Planning to throw a bug themed birthday party but not sure what to serve your guests? Take a look at this list of 24 unique party foods that your guests will be buzzing about. This list includes appetizers, entrees, and desserts to ensure that your party is BUG-TASTIC. So tell your guests to hop on over for a good time!
Appetizers:
- Babybel Cheese Ladybugs
Mini Babyel cheese wheels can be made to look just like ladybugs. Just cut a slit on one side of the red wax and then paint black dots on the remaining wax. Serve them in a tray or scatter them among your other foods to make it look like ladybugs are flying around your buffet.
- Ant Fruit Line
Create a line of ants marching away with your fruit with these Ant Toothpicks. You can place them all over your buffet table to surprise your guests at every turn. - Butterfly Fruit Tray
Turn an ordinary fruit tray into a bug themed dish by shaping it like a butterfly. Use a sliced up banana to make the butterfly’s body and different colored fruits to create patterns along the butterfly’s wings. Another option is to use a Butterfly Shaped Board to lay your fruit on. - Caterpillar Fruit Ball Skewers
Another option for serving fruit at your party is by turning them into caterpillars. Just scoop out some balls from different fruits like cantaloupe, watermelon, or honeydew and skewer them on a stick. You can then make a face on the topmost ball to make it look just like a crawling caterpillar.
- Bug Juice
If you’re looking for a signature drink to serve at your party, then serve up some bug juice. Check out this punch recipe by All Recipes for a lime green drink that’s made from pineapple juice, orange juice, and ginger ale. Serve it in a large drink dispenser and it will look just like crushed up bugs. - Ants on a Log
This classic treat would be a great addition to your bug themed party. To make it, slice some celery in half and fill the inside with peanut butter. Add some raisins to create the ants marching along the log. - Bee Stripped Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs are a fun bite sized treat that would fit perfectly at a bug themed party, especially when you give them bumble bee stripes. To make the stripes, cut a black olive into strips and then place them in bars along the yellow of the deviled egg. For a classic deviled egg recipe, check out this article by Downshiftology.
Entrees:
- Snail Pinwheels
Pinwheels are a great finger food and can easily be made into snails. Just lay the pinwheel on its side, stick two tooth picks in the top and then add olives to the toothpicks to make eyes. Place these snails on a tray and they will be an adorable addition to your bug themed party. This food is especially great because of how versatile it is. It can be filled with whatever you like. Check out this recipe by A Couple Cooks which uses cheese, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes for the filling
- Butterfly Pasta Salad
You can turn any pasta dish into a bug themed pasta by using butterfly (bow tie) noodles. This quick and easy pasta salad recipe by Inspired Taste uses zucchini, tomatoes, bell peppers, and lots of other vegetables to make your butterfly noodles look like they are flying through a garden. - Honey Mac and Cheese
Mac and Cheese is always a crowd favorite, especially among younger guests. And with this recipe for honey mac and cheese by 12 Tomatoes, you’ll be able to make a mac and cheese that looks like it came straight from a honey bee’s hive. - Ladybug Pizza
Pizza is always a good option for parties. And for a bug themed party, you can make your pizza extra special by turning it into a lady bug. For the red body of the ladybug, overlap pepperonis. For the black face and spots, use black olives.
- Sausage and Pastry Butterflies
Use a Butterfly Cookie Cutter. to cut butterflies out of pastry dough. In the middle of each butterfly, add a mini sausage. Then, bake as the pastry dough instructs. Once baked, these cute butterfly pastries will be a delightful treat that your guests will love. - Butterfly Sandwiches
Finger sandwiches are a great addition to any party. Whether you decide to serve ham, egg salad, or peanut butter, make sure to cut them into a butterfly shape! To get consistent butterfly shapes, use a Butterfly Cookie Cutter. - Caterpillar Sandwich Tray
Another option for a sandwich tray is to arrange your sandwiches in the shape of a caterpillar. To do this, cut your sandwiches into circles and then place them on the their sides in the shape of a curvy “S”. At the front of your sandwich train, place an apple for the caterpillar’s head. You can then use black olives to make a face on the apple and to add little feet along the caterpillar’s body.
Deserts:
- Ants on a Log
Chocolate covered pretzels are a real treat at any party. For a bug themed party, use a light brown chocolate to cover the pretzel and then put black sprinkles on top. This will make it look like ants crawling on a log.
- Chocolate Covered Oreo Bees
Another chocolate covered treat you can make are some chocolate covered oreo bees. Just dip your oreos in yellow chocolate and then add some black chocolate strips once the yellow is dry. - Dirt Cups
Create a cup full of dirt and bugs with this dirt cake recipe by Preppy Kitchen. Once made, scope the dirt cake into Individual Desert Cups and mix in some gummy worms. You can also add some edible rocks, plants, and whatever else fits your theme. You can even set out some of these items and let your guests decorate their own cups. - Macaron Caterpillars
Take some green macarons and use them to make some curvy caterpillar shapes. One one side of each curve, add a red macaron to be the caterpillar’s head. You can even paint a face on each red macaron to make your caterpillars come to life.
- Gummy Worms
For an easy bug themed desert, serve up some gummy worms. Whether you choose regular or sour, your guests will love reaching into a bowl and pulling out a handful or worms. - Gummy Bugs
Make your very own bug gummies with this gummy recipe by Chelsweets. This recipe uses fruit juice to make the gummies a healthy alternative to store bought ones.With this Insect Silicone Mold you’ll be able to create butterflies, bees, snails, and caterpillars that your guests will love to eat. - Chocolate Covered Strawberry Ladybugs
Add these cute ladybugs to your desert table to remind your guests of all the bug themed fun they are having. To make them, dip the tip of your strawberries in melted chocolate. Once dry, paint some eyes on the chocolate. Then add some chocolate spots along the rest of the strawberry.
- Peanut Butter Spider Cookies
Check out this article by The First Year to learn how to make peanut butter spider cookies. These soft and chewy cookies are topped with an almost melted peanut butter cup. From the peanut butter cup, eight spider legs are stretching out to make the most adorable spider cookies scurrying across your desert table. - Tree Trunk Cake with Bugs
For a bug themed party, consider getting a circular cake that looks like a tree trunk. You can then add some Bug Figurines along the cake to create a rotten log bursting with bug life.
- Caterpillar Cake
If you’re looking for a cake that you can make yourself, then make a caterpillar. To make the caterpillar’s body, use a Bundt Cake Pan to make a circular cake. Cut this cake in half and connect them to make a wiggling caterpillar body. You can now ice the caterpillar in whatever colors you want. To complete your cake, use different kinds of candy to add eyes, antennae, and legs.
I hope you found these food ideas helpful. Let me know in the comments which treats you plan to serve up at your bug themed party.
Need some activity ideas for your bug themed party? Check out 22 Bug Themed Activities for a Hopping Good Party.
