Food Ideas for buffet

[Frankielovesme]

My DD13 has an important football match on Sunday. The other team are travelling to our ground, 4 hour round trip. The club have asked parents to supply some food/drinks for after the match for visiting players and their families. We might have access to a microwave in the clubhouse so just looking for ideas. I've already planned to do a few trays of sandwiches, bring crisps, biscuits and juice. Any ideas welcome.

Cold cooked pizza? Haven't yet met a teenager that wouldn't eat some pizza. Remember you might get a few that are veggie or that can't eat gluten - if celiac or serious allergies you should hopefully be told in advance, but bear in mind.

Could you not ask a catering van to do something warm like chips, hot dogs, we sometimes have one of these after matches, chilli dogs with cheese

What about pasties/sausage rolls (bought, unless someone is particularly keen to bake them)? Much more filling than sandwiches and you can easily get veg options.

I imagine it's because they are coming on a coach and will not be able to stop for food after the match? If so, I would think a bunch of teens would be really hungry still after sandwiches and crisps. But depends on what the purpose is, is it just a snack to tide them over until they get to the services on the way home, or is this all they'll likely eat?

Thanks for the suggestions. Its not an option to get a catering van unfortunately. The food afterwards it's just really refreshments and a good gesture as I'm sure they will stop on the way home. Sausage rolls and cocktail sausages I'm going to suggest. We could also do chicken wings and maybe a big bowl of pasta. If we all do a couple of trays of food each I'm sure we will have enough.

A couple of big slow cookers of soup if the weather is cold.

Great idea, definately going to put this forward. Soup is a must in this weather.

I would do soup, finger rolls, cook sausages (and veggie sausages) at home, wrap them in tin foil and that's you done and if there's anything leftover it can go in the freezer.

Depends on your facilities - once you get into pasta, you are in to cutlery and so on, and then washing up. Same with soup. Great if you have access to a kitchen, but tricky if you don't (plus, at 13, none of mine were keen on soup).

Things people can pick up with fingers and eat - even better if still warm (cook at home, wrap in foil and put in a cool box) - will work best, such as sausage (or veggie equivalent) rolls, samosas, pasties and so forth. Follow up with some muffins from any of the supermarkets, and a Mars Bar each to take away.

Another vote for soup!

What about slices of frittata, with eggs and potatoes they are quite filling for hungry footballers! Homemade but served cold, or most supermarkets sell large partly cooked versions, these would have to be finished off at home before taking to the event though.

If you've got a spare slow cooker, a pot of mixed bean stew would be great in cold weather.

takeaway cups for soup, no need for a spoon!

Slow cooker vege chilli, made without gluten stock. Cook it at home and bring in boiling hot, with french bread?

Hot dogs in the slow cooker. Filling and always a favourite with my sons teams.

A hearty/chunky soup as others have said, using a slow cooker, French sticks.

Soup and barbecued bacon and sausage butties.

Yesthatismychildsigh, this will sound stupid but how do you do hot dogs in a slow cooker, just add water. How long to they take?, thank you.

Cook them in the brine they come in. They don’t have to be fully covered, the steam will help. Put them on before the match. Pre slice rolls and cling film on a few trays, have a few bottles of ketchup and mustard out. Fast to serve, too. You could have some fried onions ready if you can be bothered. Always do more than you think.

Hot dogs in the slow cooker is genius! Would have been much appreciated by my dd's team after a match. except for the vegetarians
Also hot chocolate - probably more appreciated than soup by most 12 / 13 yr olds.

@Yesthatismychildsigh ,brilliant I love it. Would defnately be a hit with the kids.

@UsingChangeofName, yes to hot chocolate,never even thought of this even though my DD gets a hot chocolate on the way home from training.

yes. Easy and always a winner. Enjoy, whatever you make.

If parents have the equipment, couple of slow cookers with a meat and a vegan chilli, a couple of pressure/multi/rice cookers of rice then grated cheese, sour cream and salad

@gogohmm, yes I think the kids needs something warm and filling.