Fetch’s Guide to Hosting Brunch (Including Your Shopping List!)

Who doesn’t love brunch? It’s not quite breakfast, it’s not quite lunch, and it comes with a slice of cantaloupe at the end. Whether it’s your first time out on your own building a brunch spread or you’re looking to upgrade a boozy brunch with some fancy cocktails, Fetch has your back. We do more than just turn your receipts into gift cards to Kroger and Target: we’re America’s Rewards App and can help you get rewarded wherever you shop, and that includes when putting together your brunch spread shopping list.

We’ve got tips on what to serve, our top brunch cocktails, what time to host brunch, what to wear and even a brunch shopping list to get you started.

Don’t have Fetch? Download the app today, and start earning rewards on all your brunch essentials.

Build your brunch spread: what to serve

What should you serve at a brunch party? Your guests probably won’t be disappointed if you just make a nice Sunday breakfast, but you can go above and beyond with our brunch spread ideas. Feel free to mix and match the brunch spread items you love best!

Brunch spread ideas

• Eggs: Unless you know your guests and what they like, you should plan for hard boiled and scrambled at least. Feeling adventurous? Try a quiche.
• Smoked Salmon: Don’t forget the cream cheese and lemon.
• Crispy Bacon: You won’t have to sweat the skillet, roast your bacon along with…
• Roasted Potatoes: Salt, pepper and paprika are good starters, along with some red pepper flakes.
• Bagels: It’s a staple, especially if you’ve already got smoked salmon and cream cheese.
• Waffles or French Toast: With or without syrup, it’s good to have sweet to balance the savory.
• Cinnamon Rolls: Sweet meets savory, round two.
• Breakfast Sausage Links or Patties: A classic protein addition—roast them in the oven alongside the bacon for easy prep.
• Yogurt & Granola Parfaits: Layer Greek or regular yogurt with fresh berries, honey, and granola for a refreshing, make-ahead option.
• Avocado Toast: Thick-cut French bread or bagels, smashed avocado, a sprinkle of salt, and a drizzle of honey or hot sauce—top with eggs for extra flavor.
• Quiche: A flaky, buttery crust filled with eggs, cheese, onions, and any meats or vegetables you have on hand—an elegant brunch centerpiece.
• Frittata: Like a quiche but without the crust! This baked egg dish filled with cheese, onions, bell peppers, and breakfast meats is sure to be a hit.
• Croissants & Jams: Serve warm croissants with an assortment of jams, butter, or Nutella for a light, buttery treat.
• Breakfast Muffins: Blueberry, bran, or chocolate chip muffins—perfect for those who want a grab-and-go option.
• Scones with Clotted Cream & Jam: A tea-time classic that pairs well with coffee or herbal teas.
• Fresh Fruit Platter: A mix of berries, melon, citrus fruits, and stone fruits—best served chilled for a refreshing contrast to heavier brunch items.
• Caprese Salad: Sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and a drizzle of honey or balsamic glaze—pairs well with eggs or avocado toast.

Boozy brunch cocktail ideas

Having trouble deciding what else to serve at your brunch party? These boozy brunch cocktail ideas will double down on the fun, complementing your spread. Here are a few of our favorites:

• Mimosa: Orange juice and champagne. Simple. Classic. A brunch staple, so you should consider mixing a pitcher.
• Bloody Mary: The ultimate savory breakfast cocktail. If you don’t know where to start, one of your friends might, or you can add bloody mary mix to your brunch grocery shopping list.
• Irish Coffee: Your guests will expect coffee at breakfast, and all it takes for a good Irish coffee is some whiskey (we suggest topping it off with some whipped cream too).
• Sangria: Pick a dry wine and a liquor like brandy or rum. Mix with fruit chunks, orange juice and a sweetener, along with ice to chill.
• Espresso Martini: You can use cold brew concentrate instead of espresso. Shake an ounce of coffee, an ounce of coffee liquor, 2 ounces vodka and ice. Garnish with a few coffee beans.
• Tequila Sunrise: Stir 4 oz orange juice with 2 oz tequila in an ice-filled glass. Once chilled, slowly pour half an ounce of grenadine over the ice and garnish with orange peel.

You can also easily go non-alcoholic and whip any of our favorite brunch mocktails, which are perfect for the whole family to enjoy!

Use Fetch to make brunch more rewarding

You can earn Fetch Points on everything on your shopping list and then easily turn around and redeem those points for gift cards that’ll help you save money on your next grocery haul. Here are the easiest ways to turn your brunch spread essentials into rewards with Fetch:

• Take advantage of offers: Browse the personalized offers on your Discover page to find point-earning opportunities on the brands you love.
• Shop boosted brands: “Follow the flame” in the app to find any boosted brands that’ll earn you points for every dollar you spend on their products.
• Order online through Fetch Shop: Whether you’re placing your Target grocery order online or looking to find a new brunch ’fit that’ll wow your friends, Fetch Shop rewards you for ordering from tons of top stores and brands.

Brunch grocery shopping list

Were you making a list as you read? If not, don’t worry, we have a starter brunch shopping list for you that covers the essentials from above.

Brunch spread grocery list

Proteins & dairy

• Eggs (be sure you have enough for French toast, omelets, or frittatas)
• Smoked salmon
• Bacon
• Breakfast sausages (pork, turkey, or plant-based)
• Ham (sliced or whole)
• Cheese (cheddar, feta, goat cheese, or gruyère for egg dishes)
• Yogurt (Greek or regular, plain or flavored)
• Butter (regular, honey butter, or herb butter)
• Milk or cream (for coffee, tea, or recipes)

Breads & pastries

• Bagels
• Waffle batter
• Thick French bread (for French toast)
• Croissants
• Muffins (blueberry, chocolate chip, or bran)
• Scones
• Danish pastries

Spreads & condiments

• Cream cheese (a sweet, a savory, and plain)
• Jellies or jams (strawberry, raspberry, or apricot)
• Nut butter (peanut, almond, or cashew)
• Honey
• Maple syrup
• Lemon curd
• Nutella
• Hot sauce (for eggs or Bloody Marys)

Fruits & vegetables

• Avocados
• Tomatoes
• Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
• Melon (cantaloupe, honeydew, or watermelon)
• Citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruits, tangerines)
• Stone fruits (peaches, plums, cherries when in season)
• Leafy greens (arugula or mixed greens for salads)
• Bell peppers (for omelets or frittatas)
• Onions (red, white, or green onions for egg dishes)
• Fresh herbs (parsley, chives, dill, or basil for garnish)

Brunch drinks shopping list

Non-alcoholic beverages

• Coffee (regular and decaf)
• Tea (herbal, green, black)
• Orange juice (fresh or bottled)
• Cranberry juice
• Apple juice

Liquors & spirits

• Champagne (for Mimosas)
• Vodka (for Espresso Martini, Bloody Mary, and Tequila Sunrise)
• Whiskey (for Irish Coffee)
• Coffee liqueur (such as Kahlúa, for Espresso Martini)
• Tequila (for Tequila Sunrise)
• Dry red wine (for Sangria)
• Brandy or rum (for Sangria)

Mixers & juices

• Orange juice (for Mimosas, Sangria, and Tequila Sunrise)
• Grenadine (for Tequila Sunrise)
• Bloody Mary mix (or tomato juice, for Bloody Mary)
• Cold brew concentrate or espresso (for Espresso Martini)

Sweeteners & garnishes

• Sugar or simple syrup (for Sangria, optional for Irish Coffee)
• Whipped cream (for Irish Coffee)
• Coffee beans (for garnish on Espresso Martini)
• Ice (for chilling drinks)

Fruits & other garnishes

• Oranges (for Sangria, Tequila Sunrise garnish)
• Lemons (optional for Bloody Mary and Sangria)
• Limes (for Sangria, optional for Bloody Mary)
• Assorted fruit chunks (such as apples, berries, or citrus for Sangria)
• Orange peel (for Tequila Sunrise garnish)

After you’ve made your list in the Fetch app and gone shopping, be sure to snap that receipt for points toward your next Kroger or Walmart gift card. Trading your points in is one of the easiest ways to save money grocery shopping. Better yet, trade in your current points to save on your grocery trip to pick up these brunch spread supplies.

What time is brunch?

Brunch often runs from 11 AM to 3 PM on Saturday and Sunday, but nobody is going to blame you for wanting to kick things off earlier or have a weekday brunch. If you’re hosting, you make the rules, and if you decide to go out, the restaurant will tell you what time brunch is served from.

Brunch dress: building your best brunch outfits

Even if you cook up a brunch spread every weekend, it’s still a good idea to treat it like a special event. You know who you’ll be eating with and just how boozy it will be, so treat these brunch outfits as starting points for your brunch dress code:

• Maxi dress
• Romper
• Sundress
• Jeans and a blazer or polo shirt
• Slacks and a nice t-shirt
• Shorts and a button down

Remember you can find all these brunch clothing staples in Fetch Shop and get rewarded in the process! Shop for clothes online through the app, or use the Fetch extension, to earn points per dollar on orders from retailers like:

• Bloomingdale’s
• boohoo
• Calvin Klein
• Forever 21
• Gap
• JCPenney
• Kohl’s
• Lane Bryant
• Levi’s
• Old Navy
• PacSun
• Shein
• Temu
• Tommy Hilfiger
• Walmart
• …and so many more!

Your brunch music playlist

If you’re the kind of host who needs a brunch music playlist, you’re also the kind who probably wants to do it all on your own. Once you’ve got a song on your brunch playlist for every dish, go back over it and see if you left any of these off:

• “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac
• “Free Fallin’” by Tom Petty
• “I Only Have Eyes For You” by Ella Fitzgerald
• “1234” by Feist
• “Banana Pancakes” by Jack Johnson
• “Love the One You’re With” by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
• “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire
• “Leave the Door Open” by Silk Sonic
• “Good Vibrations” by The Beach Boys
• “Bennie and the Jets” by Elton John
• “Love Me Do” by The Beatles
• “Put Your Records On” by Corinne Bailey Rae
• “So Happy Together” by The Turtles
• “Stuck In The Middle With You” by Stealers Wheel
• “With A Little Help From My Friends” by Joe Cocker
• “Sunday Morning” by Maroon 5
• “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles
• “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers
• “Put It All On Me” by Ed Sheeran
• “Budapest” by George Ezra
• “Love On Top” by Beyoncé
• “New Light” by John Mayer
• “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz
• “Better Together” by Jack Johnson
• “August” by Taylor Swift
• “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi
• “What Do You Mean” by Justin Bieber
• “Be Alright” by Dean Lewis
• “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)” by Talking Heads
• “I’m Coming Out” by Diana Ross

We bet those gave you some ideas for more to add to your brunch music playlist, too.

Stock up on brunch spread essentials

We hope we’ve helped you figure out what to serve for brunch. Now just make sure to use the Fetch app when putting together your brunch grocery list so you can be sure to see any items or brands that will deliver you some bonus points on your snapped receipts. Are you used to grocery shopping for one and worried you’ll buy a bottle of grenadine and make a single tequila sunrise? Stock up on the brunch spread essentials and make it a weekly event at your house.