14 Fun Party Food-On-A-Stick Ideas for Summer Entertaining

Fun and easy party food on a stick

You've got to love food on a stick when it comes to summer entertaining. It's easy on the host — fewer dishes to wash — and encourages wild creativity. Go classic with fair fare such as corn dogs, or re-imagine your favorite dishes served, skewer-style. Caprese kabobs? Antipasto on a skewer? Sure, why not? I'll share tips for making food on a stick, plus favorite recipes you'll want to try for your next get-together.

Tips for Making Food on a Stick

Before getting on the stick, it's important to remember a few things when prepping:

• Go old-school with skewers made of durable metal, or give those creations a modern twist with some of the cool bamboo skewers, chopsticks, even a sturdy breadstick. Mix it up, play around, have fun!
• Cut all of the ingredients into uniform sizes so they'll look their best on skewers and trays.
• Add bits of color with cherry tomatoes, carrot curls or coins, fresh leafy herbs, or bits of fruit.
• If you're grilling food on a stick (think satay or grilled fruit), always soak wooden skewers before loading them up so they don't flame out. Add an extra jolt of flavor by soaking the skewers in lemon juice or vinegar.

Recipes and Ideas for Party Food on a Stick

1. Caprese on a stick

Red, white and green, just like the Italian flag. This one takes the cake for being the prettiest salad on a picnic table. Look for the small, fresh mozzarella balls and don't skimp on the basil for the freshest flavor. Go for one-bite wonders using toothpicks.

2. Wedge Salad on A Stick

Want something crunchy and cool for your next picnic? Try this fun take on the classic, drizzling the dressing on at the last minute to maximize the crunch. Mix it up and go for Chicken Caesar Salad on a Stick or Caprese on a Stick. Bet you won't have to nag the kiddos to eat these greens.

3. Beet Salad on a Stick

"Simple and delicious," says marg. "I used it at a dinner party and also took it to a potluck. Both times it was a hit. It is easy, but looks beautiful and is a fun way to serve a salad." Jan adds that you could roll the cheese balls in herbs instead of nuts, if you'd like.

4. Greek Salad on a Stick

Ellen offers this tip: " Make sure to cut your feta cubes large-ish as they crumble easily as you thread them on a skewer. My guests loved them!" Litegal1 adds that she marinated the feta cheese overnight in Greek salad dressing to amp up the flavor.

5. Summer Salad on a Stick

Sweet honeydew melon meets salty, savory salami with every bite, with arugula adding a peppery hit of flavor.

6. Chicken Caesar Salad on a Stick

Gaggers123 calls this "A light snack that satisfied all." And voraciousgirl adds, "A fun-bite-sized party treat!"

7. Watermelon Salad on a Stick

"A fast and easy summer time appetizer," says Karen. "Couldn't find fresh mint so left it out. Biggest challenge was the feta cheese crumbling when trying to get on the stick." The solution? Cut the cubes larger and use very sharp, thin skewers.

8. Pasta Salad on a Stick

Reviewers suggest marinating the cooked cheese tortellini in Italian dressing overnight to enhance the flavor. Saveur said she assembled the skewers the night before and marinated them in balsamic dressing. She adds, "Perfect for a buffet, easy and delicious!"

9. BLT on a Stick

The recipe doesn't call for it, but you should spread the rye bread squares with your favorite mayo, or whatever you like on your regular BLTs.

10. Antipasto on a Stick

Everyone loves this fun make-ahead appetizer. Some reviewers used cubes of salami instead of slices, and some folded the slices into quarters instead of rolling them into cylinders. But however they did it, they awarded this recipe a full 5 stars.

11. Prosciutto e Melone on a Stick

Rawan says, "We've always had prosciutto & melon. I love the idea of putting them on a skewer, much more presentable for a party." If you don't care for prosciutto, you can do what Friday2018 does and use thin slices of ham.

12. Corn Dogs

Batter up! There's no need to wait for fall fair time to chow down on these golden dogs. This way popular recipe – more than 500 reviews! – makes it clear that it's a whole lot easier than you imagine to make these crowd-pleasers. Give your corn dog feast a competitive twist by offering various types of mustard and ask everyone to vote for their favorite. But if you're serving corn dogs, everyone wins!

13. Satay

An Indonesian import that's been embraced by mainstream palates, satay should be hash-tagged #exotic but it's part of the savory skewered set that includes Mediterranean kabobs and Japanese yakitori. Satay can be skewered chicken, pork, or beef. No matter what meat you prefer, satay screams: Grill me! And pass the spicy peanut sauce.

14. Grilled Fruit Kabobs

Fire up the grill for this fun and fruity dessert. Know what will make this even yummier? A bowl of ice cream on the side.

Discover more Food on a Stick inspiration and get tips for throwing a last-minute barbecue bash.