Different world cheeses and sausages/cured meat would be fun for your few meat eaters. From Chirozo to kofta to Polish and Italian sausage and Brats to biltong. It’s easy to make ahead.

The I would do dips: babaganoush, hummus, salsa, guac, different Asian dips with dumplings, etc. cheese fondue.

Then maybe a variety of salads? Elite corn, German potato, seaweed salad, etc.

Wow - thank you, keep the ideas coming!

(Also, 5ish out of the 50 or so guests are vegan.)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would be tempted to do each country’s version of a savory filled pastry…empanada, samosa, pierogi, spanakopita, dumplings, etc.

I’m hungry now.

This is brilliant! I would do this this!!

This is a lovely idea but quite labor intensive. I’d make some of those at home but buy others. For example you can get good empanadas in this area. Frozen samosas and dumplings are good too.

Indian grocery stores have great frozen apps.

Anonymous wrote:Forgot to add that 90% of the crowd will be vegan/vegetarian.

How many are vegan? That will dramatically limit your menu options. If most are just vegetarian, that’s pretty easy.

Anonymous wrote:I would be tempted to do each country’s version of a savory filled pastry…empanada, samosa, pierogi, spanakopita, dumplings, etc.

I’m hungry now.

I love this idea. Can also do small British handpies, mini quiches for France (not for the vegans I guess), spring rolls, baklava (ok, a dessert, but still yummy), pirozhki, red bean filled pastries or balls, etc.

Instead of making them all from scratch, many of these can be purchased frozen and are good quality.

I like the Olympic rings but wouldn't bother, no one is going to want to eat them and mess up the design. I'd get Olympic ring napkins or something like that instead.

Anonymous wrote:I would be tempted to do each country’s version of a savory filled pastry…empanada, samosa, pierogi, spanakopita, dumplings, etc.

I’m hungry now.

This is brilliant! I would do this this!!

I love this idea so much!! Some random thoughts:

Sushi — get a tray from Harris Teeter or Wegmans
Pasties-from Pure Pasties in Vienna
Egg rolls or dumplings - frozen from Wegmans or TJ or a tray from Wegmans
Blini—very easy to make, top with smoked salmon
Little crepes — can buy them pre-made and fill them with jam
Swedish meatballs—easy to make
Chicken satay—super easy to make
Skewers with manchego and Spanish olives
Nachos
Plantain chips
Pickled herring on crackers
Jaffa cakes or Walkers Biscuits
Mexican Coke

Anonymous wrote:Make a fruit tray in the color of the rings.

I love this! (not OP, just a person popping in to say I think this would be awesome)

Make a fruit tray in the color of the rings.

Former girl scout posting again.
Here is a website with some recipes.
Fried plantains for costa rica, mini pizzas, french toast sticks with canadian maple syrup, other stuff.
https://makingfriends.com/international-food-recipes/

I would be tempted to do each country’s version of a savory filled pastry…empanada, samosa, pierogi, spanakopita, dumplings, etc.

I’m hungry now.

Oh how fun! We did something like this for world friendship day when I was a girl scout. Each girl scout troop was assigned a country to represent. We wore clothes that represented that country, we had stuff on display that represented that country, and we served food representative of that country.
The only food I remember making was that we made homemade fortune cookies.

Forgot to add that 90% of the crowd will be vegan/vegetarian.

We are throwing an Olympics kickoff party with about 60ish people in attendance.

While the main meal will be catered, we want to do homemade appetizers that feature dishes from around the world.

Anyone have a relatively easy (or make ahead dishes) but delicious recipes that represent food from a particular country or region outside of the US?

We’re targeting about 20 different appetizers.