Delivery fees can make one pizza order feel like it came with a tiny cover charge. These 19 appetizers give you a cheaper way to fill the table with skewers, dips, pinwheels, sliders, wings, and bite-sized baked snacks. The collection leans on shareable formats that stretch across a crowd without needing a full takeout order. Some are ready in minutes, while others bake in one pan or chill until the plate is needed.
Antipasto Skewers
Threaded with salami, prosciutto, mozzarella balls, olives, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts, Antipasto Skewers make 16 servings in 20 minutes. The pesto drizzle gives each skewer a finished look without adding another cooked component. They fit the delivery-fee angle because one platter stretches across a group and skips the takeout box entirely. Serve them chilled or at room temperature when you need something ready before guests walk in.
Get the Recipe: Antipasto Skewers
Avocado Deviled Eggs
With 6 large eggs, ripe avocado, Greek yogurt, lime juice, cilantro, cumin, and smoked paprika, Avocado Deviled Eggs serve 6 in 22 minutes. The filling uses avocado instead of leaning only on mayo, so the plate feels a little fresher while still staying familiar. They help keep costs down because eggs do the heavy lifting for a shareable platter. Bring them out for brunch, holidays, or any snack table that needs color.
Get the Recipe: Avocado Deviled Eggs
Bacon and Jalapeño Cheese Balls
Rolled from cream cheese, cooked bacon, mayonnaise, chives, jalapeño, shredded cheese, cayenne, and garlic powder, Bacon and Jalapeño Cheese Balls make 10 servings in 15 minutes plus chilling time. The recipe uses tablespoon-sized portions, so one bowl of filling turns into plenty of small bites. That makes it a strong pick when delivery feels too pricey for just a snack. Serve them cold with crackers or vegetables.
Get the Recipe: Bacon and Jalapeño Cheese Balls
Avocado Salad
Ready in 15 minutes, Avocado Salad serves 4 with cubed avocados, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, garlic, cilantro, and a lemon herb dressing. Olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, lemon, dill, and parsley keep the dressing simple but useful for more than one kind of table. It fits the low-cost appetizer angle when you want something fresh beside heavier bites. Toss it right before serving so the avocado holds its texture.
Get the Recipe: Avocado Salad
Baked Goat Cheese Appetizer
Roasted with cherry tomatoes, red onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, dried basil, oregano, and cubed goat cheese, Baked Goat Cheese Appetizer serves 4 in 30 minutes. The oven does most of the work after a short stovetop start. It gives you a hot dip-style plate without ordering a restaurant appetizer that disappears in six bites. Set it out with crusty bread, crackers, or a simple green salad for a small starter.
Get the Recipe: Baked Goat Cheese Appetizer
Avocado Toast
Built on sliced French loaf with mashed Hass avocados, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper, Avocado Toast serves 8 in 20 minutes. The recipe also gives topping options with eggs, tomatoes, and balsamic, or feta and olives. That range makes one loaf work like a whole appetizer board without the delivery surcharge. Use it for brunch, afternoon snacks, or a casual plate before dinner.
Get the Recipe: Avocado Toast
Taco Salad Cups
Baked in street taco flour tortillas, Taco Salad Cups serve 12 people in 30 minutes with ground turkey, salsa, taco seasoning, lettuce, tomato, onion, cilantro, avocado, and lime. The muffin-tin shells make the salad handheld, which helps stretch a pound of meat across the table. That is exactly the kind of math that delivery fees do not offer. Serve them when people want taco flavor without building full plates.
Get the Recipe: Taco Salad Cups
BBQ Wings
Coated with flour, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper, BBQ Wings serve 4 in 55 minutes using 2.5 pounds of chicken wings and barbecue sauce. Baking handles the crisping before the sauce goes on for the final sticky finish. They cost less to make at home than ordering a small wing box with fees added. Put them out with ranch, celery, or fries when the table wants something hot.
Get the Recipe: BBQ Wings
BLT Pinwheels
Rolled in flour tortillas with cream cheese, mayonnaise, avocado, lime juice, bacon, tomato, and lettuce, BLT Pinwheels make 18 pieces in 20 minutes. A short freezer chill helps the rolls slice cleanly without turning the filling messy. They fit the budget appetizer theme because three tortillas become a whole tray of snackable rounds. Serve the same day so the lettuce stays crisp and the tomato does not soften the wraps.
Get the Recipe: BLT Pinwheels
Bacon Wrapped Smokies
Wrapped with thin-cut bacon and sprinkled with brown sugar, Bacon Wrapped Smokies serve 12 in 25 minutes using little smokies, bacon strips, brown sugar, and spiced mayo. The recipe turns 14 ounces of sausages into about 32 pieces, which is useful when a delivery fee would barely cover the driver’s tip. They work for parties, movie nights, or any table where toothpick snacks make sense. Serve warm from the oven.
Get the Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Smokies
Stuffed Mushrooms
Filled with cream cheese, Parmesan, parsley, thyme, lemon zest, garlic, and cooked mushroom stems, Stuffed Mushrooms serve 12 in 40 minutes. The recipe starts with 20 cremini or baby bella mushrooms and finishes them with crispy shallots. One tray gives you bite-sized appetizers that feel more planned than a last-minute delivery order. Use them for dinner parties, holiday spreads, or a small plate before pasta.
Get the Recipe: Stuffed Mushrooms
Greek Feta Dip
Blended from feta cheese, red chili pepper, roasted red peppers, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and garlic, Greek Feta Dip serves 8 in 5 minutes. A food processor handles nearly everything, so the cost stays in the ingredients instead of the convenience fee. It is a useful pick when you need one bowl and several dippers to carry snacks to the table. Serve with pita, carrots, celery, olives, or crackers.
Get the Recipe: Greek Feta Dip
Big Mac Pinwheels
Baked in puff pastry with ground beef, onion, cheddar cheese, lettuce, sesame seeds, and a homemade sauce, Big Mac Pinwheels serve 8 in 55 minutes. The sauce uses mayonnaise, pickle relish, mustard, vinegar, paprika, sugar, salt, and pepper for the burger-style flavor. They replace a fast-food craving without paying the delivery markup on a small order. Serve them warm with extra sauce for dipping.
Get the Recipe: Big Mac Pinwheels
Brats in a Blanket
Wrapped in crescent roll dough with cheddar cheese, caramelized onion, egg wash, and everything bagel seasoning, Brats in a Blanket serve 8 in 35 minutes. Fully cooked bratwursts keep the filling simple while the dough bakes into a hand-held snack. The recipe makes sense when delivery fees feel silly for basic party food. Put them out warm with mustard, pickles, or a small bowl of dipping sauce.
Get the Recipe: Brats in a Blanket
Cheddar Bay Sausage Balls
Made with pork sausage, Cheddar Bay biscuit mix, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, Cheddar Bay Sausage Balls make about 30 pieces in 30 minutes. The recipe uses a scoop-and-bake format, so it fills a tray without much shaping work. That kind of yield helps the appetizer table look full for less than another delivery order. Serve them for brunch, holiday snacks, or casual weekend grazing.
Get the Recipe: Cheddar Bay Sausage Balls
Big Mac Sliders
Layered on connected Hawaiian rolls with ground beef, onion, cheddar cheese, lettuce, butter, garlic powder, and Big Mac-style sauce, Big Mac Sliders serve 12 in 35 minutes. The sauce combines mayonnaise, relish, mustard, grated onion, vinegar, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt. They cover the burger craving in a shareable pan instead of a delivery bag. Slice them for parties, family snack nights, or easy dinner plates.
Get the Recipe: Big Mac Sliders
Chinese Salt & Pepper Shrimp
Fried with flour, cornstarch, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, Thai chili peppers, scallions, peppercorns, and cilantro, Chinese Salt & Pepper Shrimp serves 4 in 35 minutes. The shrimp cooks quickly after a short marinade, then gets tossed with aromatics for a restaurant-style finish. It fits the list when the delivery fee would push a small takeout box too high. Serve right away while the coating stays crisp.
Get the Recipe: Chinese Salt & Pepper Shrimp
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Mixed with cooked shredded chicken, cream cheese, hot sauce, ranch dressing, blue cheese crumbles, and green onions, Buffalo Chicken Dip serves 8 in 17 minutes. The short bake makes it bubbly without turning it into a whole cooking project. It stretches across chips, celery, carrots, or bread, which helps one dish cover the snack table. Use it when people want something hot and scoopable.
Get the Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Dip
Aloo Bonda Fritters
Made from potatoes, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, cashews, onion, green chili, ginger, turmeric, garam masala, gram flour, and cornstarch, Aloo Bonda Fritters serve 6 in 40 minutes. The spiced potato balls get dipped in batter and fried until crisp. They bring a filling appetizer to the table without needing a paid delivery shortcut. Serve them hot with chutney, ketchup, or another dipping sauce.
Get the Recipe: Aloo Bonda Fritters