Public viewing: 7 sustainable finger food recipe ideas
It is the favorite pastime of all football fans: the language is public viewing, because it combines everything that men and women love about sport. Cheer on your favorite team, spend time with friends and eat delicious food at the same time. So there shouldn’t be a lack of delicious food and everything that’s small, can be eaten with your fingers and enchants the taste buds is perfect for this. But another aspect is becoming increasingly important for many people: sustainability. Here you can find out why and how it can be combined with finger food even better than you might think, and which sustainable delicacies are perfect for the next public viewing.
Sustainability and finger food are not an either/or
Yes, the term sustainability is often associated negatively when it comes to eating and is therefore not associated at all with the classic finger food for a football party. However, this is a mistake, because thanks to creative ideas and modern recipes, sustainable finger food has long since shed its dusty “eco image”. Instead, sustainability and deliciousness do not have to contradict each other, but the following recipe ideas prove that finger food can be sustainable as well as tasty and even healthy. So if you dish it up properly, nobody will miss the boring classics like hot dogs or chicken nuggets. Instead, feast with a clear conscience and the public viewing will be a complete success – guaranteed!
1. Tortilla
When you think of sustainable food, you probably first think of regionality. In fact, the use of regional food is an essential factor in reducing emissions. But that doesn’t mean that the recipes have to be from the region. After all, many foods are also regional, such as potatoes or eggs, but they can be mixed together to create international delicacies. In this case, you get a delicious tortilla according to a typical Spanish recipe. All that’s missing is onions and some fresh herbs, and the classic potato tortilla is ready to eat and a perfect pizza alternative for your public viewing. And if you want even more variety, you can refine it with other regional ingredients.
2. Mini burgers
Mini burgers are always a highlight when it comes to finger food. But in terms of sustainability, it is well known that meat should be avoided. Vegetarian mini burgers are therefore perfect alternatives for the environment, climate and health. If done correctly, hardly anyone will notice the difference, because even without meat, the little delicacies on the wooden skewer can be incredibly delicious. Simply melt the cheese, combine fresh vegetables from the region with other delicacies such as mozzarella and season everything heartily – and the vegetarian mini burger is a real treat for the palate. You can spice up the recipe with homemade burger sauces, , or vegetarian patties made from spinach or, even better, .
3. Puff pastry snails
Puff pastry can be used to conjure up all kinds of delicacies that are perfect as finger food. This includes filled croissants in small format as well as puff pastry snails, which can be filled with both savory and sweet. Many hosts choose a pizza-like topping with tomato sauce, ham and cheese. But here, too, it is worth doing without meat in the interests of sustainability and health. It’s a good thing that there are numerous other ways to turn puff pastry rolls into a delicious snack and bring more variety to the finger food buffet: Herb crème fraîche, various vegetables or a mixture of local cheeses are just a few of many examples. So feel free to let your creativity run free and conjure up such a variety of puff pastry snails that there is a suitable choice for every taste.
4. All kinds of colorful skewers
Some finger food can even be conjured up without a stove or oven. All you need is a variety of vegetables and side dishes such as mozzarella from the region – and you can put together delicious skewers. Especially if you do without spicy components such as bacon, you have to provide a culinary “wow effect” in other ways. One possibility is fresh herbs such as basil, which you can grow yourself and combine with a wide variety of vegetables, or warm components such as fried mushrooms. A delicious dip should not be missing either. In this way, every vegetable skewer becomes a sustainable and at the same time healthy highlight at public viewing.
5. Finger food from the grill
Grilling and soccer – for many men and women, these two go hand in hand, especially in the summer season. Unfortunately, typical grilled specialties such as meat or many types of fish cannot be described as sustainable. Here too you need alternatives. It’s a good thing that this finger food from the grill will also delight your guests: spicy grilled cheese, grilled vegetables such as asparagus with delicious homemade sauces, home-grown grilled peppers baked with cheese, corn on the cob with homemade herb-garlic butter, grilled vegetarian quesadillas or with spicy cheese Stuffed mushrooms are some ideas for this. However, the list does not end there. So feel free to let your creativity run free and you will notice that a lot more can be prepared on the grill than “just” sausage or meat… and much of it is even better to eat with your hands, in the typical “finger food style”. “.
6. Vegetable crackers
Many people would agree that it has to be crispy when it comes to the question of what makes finger food particularly delicious. But nachos & Co are often neither sustainable nor healthy. It’s a good thing that you can easily make crispy crackers yourself from various types of vegetables such as carrots. In terms of both appearance and taste, these can hardly be distinguished from store-bought snacks – especially if you serve them with a delicious dip. Creamy and spicy dips, such as those made from leeks or cheese, are particularly suitable for this. It is best to put together a small selection for your guests in this respect – then everyone will find what they are looking for and nobody will miss the alternatives they have bought, such as chips or nachos.
7. Bread specialties
When they hear the word “vegan”, some people are reluctant. Many vegan foods are part of the normal staple foods. Bread is the best example of this. If it is baked from local ingredients, it is a delicacy that is as sustainable as it is vegan and is also ideal as finger food. Warm olive bread from the grill is a classic and popular example. But dried tomatoes, various kernels and seeds or sweet variants such as raisins can spice up any bread. Again, there are no limits to your own creativity. The bread can then be cut into small slices or baked directly into finger food size. If you want to be particularly creative, you can use it to create funny motifs suitable for the occasion; then it has a direct decorative effect.
Don’t forget the right decoration
As you can see: there is no shortage of ideas for delicious finger food that will surely delight your guests. The recipes presented not only have the advantage that they protect the environment and are healthier than some finger food classics – they also bring variety to the plate. Many a guest will certainly be happy if the same fast food is not always served at the public viewing. With the decorative effect, however, another important keyword has been mentioned. In order for the finger food to match the football motto, one thing must not be missing, and that is the right decoration. For international matches, everything is designed in the respective national colors. For important football events at club level, such as the Champions League final or , napkins, drinking cups, tablecloths or even the icing on the cake can be designed in the respective team colors – or simply black and white, just in classic football style. However, sustainability should also play a role here. It is therefore important to avoid plastic waste and instead decorate with everything that can be reused, consumed or at least recycled. Have fun and bon appetit!
