What’s your idea of great party food?

[LunaLoveLemon]

We’re hosting a small family get together for DD’s 2nd birthday. It will mostly be adults with a few small
children so don’t need to do a ‘kids party’ type spread.

I was thinking about getting a local cafe to cater but even their cheapest options are about £10 per head which for 20-25 guests seems a bit much for ‘naice’ sandwiches and buffet items.

I won’t want to do a massive amount of cooking/prep but also don’t want to pump it all on DM/MIL either!

What can I buy in or is simple to cook and lovely for a big group? There will be a couple of vegetarians, and one GF to cater for. I’d prefer not to spend £250 on sandwiches but seeing as DM/DF are hosting and I haven’t had to pay for a venue, I would like to do something a bit special.

Morrisons is nice enough and should work out quite a bit cheaper.

my.morrisons.com/foodtoorder/browse/every-day-events/

Don't forget that you don't need to be vegetarian to choose a cheese sandwich or onion bhaji from a buffet selection.

I would do a hot buffet:
2-3 hot items (eg roast chicken pieces, a quiche, sausages),
carbs (1-2 of potatoes eg roast/wedges, slices of French bread, a rice or pasta salad),
a salad of some sort,
a fruit platter,
and some dessert items (eg bake brownies, make a cake etc)

Much nicer than pre made food and not hard to cook either

We always order pizza for our kids family parties, from 1 up til 14 now! Big pizza order, some pasta bowls from Costco, cook some coujons and hot dogs in a slow cooker for little ones x

Couple of hot buffet dishes, snacks, dessert.

I would do a simple hot buffet. One of go tos is a variation on French cassoulet.

Sauté carrots, celery, onions, garlic and leeks until really mushy (great cooking terminology) add chopped tomatoes, paprika, herbs de Provence, veggie stock cube, mixed beans (canned or pre cooked dried ones). And cook covered for 45 mins on low heat, add water if needed, season with salt and black pepper. I serve with merenguez sausages but chicken, slow roasted duck legs, Linda McCartney chorizo style sausages for vegans, all work. Crusty bread and salted butter.

The main dish is vegan and gluten free if you use the correct stock cubes. It reheats well and can be made on the hob, in the oven and in a slow cooker/multi cooker. I bought a huge sauce pan from Asda for £15 that fits 30 portions in.

I like most things, so it would be easier to say what I wouldn't want to see.
The kind of buffet that makes my heart sink is all beige food - sausage rolls, pork pies etc and all stodge with no salad.

I would do two Chilli, one beef one lentil with tacos or tortilla chips (GF), salad and soured cream etc.

My mum used to do a Saturday buffet for family to drop in on every week when I was a kid. It was always enjoyed by kids and adults and included:

• roast chicken drumsticks served hot
• French baguette sliced and buttered
• coleslaw
• corn on the cob served hot and liberally buttered
• salad
• selection of pickles
• quiche served hot

Then for pudding there would be

• trifle
• cheesecake
• Sara Lee double chocolate gateaux

My go to for large groups is souvlaki. Easy, can do ahead of time and you can do halloumi for veggies and gluten free pittas (just make sure they go up first to avoid any cross contamination if they are coeliac). You need pittas, tomato and onion salad, green salad, meat/halloumi and tzatziki - that's all. I also do a big bowl of chips.

Samosas, bhajis, pakoras
Build ur own chicken wraps/taco station or enchiladas? Can prep most of that beforehand
Chicken wings/drumsticks
Potato salad
Baguettes and lots of fancy sarnie fillings
DIY charcuterie boards and a few veggie ones with falafel etc on

My family always do big curries and rice dishes as if you have big enough pots it's easy enough & prep in advance

I love buffet at a party. Sausage rolls, chicken nuggets, french stick, party rings, cheese on sticks 😁

I really really want a vol au vent right now

We’ve done a lot if slow cooker meals fr that sort of situation. Easy to prepare ahead or in the day.
included pulled pork, curries (various)…

Cold meat sandwiches, sausages rolls, pork pie ( but only my local butcher home made ones ) crisps, black pudding, hard boiled eggs and some salad.
No sweet stuff, it doesn't get eaten.

My sons 1st birthday was mostly adults.
I did

hot chicken drumsticks
Mini breaded chicken fillet things
Homemade sausage rolls
Cocktail sausages
Quiche
pizza
Potato salad
Coleslaw
Basic salad
Breadsticks with various dips

Pudding was traffic light jelly & blamonge (I have no idea how you spell it because it was old fashioned before I was out of nappies!) That was the biggest hit for the adults though, think it was the nostalgia lol
We also had the main birthday cake.
This was 24 people & cost me just under £90 (excluding the birthday cake)

Placeholder for ideas!

Cheeseboard.
Crusty breads.
Bowls of crisps.
Cold meats.
Pizza.

Are there any local restaurants that are interesting?
I’m not veggy but only eat veggy if catered (a lot if people think I’m veggy) and one of the best catered buffet lunches I’ve had was a Lebanese. There was meat but it was a few bits rather than everything having meat and the food was all really tasty picky bits.

in a similar vein if I was catering for 20-30 I’d:

• contact our local Turkish and ask them to do a vat of their hummous and tabouleh
• make a couple of other tasty but simple salads - eg Greek, mixed tomato.
• make lots of little triangle spanakopita as they can be done the day before and thrown in the oven on the day - cheap to make but expensive to buy.
• make sausage rolls (good quality sausage meat and butter puff pastry- so easy yet better than anything you buy, you can get gluten free puff pastry which is ok though not quite as good)
• buy good quality felafel from the supermarket (get gluten free - Some Waitrose ones are but not all felafel are depending if they’ve used all gram or a mix of flours)
• don’t forget the condiments - you already have humous. Also mint yoghurt, chilli based sauce, etc.
• warm bread - pita is fine but warm ciabatta or something like that would work well.
• have some plain veg sticks. The adults can pick at them and it gives the kids something plainer to gnaw on!
• have some cheese and cold meats from a supermarket deli counter. Pastrami, salami, cold roast beef?

I realise I’m starting to mix flavours a lot here but somewhere I used to live near did amazing local samosas you could buy in bulk in which case I’d have done more Indian themed picky bits with samosas, pakoras and Indian flavoured dips.

You know what

Make a great big sheet pan of baklava

And a Moroccan chicken thigh tagine look YouTube Frum It Up recipe so easy

Big bowl of couscous

Maybe hummus and breadsticks

You sound like a lovely, thoughtful host. I stay with an old school friend a couple of times a year - we met over 50 years ago and she always makes me so welcome. Beautifully prepared fresh fruit salad for breakfast plus home made bread (& home made jams), an interesting evening meal (pre prepared-in a slow cooker or something like that). She grows her own salad and veg ... something I could never do. Remembers my favourite coffee and wine. Such a kind friend, I hope I am as generous when she stays with me.

Wrong thread - and a Zombie one .

Cheese and pineapple hedgehog. Go retro.