14 Snacks to Feed (and Impress) Your Unexpected Guests

Hello and welcome to this thing we’re doing where we help you figure out what you’re gonna put in your mouth this week. Some of these are recipes we’ve tried, some of these are recipes we’re looking forward to trying, all of them are fucking delicious. Tell us what you want to put in your piehole or suggest your own recipes, and we’ll talk about which things we made, which things we loved, and which things have changed us irreversibly as people. 

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Without meaning to, I inherited my Southern grandma’s habit of endlessly offering my house guests food and feeling extremely anxious if they decline a drink or snack. To cover all my bases, I generally try to make sure I always have something on hand to feed my friends when they stop by, but there’s always the off chance someone will show up unexpectedly. And what kind of uncultured monster would I be if I didn’t find something to serve them?

Here are some quick recipes utilizing inexpensive ingredients you likely already have on hand that will sate your guests and ensure your grandma won’t disown you. She can deal with the whole “gay thing,” but God Forbid you embarrass her with poor hosting skills.


1. Chili Lime Watermelon Wedges

chili lime watermelon


2. Spicy Caramel Popcorn

seasoned popcorn


3. Ketchup Chicken Stir-Fry

chicken ketchup


4. Ultimate Cheese Platter

cheese platter


5. Homemade Fried Pickles

Fried-Pickles-2


6. 3-Ingredient Biscuits

coconut oil biscuits


7. Secret Ingredient Fruit Salad

fruit salad


8. Zesty Black Bean Dip

black bean dip


9. Classic Cheeseball

cheeseball


10. Mini Grilled Cheese Fingers

mini grilled cheese


11. Cinnamon Pan-Fried Bananas

fried bananas


12. Crescent Roll Baked Brie

baked brie


13. Lemon Cucumber Sandwiches

cucumber sandwiches


14. Bread with Chocolate and Olive Oil

bread chocolate salt

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Sydney

Sydney Blanchard is a South Louisiana writer, Catholic school survivor and typical only child. She now works for a Bite and Booze, a culinary media company. When she's not eating and drinking for a living, she's likely listening to NPR or forcing her girlfriend to pose for Instagram photos. Follow her @pizzagirlfriend.

Sydney has written 4 articles for us.

8 Comments

  1. If you presented me — a rude, unannounced house guest — with a single one of these food items, I would drop to one knee and pledge my undying fealty to you.

    All hail Sydney, next level hostess, true goddess among us.

  2. finally someone has brought a fried pickle recipe into my life!!! I would like to second the pledge of undying fealty ;)

  3. I could totally smash that ketchup chicken and fried pickles right now, even though I’m currently guestless.

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