finger food

noun

plural finger foods

: a food that is meant to be picked up with the fingers and eaten

Finger foods like apple wedges and strawberries dipped in yogurt make an excellent snack for both parent and child.

—The Knoxville (Tennessee) News-Sentinel

Mashed potatoes are not a finger food.

—Erma Bombeck

Examples of finger food in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

An outdoor Fourth of July celebration calls for finger foods for all ages to enjoy. — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 1 July 2026

Stick with finger foods that do not require utensils and will not smudge cards or game boards. — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 23 June 2026

Curtis Stone’s sausage rolls Infinitely craveable and a perfect game-day finger food, the sausage roll might as well be the real national dish of Australia (move over, roast lamb). — Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2026

Importer Wilson Daniel curates a lineup of exclusive wines like Gaja, Dal Forno Romano, Biondi Santi and more to pair with appetizers and finger foods. — Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 27 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for finger food

• altitude
• amplitude
• aptitude
• attitude
• barbecued
• certitude
• desuetude
• devalued
• finitude
• fortitude
• gratitude
• interlude

Kids Definition

finger food

noun

: a food (as a carrot stick) that is meant to be picked up with the fingers and eaten