a slice of red pepper.
Assorted Pastry Bites
To ensure there was also a few warm appetizers on the menu, I included some frozen pastry bites from the Heinen’s Frozen Food Section. Not only are these appetizers delicious, but they are the perfect bite size, and what’s even better is that all you have to do is heat and serve! I chose to serve Caramelized Onion and Feta Pastry Kisses and Savorly Mezze Bites, however Heinen’s has many other frozen appetizers to choose from that I can’t wait to try at future parties.
Sparkling Mini Trifles
Everything mini is just cuter! I decided to create layered trifles in tiny martini glasses that I picked up from my local party store. These desserts looked so festive, and were the perfect way to add some flair to our party menu. See below for the ingredients and directions on how to make your own sparkling mini trifles this NYE.
Ingredients: Pudding in your choice of flavor (pre-made, or made according to directions on the box), Heinen’s Bakery pound cake cut into cubes, Ghirardelli Chocolate Fudge Sauce, pre-made buttercream frosting, festive sprinkles. Directions: Layer pudding in the bottom of the glass, add a few cubes of pound cake, top with chocolate fudge and sprinkles. Then repeat the layers of pudding and pound cake and finish with a dollop of buttercream and sprinkles.
Sparkling NYE Popcorn
This snack is a little bit salty, and a little bit sweet, which makes it the perfect choice to include on your NYE menu. With just three ingredients, it is also super easy to whip together. Here’s how to make the Sparkling NYE Popcorn.
Ingredients: 1 bag of Heinen’s pre-popped salted popcorn, 1 cup of Heinen’s semi-sweet chocolate chips, festive sprinkles of your choice. Directions: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the popcorn on top. Place the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring until melted. Drizzle the melted chocolate on top of the popcorn and immediately add sprinkles. Once the chocolate has fully hardened, break the popcorn apart and place in a serving bowl.
Now that I’ve shared the rundown on my NYE menu, here’s a few simple tips on how to host a NYE party that will really impress your guests!
- Stick to a cohesive color pallet. For my NYE party, I wanted it to have a classic, glam look, so I incorporated black, white, silver, and gold, and plenty of sparkle! One of the keys to a well styled party is to keep a tight color pallet so everything looks cohesive.
- Create visual interest in your appetizer display with the use of varying heights of cake stands and platters. If you don’t own dessert risers, then get creative with other props such as wrapped empty boxes or upside-down bowls to display the food.
- Create a wow moment with a few key decorations. It is amazing how a few decor pieces can really transform a room. I utilized a balloon garland backdrop, a few disco balls, some NYE letters, and a sequin tablecloth to help set the tone for my party.
- Get festive. Be sure to have party hats, beads, noisemakers and confetti readily available to encourage guests to get in the spirit at the stroke of midnight!
- Simplify your party menu prep. Shop your local Heinen’s Grocery Store for ready-made food items, sparkling wine and everything else you need to host an easy breezy NYE Party at Home! Not only will your impress your guests with the delicious food on your menu, but you can also focus on being in the moment with your guests by cutting down your time spent in the kitchen.
This post was created in partnership with Heinen’s Grocery Store, however all opinions are my own.
Photography: Brittany Gidley Photography, Styling: One Stylish Party, Food, Wine and Florals: Heinen’s Grocery Store.
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