Here are the top appetizers’ trends identified ⁸:

• Puff-pastry appetizers: as expected, croissant remains a top product for appetizers. Savory recipes were popular such as the mini ham and cheese croissant, the mini sausage croissant, the cheese or salmon babka, the mini pizza-style croissant, the red or green pesto mini croissant or escargot shaped, the croissant sandwich, the chicken teriyaki puff-pastry bites.
• Say cheese: cheese is the top ingredient that first comes to consumers’ mind. It is versatile: popular growing dishes include the classic cheese and crackers, classic cheese boards, caprese skewers, cheese stuffed pastry, burrata topped with tomatoes and basil. Cheese dips are also growing like feta dip and goat cheese dip in addition to vegetable inspired dips like artichoke, spinach dip or olive tapenade.⁸
• Global exploration:  global flavors, spreads, dips, bases and fusions offer a new experience to consumers through appetizers made with international sauces like Asian sauces, hummus, Mexican avocado dips and much more.
• Connection and celebration: people value more social connections and apero time brings them together during sunny days, holidays, on a terrace, when sharing bites. Consumers expressed online their excitement, joy and positivity during this moment of consumption.
• Bread-based appetizers: sliced or chopped baguette, individually portioned focaccia, small pretzels and bagels, and flatbreads like pita are top products for appetizers. Recipes like bruschetta, topped toast, crostini or garlic bread are popular online.  
• Vegetarian and vegan: the mediterranean cuisine is a winner here having hummus and falafel as top propositions. These include raw vegetable sticks for dipping in slides.

• Snackification:  nowadays, there is a growing trend of consuming appetizers as snacks. The portion-controlled privilege, the small bites and the search for small portions are the drivers.²
• Convenience & good impression: due to the lack of time and in this busy life, consumers prefer fast, easy, instant food that requires minimum cooking time and effort yet impressive³.According to Délifrance study, food professionals are also looking for convenient products to handle due to the lack of skilled staffs.⁴
• Conscious eating: people are more aware of health risks and of the benefits of a better-for-you nutrition on wellbeing therefore, they are including healthy food formats. “over a third of consumers say that they want to be proactive about maintaining good health”. ⁵
• Indulgence and comfort food: while health is important, consumers are still looking for indulgence, comfort, enjoyment and pleasure during apero but also snacking; 
• Plant-based and vegetables: restaurants are incorporating a variety of vegetable appetizers into their menus to cater vegetarian consumers who are shifting into mindful eating habits. ⁶