Easy Nora Fleming Party Menus

Nora Fleming platters and minis make entertaining easy all year round. Learn how to plan a simple summer party menu and then use the same serveware over and over again for everything from festive Halloween, Christmas, and Spring parties to birthday celebrations, Mother's Day and more events later in the year.

Celebrating the holidays throughout the year with my family is one of my very favorite things in the world.

I'm always on the lookout for simple items to help bring a little festive flair to our table because I remember how much that meant to me when I was a kid and my mom did it for us.

Several years ago, I discovered my all-time favorite holiday tableware: the Nora Fleming collection of platters and swappable mini pieces.

I've been collecting the pieces ever since and you'll often find them in my cookbooks and recipe photos all over my site.

If you're looking for an excellent gift idea for yourself or for the party planner you love, I wanted to share how I use these fantastic dishes to serve tasty treats for my family all year round.

Jump to:

• How to Use Nora Fleming Platters & Minis
• Party Menu Planning Tips
• Simple Summer Party Menu
• Simple Halloween Party Menu
• Simple Christmas Party Menu
• Simple Spring Party Menu
• 💬 Comments

How to Use Nora Fleming Platters & Minis

There are two main pieces to a Nora Fleming serveware piece:

1. The Base: Platters, bowls, dishes, cake stands, and more come in a variety of options from ceramic, to wood, to melamine. Each one has a tiny hole somewhere on the rim of the piece.
2. The Mini: Collectable ceramic accent pieces called "minis" are sold separately and come in designs that you can mix and match for holidays and seasons all year round. Each mini has a small, clear silicone post that is inserted in the hole on the base. You can swap the mini and use the same platter throughout the year and it will look like a custom holiday platter:

My favorite part about using a Nora Fleming platter to serve food for a party or family gathering is how EASY it makes the most simple foods look special.

I can pile easy foods like fresh fruit and veggies, simple dips, or tasty treats I bought from the grocery store look extra special with a little festive mini on the side.

To get you started with easy party menus you can use on your own Nora Fleming collection, I wanted to share some of my favorite ways to fill my platters for a party.

Party Menu Planning Tips

I tried to create each party menu with items you can pick up last-minute from the grocery store.

Each menu has a mix of salty, sweet, fresh & fruity, and crunchy crispy flavors. The perfect balance between healthy options and special party treats.

If you think about planning your menu that way, imagine how easy it would be to swap it out for all the other seasons of the year!

Simple Summer Party Menu

Want to plan a simple get together in the summer? For a backyard party or a gorgeous evening on the patio with your family, it takes just a minute to put out these simple nibbles.

Nothing on this list took more effort than chopping or stirring. Most of it was just a matter of putting on the pretty platter.

1. Tomato Bruschetta Dip with Crostini: I found the fresh bruschetta dip in the grocery store fridge section near the prepared fresh salsa. The crostini came from a package in the bakery section. It's an elevated version of chips and salsa.
2. Sliced cheese, sliced salami, fresh tomatoes, and crackers: Everything was pre-sliced when I bought it. I washed the tomatoes and then just opened the containers and put it in the pretty 4-square melamine dish.
3. Fresh pea pods, carrot sticks, and veggie dip: I mixed my own dip with sour cream and our favorite seasonings, but you could easily just swap with your favorite store bought dip. I served it in the little trio dish with a spoon for the dip.
4. Fresh watermelon "fingers": Do you know how to cut a watermelon? I used to just cut the triangles, but wanted something special for the platter. I followed the instructions on how to cut a watermelon for kids here and it was so much easier than my usual method.
5. Red, White, & Blue M&M Cookie Bars: Ok, the girls and I made these from scratch. {OMG SO GOOD and so worth it!} BUT, you could easily just grab adorable store-bought festive cookies or brownies and use them instead! No one needs to know but who cares if they do, it's so pretty on your table now!
6. Red, White, & Blue Chocolate Covered Pretzels: They had these right in the candy aisle of our store.

Simple Halloween Party Menu

I recently added a few new Nora Fleming Halloween minis to my collection and they are SO fun!

To plan a simple Halloween party menu using grocery store items, try to mix and match:

1. Bright orange fresh cantaloupe cubes with slices of deli ham on toothpicks
2. Spicy cheddar cheese dip with pita crackers
3. Fresh carrot & celery sticks with buffalo dip from the deli
4. Spicy nut and nibbles mix from the bulk section of the store
5. Sliced apples (tossed in pineapple juice to keep them from turning brown!) and caramel dip (try this homemade caramel dip, it's worth the minimal effort.)
6. Peanut butter cookies from the bakery

You can spot the Nora Fleming Halloween minis in action in these fun party recipes, too:

Simple Christmas Party Menu

Christmas time is one of my favorite seasons to pull out our festive minis.

I have a candy dish I fill with seasoned nuts or colorful holiday candies that I set out during family visits.

To plan an easy Christmas party menu with items from the grocery store, you could set out:

1. Whipped cream cheese stuffed strawberries
2. Chocolate brownie bites with a Junior Mint candy attached with a frilly toothpick
3. Seasoned pretzels and raspberry mustard
4. Spiced pecans (I love this pumpkin pie flavored recipe here.)
5. Baked brie served alongside fresh grapes and crackers (Easier than you think! Great instructions here.)

Simple Spring Party Menu

The elegant white color of all the Nora Fleming pieces fits right at home on our holiday table. You can spot some of my collection at work in our Easter menu:

But for a simple Spring party with friends or family, you could always add:

1. Fresh pineapple, spinach, and blueberries for a simple salad, poppy seed dressing in a pitcher on the side
2. Lemon bars from the bakery
3. Strawberry mango salsa with cinnamon pita chips
4. Goat cheese and asparagus crostini (no baking, just assembly)
5. Candy dish of brightly colored jelly beans

I often use my Nora Fleming cake plate for all the birthdays we have in the springtime months as well.

Feeling inspired yet? A simple stroll around the deli, bakery, and cheese department of your grocery store and I bet you could come up with even more ideas.

If you'd like more information about the Nora Fleming collection or want to find a local boutique store that sells the pieces near you, you can check them out on their web site right here.