45 Graduation Party Food Ideas That'll Get An A+
These graduation party foods are at the top of their class.
Toss that graduation cap in the air, because school is out and that mean's it's time to party (and get to snacking). Whip up some of our favorite party-ready graduation foods to earn you an A+ with your guests, like Nashville hot chicken dip, sheet-pan Italian subs, and a copycat Dairy Queen ice cream cake for dessert. Whether you plan on gathering with a crowd or just a small group to celebrate, we've rounded up our favorite appetizers, main meals, and desserts to help you pull off the best graduation party ever.
The future (and these delicious party foods) are newly on your graduate's horizon, but that doesn't mean it should be hard work getting your party ready. What could be easier than making a batch of sliders? It doesn't get any better than chicken Parm sliders, French dip sliders, and of course, cheeseburger sliders. We even have chicken and waffle sliders for a fun, low-effort version of chicken and waffles.
Celebrating for high schoolers or younger? We have tons of fun non-alcoholic party drinks and mocktails perfect for pouring up for your graduates. Our virgin cranberry basil "sangria" is bright and refreshing, no matter your age. And if you're congratulating the 21+ crowd, we have plenty of big-batch cocktails that will be sure to please any crowd. Sangria slushies are at the top of our list for trying this summer (and a genius way to use up any leftover wine).
On a time crunch? Try some of our favorite super simple last-minute appetizers. And if you need something extra special to finish off the meal, try one of these show-stopping cakes.
Sheet-Pan Italian Subs
Hoping to bring sandwiches to feed your potluck crowd, but don't want to spend all morning assembling them? This sheet-pan hack is for you! Overlapping the bread slices means you can fit more onto the sheet pan, and don’t worry—the melty Provolone and pressing these down (sort of like a massive DIY panini press) makes sure they still hold together.
Get the Sheet-Pan Italian Subs recipe.
Nashville Hot Chicken Dip
Need a flavor-packed dip to really amp up your Super Bowl party? This Nashville hot chicken-inspired dip brings the heat and MORE. Beware—this is for major spice fans only.
Get the Nashville Hot Chicken Dip recipe.
CPK Italian Chopped Salad
California Pizza Kitchen may be famous for BBQ Chicken Pizza, but the Italian Chopped Salad is the unsung hero on their menu. An exuberant jumble of lettuce, chickpeas, turkey, salami, tomatoes, and cheese, all tossed in an Italian mustard-herb vinaigrette, this is one salad that might actually tempt us to put down the pizza in favor of the greens.
Get the CPK Italian Chopped Salad recipe.
Classic Bruschetta
We know it may sound strange, but rubbing the toasted bread with garlic will help impart tons of flavor into your tiny toasts. Top them with simply marinated tomatoes for the ultimate summer snack. The brighter and juicier your tomatoes, the better your bruschetta will be. If you've got smoked mozzarella or burrata around, you can absolutely add that to the sliced baguette while they finish toasting.
Get the Classic Bruschetta recipe.
Fruit Popsicles
In the heat of summer, nothing satisfies quite like a fruit popsicle. This classic strawberry version is big on fruit flavor and not too sweet.
Get the Fruit Popsicles recipe.
Grilled Beer Brats
It takes almost zero cooking skills to get perfectly charred brats topped with flavor-packed caramelized onions and peppers. First, the brats get burnished on the grill, then they finish off in a simmering beer bath alongside the veg. Use whatever beer you like to drink, but not IPAs (India Pale Ales), which are brewed to be hoppy (i.e., bitter).
Get the Grilled Beer Brats recipe.
Pinwheel Sandwiches
These pinwheels are easy to assemble, look great on a platter, and are ideal for any party. To make them, you'll layer flour tortillas with ranch-flavored mayonnaise, sliced cheese, deli meats, and lettuce. All that's left to do is roll them up tightly and slice. See, simple!
Get the Pinwheel Sandwiches recipe.
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
Don't get us wrong, we love spending the day tending the smoker or overseeing the grill, getting our BBQ just right. But sometimes, you need a quick fix, a healthier version, or both. And that's where Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Drumsticks come into play. Coated in a classic DIY BBQ sauce, these drumsticks are perfectly tender and ideal served with all the classic fixins. We're talking corn on the cob, potato salad, and flaky, fluffy biscuits. Oh and don't forget the pitcher of sweet tea alongside.
Copycat Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake
Dairy Queen’s classic ice cream cake is king in the realm of frozen desserts, but our copycat recipe is coming for the crown. Starring that signature ribbon of fudge and chocolate cookie crunchies sandwiched between vanilla and chocolate ice cream, this homemade version of this iconic treat is equally easy to make and delicious to eat.
Buffalo Cauliflower Kebabs
We know what you’re thinking, “... grilled celery?” We were doubtful too. But it tastes even better than it sounds. Glaze the kebabs with more Buffalo sauce, grill until the cauliflower is tender, then drizzle with blue cheese dressing. Hard to imagine a better excuse to throw a BBQ.
Get the Buffalo Cauliflower Kebabs recipe.
Best Classic Potato Salad
A classic potato salad is a must-have at every picnic and BBQ, and this one is the best. Based off of my dad's recipe, it's creamy and tangy, with a little bit of crunch from the onion and pickles. What it's not: too sweet, which is one of my potato salad pet peeves. If you’re looking for a classic, no-fuss potato salad that won’t disappoint, this is the recipe for you.
Get the Best Classic Potato Salad recipe.
Whipped Mozzarella Dip With Burst Cherry Tomatoes
This whipped mozzarella dip with burst cherry tomatoes might just be the perfect appetizer. It comes together in 30 minutes and is the kind of crowd-pleasing dip that will be the first gone at the party. The dip is not just mozzarella—ricotta and heavy cream join in to make an epic base for the juicy cherry tomatoes and dollops of pesto.
Get the Whipped Mozzarella Dip With Burst Cherry Tomatoes recipe.
Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
Hawaiian macaroni salad is a creamy, tangy, iconic comfort food that is practically synonymous with the state—you can find it all over the islands nestled alongside classics like kālua pig & cabbage, huli huli chicken, or an ahi tuna poke bowl. It’s very simple to prepare—you might already have all the ingredients on hand!—making it the perfect easy side to bring to potlucks and BBQs all spring and summer long.
Get the Hawaiian Macaroni Salad recipe.
Classic Pico De Gallo
Whatever your party needs, this pico de gallo recipe will save the day. Looking for the easiest last-minute appetizer for your potluck party? The freshest addition for your nachos spread? A fast, simple snack to munch on all week long? Pico de gallo is the answer. Bright and acidic with just a kick of heat, this just might be the easiest dip to prepare (and devour). All it takes to make is chopping your ingredients and tossing them together—that's it! In 15 minutes, you'll have an easy, satisfying app on your hands that will boost any and every meal it's served with.
Get the Classic Pico De Gallo recipe.
Greek Chickpea Salad
We’re no strangers to a great chickpea salad, so coming up with a Greek-inspired one was a no-brainer. It’s got all the flavors you love from Greek salad, turned into something more substantial and filling that pairs well with almost anything. It’s wonderful on its own, or served alongside chicken, seafood, or steak for a complete meal. You could even stir in sliced salami or chopped boiled eggs to boost it up. Trust us—you’re going to want to keep a few cans of chickpeas in your pantry so you’ll always be ready to make this. (Hot tip: It’s great for bringing to last-minute potlucks too!)
Get the Greek Chickpea Salad recipe.
Caramelized Onion Dip
With this recipe, we take the classic onion dip one step further by incorporating deeply caramelized onions into the mix. It takes a little longer than you might think (we’re talking at least one hour), but we promise it’s worth it.
Get the Caramelized Onion Dip recipe.
Copycat Chick-fil-A Nuggets
Chick-fil-A's lightly breaded morsels of golden chicken breast take the top spot for people's favorite fast food nuggets. This copycat recipe allows you the joys of eating incredible chicken nuggets without having to step foot into a restaurant—and you'll save a couple of bucks too.
Get the Copycat Chick-fil-A Nuggets recipe.
Coconut-Lime Layer Cake
Put the lime in the coconut and bake this stunning layer cake! One of the reasons this cake is SO fun to eat is that it’s not about blasting every component with all the lime and all the coconut flavor, but instead letting each part of the cake bring a little something to the party. When you slice into the cake, you’ll see layers of cake, frosting, and lime curd, and you’ll also get the toasty flavor and crunch from the coconut on the outside. To put it simply, it’s a flavor and texture adventure in every bite!
Get the Coconut-Lime Layer Cake recipe.
Animal-Style Fries
In the eternal struggle between the East and West Coast for burger chain supremacy, In-N-Out (and their secret menu) has always been at the front of the pack. Lucky for those of us who can’t drive to one, we’ve cracked the code on how to make a nearly identical version of their secret menu animal-style fries at home.
Get the Animal-Style Fries recipe.
Ham & Cheese Pinwheels
We'd take a buttery, flaky crescent roll over sandwich bread any day. So with that in mind, we developed these ham and cheese pinwheels using store-bought crescent dough. They're full of melty cheese and savory-sweet ham and topped with fresh parsley and toasty poppy seeds for texture and flavor that you might not find in your normal pinwheels. Try our French dip pinwheels next!
Get the Ham & Cheese Pinwheels recipe.
Mackenzie Filson is a food writer and contributing digital food producer at Delish. Her favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate-pine. If wine was an astrological sign she'd be a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. She's never met a bag of Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos she didn't eat in one sitting.