Please critique my first ever bbq menu

I agree....and no plain meat.

Not enough meat. Too many sides.

I think it sounds perfect, OP. I don't know why so many people have taken it upon themselves to give you whole alternative menus - none of them sound as nice. I'm vegetarian so would really appreciate being able to eat so many different things, rather than a manky veggie burger and a dry bun being all that's on offer. I hope the sun shines on you. Have a lovely time.

Well I would absolutely love this. Just let people know that it'll be slightly different from burgers and sausages. If anyone is craving burnt sausages they can their own bbq the next day.

The vegetarians are well catered for but not the meat eaters unless you like mint or spice. I care for neither so I'd think it disappointing. However, I appreciate that on here it's trendy to detest tradition so it's fair to say that the menu is v Mumsnet.

Never do less carbs - especially if drinking, it's a fun day not a regular food day. MN is always anti carbs, and not representative of real life (in my circles at least)

Are you in the UK @Liud Just curious! I would eat very little of that, but I'm assuming you know the people you are inviting will? I'm another one that expects sausages and burgers along with other things!!

Sounds nice, but I think people expect more meat at a barbecue.

And more salad. Maybe a caprese salad? I’m always amazed at how popular this is when we do it.

Where's the meat ? Isn't this a BBQ? This reads as a picnic hamper.

Tabbouleh always goes down well. I make it with quinoa instead of burghul (healthier and tastier) and add a fair bit of it, as well as tomatoes, to make it more substantial.

NB: utterly amazed by people who would rather have burgers and sausages (shop bought???!!) than your Tandoori style chicken skewers and Mint lamb kofte...

If budget isn’t an issue you could do tandoori salmon kebabs (with pineapple added to a few) with the same marinade as the chicken to add another meat option.

And potentially turn the lamb kofas into
indian spiced lamb burgers to satisfy everyone who wants a burger.

Id skip the crisps and nuts and dips. And add in several salads.

And of course , sausages and burgers , like everyone else has said. Especially if you have lots of male guests, men are simple creatures* and like big bits of meat instead of faffing with skewers. It’s a lot less work for you to prepare as well.

• sweeping generalisation I know but there you are

That sounds absolutely delicious! I would be very happy to be served that at a barbecue instead of a tasteless, overcooked burger.

I’d probably ditch the pasta salad (the potatoes and bread sound nicer so I’d opt for them and then skip the pasta)

A bean salad instead is a good idea. Or a coleslaw.

And make sure you have enough of the veggie kebabs / halloumi kebabs so the meat eaters can have some too! I hate it when I can’t have the veggie food because I eat meat and there’s not enough for me.

Can I come? It sounds delicious to me. I’d probably add another salad for colour, something like coleslaw or a bean salad would be ideal.

That looks overcomplicated. I do one carb (potato salad), one salad (simple green salad), one meat (something slow smoked that goes on at 6am and can then be ignored until 4pm - e.g. pork shoulder, beef brisket, beef short ribs - a remote temperature probe is really useful), and a bunch of halloumi and aubergine for the vegetarians, to be done when the meat comes off.

And cocktails, lots of cocktails.

There’s very little meat compared with the other things. I think most people expect to have burgers, sausages, and steak at a barbecue.

Too many sides and not enough meat options.

where are the alcohol free drinks?

I'm a fussy eater, i'd not eat of of that! I'd be disappointed if i turned up and didn't get decent beef burger!

But saying that, i don't cater for BBQ's, i send a group text saying "putting the BBQ on this afternoon, bring whatever you want to cook!!" then everyone turns up with their own food, not a salad in sight 😂

It sounds lovely but my OH would absolutely be looking for (and looking forward to) sausages and burgers. Even if you just had sausages without any bun but none at all, nor burgers, you're obvs part of a much posher crowd than I am! 😁

It is very carb heavy imo. I would have more protein - marinated tofu, baked beans and an Easter BBQ means lamb chops in this household! Also vegan sausages and watermelon/fruit plate for dessert.
Swop the pasta salad for chickpea couscous with grilled veg.

British Indian here and I don’t agree that it’s a mental block - those are clashing flavours. Olives and olive oil (in salad or bread) do taste odd with tandoori chicken. The oregano on a Greek salad and rosemary on focaccia clash with Indian flavours too - sorry! And a kachumber salad has the right blend of spices to enhance the favours of tandoori chicken and lamb kofte - it’s not right to suggest that it is the same but minus feta, olives and olive oil.

That said, it’s your bbq and your decision. I am sure all the dishes will be delicious. And people can pick and choose what they eat and how they eat it. So don’t worry.

Sounds great but i would also lose a potato dish, and would do flatbreads instead of focaccia.... char them on the BBQ and then people can use them to pull stuff off their skewers and top with chutney.

I would be disappointed that there were no sausages or burgers. A humble chicken drumstick wouldn’t go amiss either.

I think it sounds lovely, I mean I know you’re doing 2 potato dishes but people will have one or the other not both, maybe switch the pasta out for a bean based salad or a couscous one ( bbc do a lovely lemon and pomegranate one which is really good made the day before and is lovely and light to go with the meats)

love the fact it’s not all burgers and sausages, my DH drives me mad that all bbqs must have sausages burgers and drum sticks and I don’t eat any of those .