Getting together for a leisurely lunch is an old-fashioned pastime that needs to make a comeback. Luncheons bring up warm feelings, elegant vibes, and — of course — a lovely spread of food that women have been enjoying together for ages.
Next time you’re planning to get together with your girlfriends, plan to make it lunch with these old-fashioned recipes.
Waldorf Salad
Apples, celery, and nuts make a crispy crunchy combo in this classic recipe. A creamy salad dressing brings everything together, and it’s fantastic served on tender butter lettuce leaves.
Recipe: Tastes Better From Scratch
Pimento Cheese
Pimento cheese is a Southern specialty, and it makes a great cracker or sandwich spread. Just mix sharp cheddar cheese with jarred pimentos and mayo.
Recipe: Homesick Texan
Lemon Bars
You can’t have a luncheon without a little something for dessert. These lemon bars are a traditional recipe, and there’s even the option to make the tart lemon filling thick or thin, depending on your preferences.
Recipe: Food Network
Poppy Seed Chicken
Chunks of chicken in a creamy sauce make up the bulk of this casserole. Poppy seeds, butter, and crushed Ritz crackers create a rich, crunchy layer on top. Serve it with a salad alongside.
Recipe: Delish
Tomato Pie
When your garden is bursting with tomatoes, make this savory pie. It’s similar to a quiche but with tomatoes of sliced tomatoes, cheese, basil, and a creamy topping to hold it all together.
Recipe: Southern Living
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Smoked Salmon Bagel
Bagels and salmon are a classic, and it always feels a little like a fancy hotel brunch. Put out a little bar of toppings and let your guests make their own open-faced bagel sandwiches.
Recipe: Feel Good Foodie
Turkey Club Sandwiches
Everyone loves a good club sandwich, including this turkey and bacon version. Cut the triple-decker sandwiches into four triangles so it feels just like a cozy diner — plus not everyone may want to eat a whole sandwich.
Recipe: Serious Eats
Chicken Salad
You can use leftover chopped chicken or rotisserie chicken from the grocery store to make chicken salad fast. Mustard, celery, and green onions are all typical additions.
Recipe: Spend With Pennies
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Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Salad is definitely a misnomer on this popular dessert. The crunchy, salty pretzel crumb crust offsets the sweetness of the cream cheese filling and strawberry gelatin topping.
Recipe: Natasha’s Kitchen
Pickled Shrimp
Upgrade your shrimp cocktail by pickling the seafood instead. Garlic, lemon juice, and fresh herbs flavor everything, and the best part is that you have to make it a couple days ahead of time.
Recipe: The Spruce Eats
Shrimp Pasta Salad
It’s hard to resist a seafood pasta salad at the grocery store deli, and it’s even better when you make it yourself. The dressing in this recipe is made with Greek yogurt for a healthy spin, but you can use mayonnaise if you prefer.
Recipe: Well Plated By Erin
Simple Tossed Green Salad
A simple green salad is a a great accompaniment to all these sandwiches and light meals. The dressing is a simple Dijon vinaigrette, and you can add any vegetables you like.
Recipe: Creme de la Crumb
Quiche Lorraine
People have been enjoying this classic French quiche recipe for ages, and it’s perfect for a luncheon. Just pour a bacon and Gruyere filling into a frozen pie crust and pop it in the oven.
Recipe: Once Upon a Chef
Fruit Salad
A beautiful display of fruit salad is a welcome addition to any lunch. This recipe is extra special because it has a citrus and vanilla sauce that gets poured over the whole thing.
Recipe: Allrecipes
Cucumber Sandwiches
Turn your lunch party into high tea with cucumber sandwiches (with the crusts cut off, of course). Just mix up a quick dill, garlic, and chive cream cheese, then assemble the sandwiches.
Recipe: Spend With Pennies
Pound Cake
A classic pound cake has got to be one of the most welcoming and homey desserts you can make for guests. It’s delicious in its simplicity, and you can always zhuzh it up with fresh berries if you like.
Recipe: Sugar Spun Run
Green Goddess Salad
This retro 1970s recipe for green goddess dressing deserves to make a comeback. It’s creamy and full of fresh onion and herb flavors. Serve it as a crudite dip or as a salad dressing.
Recipe: Love & Lemons
Croque Madame
If ham and eggs is your cup of tea, try this French recipe for a fancy ham and cheese sandwich. It’s topped with a cheesy cream sauce and a fried egg for a decadent meal.
Recipe: Sweet Tea and Thyme
Tuna Salad
This is a classic tuna salad recipe that’s amped up with a few extra ingredients: dill, lemon, and Dijon mustard. Otherwise, there’s all the traditional mix-ins, including onion, celery, and pickles.
Recipe: Kalejunkie
Asparagus Mushroom Crepes
Crepes are a wonderful lunch dish. This savory recipe has a mushroom and asparagus filling, but you can make crepes anything you want them to be. Try bananas and Nutella, or whipped cream and strawberries.
Recipe: Natural Comfort Kitchen
Ambrosia
Everyone’s grandma made ambrosia. The fruity, sweet, and marshmallow-studded dish works as a light dessert or even a side dish, depending what’s on the menu.
Recipe: Brown Eyed Baker
Chinese Chicken Salad
Chinese chicken salads were all the rage decades ago, and they make a filling and interesting lunch. Mandarin oranges, water chestnuts, and plenty of shredded cabbage are coated in a ginger dressing.
Recipe: Food Network
Egg Salad
If your budget is tight for your ladies luncheon, look no further than classic egg salad. To make it extra creamy, separate the yolks from the white and mash them into the mayo dressing.
Recipe: Tastes Better From Scratch
Broiled Tomatoes
The ingredients for these broiled tomatoes are super simple, but they’re amazing as long as you have straight-from-the-garden tomatoes. Breadcrumbs and parmesan make a browned, crispy topping for halved tomatoes.
Recipe: Southern Living
Watergate Salad
Here’s another “salad” that is anything but. The recipe only has five ingredients, including pistachio flavored Jell-O pudding mix, which gives the dish its bright green color.
Recipe: Mom On Timeout
Hot Chicken Salad
Hot chicken salad is a Southern casserole recipe that is way more delicious than the name lets on. Almonds and cheddar cheese are a must, as is the crushed potato chip topping.
Recipe: Spicy Southern Kitchen
Shortbread Cookies
Shortbread cookies are so simple, but they’re surprisingly tasty at the same time. If you’re normally a baker, then you already have the five ingredients on hand, and it’ll take you no time at all to whip these up.
Recipe: Preppy Kitchen
Pinwheel Sandwiches
You can put anything in a tortilla or flatbread and roll it up, and somehow it always feels dainty. Cream cheese mixed with olives are a staple, as are rolls with deli meat, cheese, and lettuce.
Recipe: Christina’s Cucina
Strawberry Shortcake
What could look prettier on a plate than a shortcake full of juicy strawberries and fluffy whipped cream? Your guests will swoon over this recipe with homemade biscuits.
Recipe: Taste of Home
Coronation Chicken
If you want to switch up your usual chicken salad, try Britain’s coronation chicken. It’s a mild curry chicken salad mixed with mango chutney, raisins, almonds, and green onions.
Recipe: Something About Sandwiches
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
It’s impossible to look at a pineapple upside down cake and not smile. Why did it ever go out of style? Revive it with this recipe utilizing canned fruit in a brown sugar caramel.
Recipe: Sally’s Baking Recipes
Cheese Ball
Cheese and crackers are always welcome, but an old-fashioned cheese ball is something to be celebrated. This one is a classic, flavored with Worcestershire and onions, and rolled in pecans.
Recipe: Tastes Better From Scratch
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