80s Party Food in the UK

The eighties were full of great music, great clothes and amazing parties. There was something truly special about 80s party food in the UK. Whether you’re looking to throw an eighties theme party, or just want to recreate the eighties party vibe for your family, it’s easy to put together some tasty 80s party food.

Eighties party food was pretty much always a buffet. There would be a range of savoury treats as well as tasty sweet treats and desserts too. As soon as the buffet opened, the party guests would line up with their paper plates and napkins ready to tuck in.

80s Party Food – Sandwiches

There wasn’t anything fancy about the sandwiches you’d find on an eighties buffet table. They would generally be made with sliced white bread with the crusts cut off and sliced into triangles. Fillings would be ham, cream cheese, tuna or salmon and cucumber and maybe egg mayonnaise.

80s Party Food – Savoury Snacks

Party food on cocktail sticks

Food on cocktail sticks was always a winner at an eighties party and it was often cocktail sausages. The sticks were lethal if you accidentally stabbed yourself in the mouth, but they did make it easy to pick up the sausages!

Another big favourite was a cheese and pineapple hedgehog. This would be made by cutting a melon or grapefruit in half, wrapping it in foil and covering it with cubes of cheese and tinned pineapple on cocktail sticks.

Vol au vents

These were small puff pastry cases that would be filled with savoury or sweet fillings such as ham or chicken and mushroom.

80s Party Food – Desserts

Whatever type of party you went to back in the eighties, there would always be some staple desserts on offer.

Arctic Roll

Arctic roll was a hugely popular dessert in Britain during the eighties. It was made up of a vanilla ice cream centre covered in raspberry sauce and wrapped up in a thin roll of sponge cake. It really was a taste sensation. You can still buy arctic roll today, and it’s one of those retro foods that instantly transports me back in time the minute I get a taste of it.

Black Forest Gateau

Black Forest Gateau would often be served whether at an eighties disco party or at more formal dinner parties.

Black Forest Gateau is made up of thin layers of chocolate sponge cake sandwiched between layers of whipped cream and cherries. The top layer would be decorated with more whipped cream, chocolate shavings and maraschino cherries.

Sherry Trifle

Sherry trifle at an eighties birthday party would always go down well. It was traditionally made with far too much sherry and it was one of those rare occasions when the young teens could get away with enjoying a taste of alcohol.

A sherry trifle would consist of sponge fingers soaked in sherry, covered in layers of thick, creamy custard, tinned fruit and topped with whipped cream. It would usually be homemade and served in a large glass bowl so you could see the layers.

Trifle is always on the menu in our house at Christmas time, it’s become a bit of a tradition for my Mum to make her famous sherry trifle for our Boxing Day buffet. It’s really simple to make but it absolutely has to be served in a glass bowl.

Jelly & Ice Cream

A simple yet delicious dessert, jelly (or jello if you’re in the USA) and ice cream was a firm favourite back in the eighties.

Viennetta

I absolutely loved Viennetta when I was a child and it was always regarded as such a treat. Although it disappeared for quite a few years, Viennetta is available to buy once more in the UK and it’s really reasonably priced.

Viennetta is made up of several layers of rippled ice cream separated by thin layers of chocolate. It is a taste sensation and an absolute must for any 80s themed parties.

80s Party Food – Drinks

The eighties were definitely a party decade, and the drinks would always be flowing.

Babycham

Babycham was a popular party drink. It was a light, sparkling alcoholic drink that’s still available today.

Pina Colada

Pina Colada is an alcoholic cocktail made with rum, coconut milk and pineapple juice. It’s a refreshing drink that shot to fame in 1979 when Rupert Holmes released the song Escape (The Pina Colada song).