The Fetch 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 turn your receipts into gift cards to Kroger and Target: we’re the ultimate grocery app. 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.

What to serve for brunch

• 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 2.

Accents for your brunch spread

• A variety of spreads
• Multiple fruit jams and nut butters
• Honey
• Fresh berries
• Fresh melon
• Sliced avocados and tomatoes
• Homemade bread, biscuits and muffins

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.

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

• Eggs (be sure you have enough for your French toast)
• Smoked salmon
• Bacon
• Potatoes
• Bagels
• Waffle batter
• Thick French bread
• Cream cheese (a sweet, a savory and plain)
• Jellies or jams
• Nut butter
• Honey
• Avocados
• Tomatoes
• Berries
• Melon

Boozy brunch shopping list

• Orange juice
• Coffee
• Bloody Mary mix
• Grenadine
• Vodka
• Champagne
• Tequila
• Dry wine 
• Rum or brandy

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 Whole Foods 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 brunch spread supplies grocery trip.

Printable brunch grocery shopping list

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

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

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.