Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Bring a dish!?!

33 replies

narcASD · 23/11/2025 20:06

its not AIBU but I just don’t know what the heck to bring! Any ideas? A party of family : friends around 25 adults, 8 kids.
I don’t have a signature dish, not a great cook and don’t want to turn up with a plate of sandwiches, the hosts are quite posh!

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Nsky62 · 24/11/2025 20:05

Baked potatoes, choose two fillings, personally I love egg mayo, and one other filling

AndSoFinally · 24/11/2025 19:57

Might be worth asking the host whether there will be cutlery or if it’s a finger buffet as that might change your choice of dish (eg rice or coleslaw probably not suitable for finger foods 😊)

Dancingsquirrels · 24/11/2025 08:33

I'd take a plate of cold canapes

KneelyThere · 24/11/2025 08:29

If you can make sausage rolls fresh and give them about 30mins to cool a little (so the pastry doesn’t go soggy, if do those). Youneed to know how to make them though - the trick is a hot oven!

Otherwise I second pigs good quality in blanket, perhaps you could also do some really nice mini roasted onions and potatoes on the side. Arranged around a few little pots of cranberry sauce or bbq sauce on a nice platter - perfect.

Fends · 24/11/2025 08:21

Hedgehog 🦔

ItsameLuigi · 24/11/2025 08:18

narcASD · 23/11/2025 20:58

@purplecorkheartafternoon around 2pm, she’s providing sweet, she’s asked to bring savoury.
my friend taking a spicy rice & chicken, smothered friend a Kale superfood salad (it’s really delicious), only thing I’m pretty good at making is curry but takes ages and want something less faffy

like that idea @wantom
hosts are not foodies at all 🤣

Mac and cheese is gooood. Search on Tiktok/Google for tinis mac and cheese recipe, have to adjust it for UK ingredients but honestly I find it so easy to make and tastes great. Or some nice 'plain' pasta (no meat just like sauce and maybe some veg chopped in depending on how fussy everyone is). Maybe even ask to supply drinks lol

YorkshirePuddingsGreatestFan · 24/11/2025 08:15

Go retro with a hedgehog.

Wrap a large potato in foil. Put cubes of cheese and pieces of hot dog on sticks. Poke sticks into the potato.

If you want to be posh, add sticks with silverskin pickled onions and pieces of pineapple.

Original poster
narcASD · 24/11/2025 07:11

Thank you everyone I’ll let you know what I bring with all these fab ideas! I’ll post a picture too

maybe I’m just overthinking it, my kids will definitely eat spicy rice, my daughter is veggie so maybe I’ll do a Mediterranean board of hallumi, mozzarella olives & baby tomatoes

OP posts:
IAmKerplunk · 24/11/2025 06:54

Second the idea of pigs in blankets and also roast potatoes a pp mentioned

Roverbarks · 24/11/2025 06:53

Pesto pasta is always a hit.

TimeForATerf · 24/11/2025 06:51

@Nosleepforthismum what a great idea! They are the thing that my family always fight over on Christmas Day. The year before last I did about 30 (full size chipolatas) for six of us, gone in a flash.

HouseWithASeaView · 24/11/2025 06:50

I sometimes take the “there are bound to be some kids who are fussy eaters” and just take something like pasta pesto or pasta in a tomato sauce. And veg sticks, not mixed into salad. Or a whole roasted chicken (which I have then chopped up). Or offer to take “the breads” and take a couple of baguettes, a granary loaf & a sour dough or something.

Nosleepforthismum · 24/11/2025 06:47

Giant tray of pigs in blankets. Dead easy and they’re always the first to go.

sciaticafanatica · 24/11/2025 06:46

Cheese board with crackers
lasagna
chili

Newsenmum · 24/11/2025 06:45

Largestlegocollectionever · 23/11/2025 20:07

Homemade sausage rolls? Easy peasy to make and always goes down well.

Cheese straws on similar vein

AndSoFinally · 24/11/2025 06:44

Roasted whole new potatoes. Cut a cross in the top and squish them up a bit, then put a dob of sour cream and a bit of bacon on each one. Sprinkle whole thing with chives and black pepper. Dead easy but looks a bit fancy and is delicious

Floomobal · 24/11/2025 02:39

falafels, houmous, pitta bread, etc mezze board?

Floomobal · 24/11/2025 02:33

Simple pasta salad, can be eaten warm or cold (creme fraiche, bacon, peas, asparagus).

Buy a lasagne or cottage pie etc from Cook

Samosas if you have a local Indian shop that sells in bulk (we buy 30 at a time for parties).

Maraudingmarauders · 24/11/2025 02:08

Will the kids eat the spicy chicken and rice and superfood salad? If not I’d contribute some of the more beige stuff, or like people have said nibbles on sticks (cheese and pineapple may be sneered at but always gets devoured). If you want to be a bit snazzier last year I did mozzarella balls in a stick with half a cherry tomato and a basil leaf, with a small pot of balsamic to dunk in and they went an absolute storm. A bit faffy to thread and then you have to wrap and transport but very tasty and looks great.

Poppyseeds79 · 24/11/2025 02:05

Personally I'd just buy a large lasagne and empty it into a dish of your own

MiddleAgedDread · 24/11/2025 02:00

A good homemade coleslaw might be nice with spicy chicken and rice.

Valeriekat · 24/11/2025 01:58

Pasta salad is nice with olives and tomatoes.

Original poster
narcASD · 23/11/2025 20:58

@purplecorkheartafternoon around 2pm, she’s providing sweet, she’s asked to bring savoury.
my friend taking a spicy rice & chicken, smothered friend a Kale superfood salad (it’s really delicious), only thing I’m pretty good at making is curry but takes ages and want something less faffy

like that idea @wantom
hosts are not foodies at all 🤣

OP posts:
CarolCave · 23/11/2025 20:37

Honey mustard cocktail sausages each with a toothpick stuck into it, served warm, always gets devoured.

wantom · 23/11/2025 20:36

Make it easy to transport and easy to serve, and most of all easy to prepare.

My suggestion is a tray of cocktail sausages in honey and mustard dressing, and mini kebabs on a cocktail stick of feta cube, baby toms and olives.