To think it’s fine to cater a buffet for 14 myself

So many of the more recent posts are suggesting enough food for a full on meal.

I was under the impression the big lunch out is the main meal, and people might not want a lot in the evening. I would get in things like quiches and cheeses and chutney and crackers, that can be used later in the week if your guests aren't ready for another big meal

Agree with @Ginkypig that most people like the basic stuff. Fancier does not equal better! The more fancy it is the more likely it is that people won't like it. (By 'people' I mean me 😁)

I don’t eat meat or like egg which I realise is nothing to do with the thread but I always appreciate some cheese and bread any bread does me but I know others like fancy bread with some salad type bits as a bonus at these types of things. Maybe even some feta or those little buffalo balls to add to the salad.

if you have money to burn smoked salmon always go down well when iv done this type of thing.

so many people think that cheese and bread and salad is the boring stuff and want to do more fancy things but those are great almost universally liked basics that once they are on a plate people enjoy eating, especially if you plan on doing a joint or quiche or chicken legs or sausage rolls etc for the people who like it all of those things make a lovely plate.

Chicken legs and ham cooked the day before. Salads. Nice bread and cheeses and some olives. I'd also buy in some sausage rolls just because I like an excuse for a sausage roll.

Agree with PPs that a pre-cooked dish is quick & easy to put together later, it just depends on the vibe of the ocassion.

If drinking through the evening, I'd be tempted to pop together a grazing board of meats/cheese/crackers/breads/chutneys etc. If people want more of a meal I'd probably opt for curry or chilli plus rice/breads/nachos/poppadoms etc. Or, my party fave, curry goat, rice & peas and homemade slaw - always a winner!

Also wholeheartedly agree with the Costco sushi shout - their platters are unreal! So cheap and so fresh.

A while ham plus cheeseboard and sides a great idea

Buy a wooden tray (instead of a proper charcuterie board) for about £10. Decent size and cheaper than boards. Put baking paper on it prior to filling if you like. Fill with grapes, crackers, sliced cheeses, olives, nuts, cold meats (cheapest at Lidl or Aldi)
Basket of bake at home rolls with some butter in a bowl, quiche, pork pies, etc
Easy to do (I do that for 15+ once a month)

Don't make sandwiches.

Cheese, chutney, cold meat platter, crackers, olives, houmous - stuff that can be pulled out of the fridge and be ready to eat 5 minutes later.

People may not be hungry at all so make sure its also stuff that won't be harmed when you bundle it back in the fridge and keep it for future lunches.

I’d cook a nice big piece of gammon, sliced, salads and coleslaw, preferably homemade, baguettes, butter, cheese and chutneys - and I’d add a macaroni pie*, which invariably vanishes.

*like macaroni cheese, only with added eggs and baked in the oven, so it sets and can be cut into portions.

Agree with most that getting some naice ham, cheese, baguettes, salad, quiche, naice crisps, and not 'making' anything is the way forward here.

I wouldn't make sandwiches.

14 is just feeding family, hardly catering for the masses.

What about dessert???

I'm thinking apple crumble and ice cream?

The addition of pasta salad has made it imperfect.

Cheese and meat board baguettes. Done

14 people is just a large family really so you should be able to manage no problem. I catered for 40 people for my wedding, hot and cold dishes, all prepared in advance, BUT I had help with heating up and setting out on the day.

If doing hot - do something that you can prepare in advance and just take out of the oven when you need to serve it. I did a Boeuf bourguinon and jacket potatoes. Same with cold, prepare everything in advance, right down to cutting into portions if appropriate, keep in the fridge and just bring out when you need to serve.

Jacket potatoes are really easy, and good to serve with hot or cold options. Salads of various kinds, mixed cold meats, home made coleslaw, a family favourite is coronation chicken. I have a birthday celebration lunch to do next month and we're having coronation chicken, salad, sweet and sour noodle salad, roasted peppers, jacket potatoes (by order of the birthday girl!) and birthday cake of course. I will be making the curry flavouring for the coronation chicken the weekend before, and the basic cake (which will go in the freezer). I will also prepare the sweet and sour dressing and roast the peppers at the weekend. The chickens will be bought ready cooked the day before, the curry mayonnaise mixed and the chicken added that evening. The salads will be prepared, the table laid, and the cake assembled the day before. The only thing to do on the day will be to put the food on the table and to bake the potatoes.

I have to pace myself as I get tired very easily, but I should be able to manage that.

I often just do a big ham/beef joint, thinly slice, lay out lots of rolls, butter, cheeses, crackers, dips, crudités, pickles, and a huge tray of roast potatoes. It always goes down very well!

If an avoid a charcuterie with lots of little things to buy and potentially lots of waste.

Go simple but plentiful.

I love making finger sandwiches and always make them the night before and cover with a layer of damp kitchen roll they are delicious the next day- I do egg and mY, ham and mustard, cheese and pickle and smoked salmon and cream cheese. Marry berry did this on one of her tv shoes and it is so good!

But I appreciate it a faff you may not wish!

The ham idea is great but keep it really simple with only a few choices

Whole gammon cooked and carved
French baguette cut into portions (1/4 baguette so 4 in total)
Real Butter
Cheese (cheddar, Brie style and blue)
Pickle
Vegetarian quiche for all. 1/6 standard quiche for all.
Cherry toms and cucumber sticks

Have fun- sounds delightful!

Yes 😍

When I do this for 10 I cook a gammon and a whole chicken.

As well as the ham, maybe a piece of poached salmon?

Any veggies to feed?

I've done this level of catering before, it's not difficult if you pick the right menu.

I would do a cheese board and charcuterie board, have a board/large bowl for bread/crackers.

I’d agree with Pp don’t do sandwiches. Charcuterie, cheese, nice bread, olives and salad/ chutney.

I agree that sandwiches are a right faff. Even cold charcuterie and salady stuff can prove very faffy in reality! I think it's far easier to do a pot of curry and a pot of rice (or lasagnas) - both of which can be made in advance, and reheated on the day. Bowl of rocket on the side. Done and dusted.

Don't forget dessert. Strawberries and cream?

I should add I linked to Waitrose because you mentioned Waitrose but like PP I have found charcuterie from Lidl or Aldi to be perfectly fine too, just not as much selection