8 Flavorsome Food Truck Appetizers You Can Add to Your Menu

hard shell tacos served in a plate as an appetizer from a food truck

Food trucks are the most ubiquitous items you can see any time of day in major metropolitan cities these days. These typically come in the form of large motorized vehicles and sometimes with a trailer attached, parked in strategic locations within a populated area.

These kitchens on wheels are fully equipped for cooking food as they are meant to serve or sell food items to the public. But, while some vehicles have kitchens on board, there are those that only heat up food that were previously prepared and cooked in brick and mortar restaurants or kitchens.

According to different sources around the Web, food trucks make good money whether they operate in smaller or medium-sized cities. In fact, around $20,000 to $50,000 in sales per month can be achieved from such a venture in bigger cities while anywhere between $5,000 and $16,000 a month can be earned in smaller cities.

A savory menu aside from the food truck itself is the main attraction of this type of business. The menu which is the main selling tool contributes much to the profitability of food trucks. Hence, if you’re thinking of putting up your own business on the road, the following are the best-selling popular items to consider: burgers, barbecues, pizza, fries, sandwiches, pasta, tacos, burritos, cupcakes, ice cream and many more.

Then again, you can always add appetizers on the list as these finger foods (and including drinks) are also all the rage today among people of all ages and races. To give you an idea, here are scrumptious appetizers you can sell in your food truck along with your main menu that are sure to give you added income.

Delicious Appetizers to Add to Your Menu


Try selling any or all of the following below:

Egg rolls


Egg rolls could be stuffed with different fillings such as various kinds of cheese, thinly-sliced meat, seafood and veggies. You can make them spicy or sweet, too, for that unique kick.

Meatballs


Meatballs are easy to prepare with ground meat or poultry as the main ingredient, seasoned with the basic spices and herbs to bring out the best in flavor. But it’s the sauce that matters. Some diners prefer just the simple ketchup and mayo to dip their meatballs in while others like their food glazed with honey or the sweet and sour type of sauce.

Stuffed pepper halves


Stuffed pepper halves usually make use of red or green bell peppers and are popularly known as Jalapeños. You can stuff the pepper halves with anything you desire such as bacon, cheese, ground meat or chicken, and then bake them. Also try wrapping bacon strips around your stuffed pepper for a twist.

Mashed potato balls


While French fries are one of the most sought-after street foods, mashed potato balls are likewise fast gaining popularity in the food truck market. Similar to the way meatballs are prepared, these yummy potato-based items can be loaded with your favorite cheese and veggies and then dipped into mayonnaise or a specially-flavored sauce that goes well with any potato dish.

Corn dogs


Corn dogs can either be sold on a stick or a wrapper specially designed for them and come with a specific dip.

Lasagna in cups


With a food truck, the mini lasagna sold in cups will be much easier to prepare and sell. You can also try rolling them up, known as lasagna roll ups then offer to consumers as single-serving portions.

Tarts


Among the best-sellers include peach-brie or peach-mango tarts wherein the main ingredients are stuffed inside a fluffy yet crisp dough.

Buffalo wings


Buffalo wings are deep-fried coated chicken wings and dipped in hot sauce mostly consisting of sugary vinegar and pepper.

What Are Appetizers?


We’ve been talking about appetizers but do you know what these food items really are? Well, food experts agree that an appetizer is a small serving of food that is part of a meal meant to be served before the main course. That said, this is the food first served among others and thus, has gained the name, ‘starters’.

These types of food, although not considered as essential, are served in order to stimulate one’s appetite, meaning to say, these are supposed to increase your hunger and afterwards prepare you to partake of the main meal. In addition, appetizers are flavored in such a way that they go well with the flavors of the main course, and therefore, give you an idea of what the main meal could be.

Classification of Appetizers


Culinary experts further reveal that appetizers fall into three main categories – cocktails, hors d’ oeuvres and canapes. Others like to consider relishes/crudites, salads, soups and consommé, as well as chips and dips as additional categories although these last four groups contain the same items found in the three main classifications mentioned above.

Cocktails


Most often, cocktails are made of fruits and veggies but could also be a mixture of seafood or juices from vegetables and fruits.

Hors d’ oeuvres


Highly-flavored finger food, hors d’ oeuvres usually come with toothpicks for easy picking.

Canapes


Often called ‘open sandwiches’, canapes have crackers, biscuits or bread cutouts as the base topped with attractive garnishes of bite-size bits of either meat, seafood or poultry with or without the addition of fruits and veggies.