Hot Chocolate

A steaming mug of hot chocolate is the perfect cure for a bitterly cold winter night, and the drink serves as a great canvas for various flavors. You can go the extra mile and make different base versions of hot chocolate (think milk or dark chocolate, Mexican hot chocolate, or peppermint hot chocolate) or make things easy with one hot chocolate base loaded with different toppings and add-ins, such as mini marshmallows, whipped cream, caramel syrup, peppermint extract, or toasted coconut flakes.

Cookies

A Christmas cookie swap is a popular part of the holiday season, but a cookie flight can also be a fun way to taste through different styles of cookies in one sitting. You can opt for different variations on one specific type of cookie, such as different styles of chocolate chip cookie, or mix and match different flavors such as snickerdoodle, sugar cookies, shortbread, or lemon melts—the options are truly endless. The best part? Much of the work can be done ahead of time—all you need is a festive platter or board to display your cookies on.

Crostini

Translating to “little toasts” in Italian, crostini are perfectly designed for food flights. Traditionally, crostini are made from a crusty Italian baguette that’s sliced thin and topped with olive oil, then baked until crisp. From there, virtually anything goes—try topping the little toasts with bruschetta, goat cheese and fig jam, smoked salmon and cream cheese, mashed white beans with fresh rosemary, roasted grapes and ricotta, or fresh pear and gorgonzola.

Grilled Cheese

While we’ll never turn down a classic grilled cheese, the sandwich is a great canvas for experimentation. Try playing around with different breads, cheeses, and accouterments—think mozzarella with pesto; blackberry jam and goat cheese; or white Cheddar, apple, and bacon. Instead of cutting each sandwich diagonally into two triangles, cut them into small, bite-sized squares or strips to make them more shareable.

Loaded Potatoes

There are seemingly endless ways to garnish a loaded potato, and a food flight lets you compare all the best toppings against each other. Rather than a large Russet tomato, opt for smaller potatoes such as fingerlings, baby potatoes, or new potatoes. Roast them in a big batch before loading them with a variety of toppings, from classic options like butter, sour cream, shredded cheese, bacon bits, and chives to more inventive ideas like salsa and refried beans, Bolognese sauce, caramelized onions, or roasted red peppers.

Mac and Cheese

Everyone seems to have their own favorite mac and cheese recipe, and a food flight is a fun way to taste them all head to head. The dish is easy to experiment with, as you can play around with different types of noodles, cheeses, and mix-ins. Make one classic recipe, then try out a few different variations, like pumpkin mac and cheese, veggie mac and cheese or one made with four different cheeses.

Soup

Soup swaps—in which everyone brings a large batch of soup to share and take home—have become increasingly popular, but soups are also well-suited to tasting flights. Ideally, you’ll want to pick soups representing a few different styles, such as a creamy chowder, a brothy chicken noodle soup, a hearty chili, and a stick-to-your-ribs stew. Make a big portion of each, then serve in small ramekins, cups, or mini muffin tins.

Tips for Building a Food Flight

• For continuity, anchor your food flight with one idea, either a single ingredient (such as tomatoes) or a single dish (such as soup, crostini, or mac and cheese).
• Aim for about three to five different variations on that single ingredient or dish. This doesn’t necessarily have to mean cooking five different dishes from scratch—think one base dish or drink with different toppings, like loaded toast or hot chocolate.
• Keep portions small, aiming for just a few bites per item so that guests can try each without feeling stuffed. In many cases, you’ll want to downsize the dish, either by making smaller versions of it or serving it in a small container such as a ramekin or shot glass.
• Presentation is half the fun of food flights, so think about the most visual way to serve your flight. A wooden charcuterie board or tray is perfect for something snack-y, like crostini or potatoes, while a mini muffin pan is an eye-catching way to serve small portions of soup.
• Regardless of what ingredient or dish you choose, the sky is the limit when it comes to different variations. That said, the best food flights offer different takes on the same ingredient or dish, so try to play around with flavor combinations, textures, or heat levels.