What food would you like at a lunchtime/ afternoon family party?

[BoogleOogle]

Having a family party from about 13:30/14:00 in a few weeks. About 30 people, mostly adults but several toddlers and primary children.

I was going to get catering but the prices are shocking so going to do it myself. It'll be a cold buffet for easy. I want to make it minimal work as I have very young DCs and work full-time, but obviously I want people to enjoy the food!

I was thinking that no one really eats sandwiches at these sorts of things, so should I bother with them at all? Maybe just bread and butter and then lots of nibbles like sausage rolls, onion bhajis, samosas, pork pies, cocktail sausages etc. Maybe some cold pizza? What else?

Pudding was thinking just a selection of those boxes of cake bites and nice prepared fruit or berries? Maybe jam tarts or something as well? Mini rolls?

Is this all naff or would you like it? Ideally I just want finger food so no cutlery and nothing hot.

How long is the event? Is it likely they’ll have had lunch and then will be having dinner following the event? Also, will people be drinking alcohol?
I think all of those things would be a factor in my planning.

I love family DIY buffets - sounds lovely. I will be doing something similar for my DD’s birthday. No need to spend loads for someone else to do what you can do easily!

Everything you include in your OP sounds great to me!! I personally will probably do some sandwiches but agree not crucial. I normally also chop up some carrots, cucumber, pepper and put round a pot of hummus. Sometimes I include cheese and salami selection.

We frequently do a roasted meat joint (often beef or pork) and then serve it cold with rolls/butter/coleslaw/sauces for people to make up what they fancy. I love a canapé so typically make up trays of various options the day before and have these out alongside usual crisps/olives/crudités

If you are a member, I would get a couple of trays of sandwiches from Costco.

Would also have a cheese board because I love cheese!

I wouldn’t bother making sandwiches, but the supermarket ordered platters are actually quite good. I get Morrisons if I want them, although don’t normally shop there, but have just always found them good when friends have bought them.

I know you said a cold buffet but if you have a slow cooker (and could borrow another one) you could do a couple of slow cooked gammon joints. Serve in rolls with a big bowl of apple sauce. You could addd some salad and coleslaw.

Add a big cheeseboard with berries and grapes etc. and some cakes.

I second the Costco recommendation for dessert - their large cakes and packs of cookies are a very easy dessert.

It's a bit pastry heavy to be honest.
I know that you hoped to avoid cutlery but a few salads, cheese and meat would break it up a bit.

I would expect pizzas, samosas and bhajis to be hot, not cold. Serving them cold would be a bit like having leftovers.

If you're going to putting out bread & butter, it would make sense to add a plate of sliced cheese and some sliced cucumber / tomatoes / ham / salami to go with it.

Cold pizza has always been popular with our DC and the DGC. And crisps.

OK yeah it may be a bit 'naff' but personally I'd really like it, especially if there were some cheese and salady bits.

I think (hope!) most people will just stay a couple of hours, and this will be their lunch as they won't have eaten but they'll be sorting their own dinner.

I'll have beer/wine available but I think most will be driving.

Cheese board is a great idea, as is houmous/dips and crudités.

Sadly no nearby Costco.

I think a roast or slow cooker joint would be lovely but does feel a bit much as we've got some stuff for DCs (sports) to do in the morning so I'd have to be sorting Friday night after work.

Maybe I need to give up on it being cutlery free and get some salad!

My other thought was just to do a massive Domino's order or something but don't know if that's weird?

Another vote for cooking a piece of gammon or a chicken in advance and carving. If You can't serve it hot then I wouldn't serve pizza. I'd go with cold meats, either a big quiche of fritata. Some sliced baguettes with butter. If you could make it a fork buffet it would allow a lot more options, salads etc. If it really has to be finger buffet food only I would do lots of crudités and dips, cherry tomatoes, perhaps some homemade cheese straws. Marinate your cocktail sausages in honey and mustard (stick them on cocktail sticks to serve). Or you could go more ploughman's style with pickled onions, a good chutney, a few good cheeses, apple wedges (serve in water with lemon juice to prevent browning), celery a pate.

Cook a ham joint in the slow cooker with coke, crusty bread, coleslaw, potato salad and pickles available.
Loads of mini sausages, pork pies, scotch eggs, ( there are veggie versions if you need them)
Dips and Pringles/ carrot batons and celery
Cheese board with crackers
Quiches
Pizzas
Indian and Chinese selection nibbles
I find the pre-made
Sandwiches platters ypu can order from most supermarkets go down very well
Pudding- shop bought frozen cheese cakes, key lime pie type stuff, trays of fairy cakes and profiterole stacks are usually demolished pretty quickly!

If you are avoiding cutlery food eg salads eg. then I’d definitely do sandwiches or buy some filled mini savoury rolls.

Would also add breadsticks / cheese twists, falafels, mini-quiche, tomato and cheese pinwheels (in the sausage roll section), pita chip style crisps, hummus for breadsticks, cherry tomatoes, pre-cut cheese, grapes.

i’d keep the samosas cos they are nice cold but not sure about bhahjis cold.

Selection of mini Bakewell tarts, Jam tarts, cupcakes (sponge and choc) and strawberries and grapes for dessert. Maybe chocolate fingers?

I think it sounds great, I like these sort of buffets. I would expect some salads, coleslaw etc though so it’s not just beige. Instead of sandwiches you could cut up French stick and put out some pâté etc. I don’t think you necessarily need sandwiches. You’d have to remortgage to afford Dominoes for 30 people 🤣.

I like sandwiches but they go dry very quickly so I think your plan sounds great.

Pigs in blankets was an added afternoon success here last year. Both adults and children loved them. I always have some kind of cucumber-paprika salad for the health conscious and sliced baquette with dips for extra filling up.

Cold Pizza? I suppose kids and teens might like it (shudder!). I would assume you were hosting under duress "(Lets do cold pizza. They won't stay long then!)"

Cheese and pineapple on sticks. Every time.

Cherry tomatoes and grapes on the buffet

Open sandwiches?
Where we live they are super common to have at gatherings. Pre cut rye bread or a denser bread so it holds ( baguette sliced on angle works also) , add various toppings. You can easily make platters of them the night before and cover with cling film and store in fridge). Easy to snack on without plate or cutlery if needed

Look at Scandinavian open sandwiches for ideas.

Selection of Blueberry muffins and chocolate muffins for dessert. Easy to eat without pastry forks with sticky cream cake.

Quiche and I would do rolls with fillings people can add themselves (cold meats, cheese, sandwich filler) as no prep and no waste if doesn’t all get eaten, cold buffet things you mentioned, and bowls of crisps.

Your initial suggestion sounds very stodgy and if that was all cold, it's of limited appeal to many. Cheeses, hams, humus, veg (carrot sticks, cucumber sticks, celery sticks if there are no knives and forks) and fruit could be added in and would feel like a nicer spread to me. I am biased though as I consider cold quiche, samosa, sausages, sausage rolls, anything pastry based really to only be edible if hot. I'd probably eat very little and leave earlier if that was all that was on offer if it were me.

Picky tea! This with some nice bread.