What do you serve at parties

[PeacheyPeach]

So we have the formal dinner party food sorted but just wondering if you are having a house party with lots of people standing around what do you usually serve, or do you not bother with food and just put out nibbles?

I love party nibbles, pretzels are a fave, sausage rolls always go down well (the little ones you bake at home) and little veggie quiches. People get too smashed otherwise!

Hot dogs can be easy. The frankfurter ones in a slow cooker to keep warm with buns, ketchup and mustard out and fried onions if you can be bothered.

Loads of stuff in shops at the moment op

If you are having dinner later keep it light

Ooo I love mini sausage rolls warmed in oven I could eat a whole tray!!!!

I think I would do hotdogs for a BBQ I'm not a fan of the smell of them indoors but outside with fried onions yum!!!!

What sort of time of day? Mid afternoon, after lunch and before dinner? Or over a regular meal time?

If it's not over a meal time, and people wouldn't be expecting to be "fed", I'd stick with nibbles. Some nice crisps, pretzels, maybe some dips, crudites for a healthier alternative, nuts, some cut up fruit, treats like mini brownie squares. That sort of thing.

Would be an evening about 7pm, would have some guests coming from a few miles away so wouldn't want them travelling a distance and not being given something proper to eat x
Always think platters of sandwiches is like what you serve at funerals or a works lunch!!

Charcuterie board ticks alot of boxes; cheese, crackers, grapes, nuts, cold cut meats, nice bread and butter.

I also find things like slow cooker with some chicken curry, big bowl of rice and some cut up naan bread always goes down a treat. Just need some paper bowls and a spoon!

We're having a party for 22 between Christmas and NY and I'm doing 2 different types of curry, a chilli, and a veggie option, rice, naan bread, popdoms and chutneys etc. That way I can pre make them and not have to faff around on the day making sandwiches etc, also, they will stay on the cooker top just simmering and everyone can help themselves as and when.

I do love a buffet but it's a lot of work, takes up a lot of space and can get expensive.

I do like the idea of a couple of curries or chilli's but I always think it gets messy!!
Would you keep serve it all in the kitchen?
Would you keep the curry on the stove and then put the rice and sides on the kitchen table? Or would you serve them

I tend to make sandwiches

Pizza slices would be nice.

We order one of those "family feast" pizza orders from a nearby takeaway. You know - usually about 4 x 16" pizzas, plus garlic bread and chips for around £40.

Saves a lot of hassle.

@PeacheyPeach

So we have the formal dinner party food sorted but just wondering if you are having a house party with lots of people standing around what do you usually serve, or do you not bother with food and just put out nibbles?

How about sausage rolls, quiche, pizza, chicken drumsticks or Goujons, I would definitely have something or you're going to have a house full of drunk people to deal with

I always think it needs to be either finger food or fork food.
We had a good set up at a party of ours - a massive pan of chilli, a massive pan of rice, and bowls of guacamole, soured cream, jalapeños and grated cheddar.
Everyone helped themselves into cardboard bowls.

It sounds like you're just having a group of friends round for drinks rather than an actual meal or party so I'd probably do a never ending selection of party foods, just bought out at random intervals. At ours it would all be hot buffet foods like Indian platters, chicken skewers along with flatbreads and garlic bread, with bowls of crisps etc for snacking and a few boxes of cake bites from the supermarket.

Canapes
Fruit and cheese platter
Mince pies
Christmas cake
Drinks
Pizza
Dips
Sandwiches
Charcuterie boards
Sausage rolls
Tuna and potato salad
Crackers
Biscuits
Sweets
Chocolates

I like the party selections of Indian or Chinese starters - bhaji and panoramic, or spring rolls and seasame toast. Lots of party food around at moment.

I always find party food a faff as I'm constantly at the oven.
This year I'm doing a buffet for 18 so going simple with big bowls of these -

Ottolenghi celebration rice to use leftover turkey up.

Hot smoked salmon, new potatoes and watercress salad

Winterslaw

French bread and butter

Gammon and a cheese board, loads of (part baked) rolls served warm. A winter slaw, crisps, olives etc. Brownies and or mince pies for pudding

We do nibbles, but fabulous ones.

Our party this year we are serving -
Bourbon infused cubes of slow roasted pork belly
Chicken satay with peanut sauce
Baked Camembert with home made ciabatta
Nigella’s cocktail sausages
Crostini with Parma ham and fig
Blinis with smoked salmon and cream
cheese
Guacamole with tortilla chips
Charcuterie and cheese boards

Dh makes all of it from scratch and it’s a lot of work. For puds we cheat and buy the petit fours and amuse bouches from Costco. These are excellent.

I don’t like eating much of that party stuff tbh, it’s all a bit greasy, plus it’s a mission keeping it replenished and it doesn’t improve for hanging around. I’ve always gone with hot fork food like the ubiquitous vat of chilli/curry or beef bourguignon/lamb tagine plus sides and never found it messy, just keep it in the kitchen.

@PeacheyPeach

I do like the idea of a couple of curries or chilli's but I always think it gets messy!! Would you keep serve it all in the kitchen? Would you keep the curry on the stove and then put the rice and sides on the kitchen table? Or would you serve them

When I have guests, I tend to set up a buffet table in the corner of room. So, I have my slow cooker on the table with the warm curry and my other bits to the side. So, bowls of rice, breads, sandwiches, charcuterie board etc. That way its all in one space, kitchen is free for drinks and people can just go back and forth as they please.

(I realise not everyone has space for this, and in my old house I would just have set it all up in the kitchen)

I should mention that I have a very causal approach to hosting! Its not for everyone.
Food is out for most of the evening so people can pick/nibble. I dont like the "foods out!" call as some people tend to hold back as they dont want to look too keen . I like the food to get eaten so it's out from about an hour into the night and people can have as much as they like.

I also have paper plates/bowls/plastic cutlery/paper napkins out on the buffet table and a black bag to the side. Folks can help themselves and dump their rubbish when they're finished with it. It keeps the clean up to a minimum and no-one is wandering around holding an empty plate looking for an empty surface to ditch it on!

@mynameismaybe yes that sounds like a good idea. I think I would pop food in the dining room and make a drinks bar in the kitchen.
Do you keep your slow cooker plugged in? Would you offer curry/chilli aswell as crackers and meats on the same table?

@PeacheyPeach Yes, I just keep it on low because I do leave it out for most of the night. If I was only serving food for an hour or so, I would just move it to the table while it was warm, unplugged. My slow cooker retains heat for ages so it would be fine.
Chilli is a great idea too as you can utilise the rice for both. Yes, I just have everything out on one table - mine is L-shaped, so I have the hot stuff at one side and the breads/meats to the other.

@dilldanding that all sounds fabulous ❤️ do you do keep topping up empty dishes or is what you put out thats it? I have a fear of not feeding people enough 🤣