What food would you do for this event?

[Talkingtomyhouseplants]

Planning on having a (hopefully) party in my garden on bank holiday Monday - about 25 people (including 2 children).

I don’t have a BBQ and don’t want to buy one for this event.

I have a vegetarian, a vegan and someone who is gluten free.

Ideally I want to prep all the food the day before and serve it cold the next day to save faff and so I am not stuck in the kitchen and not enjoying the party.

Im thinking marinated chicken thighs/wings and a selection of salads plus crisps etc but what’s the veggie/vegan equivalent main thing?

I’m not married to the idea of chicken so happy to consider other options too.

What would you serve?

I think your original menu is fine and as a PP has suggested, do a big pile of falafel for the vegan/vegetarians with enough because half the meat eaters will dig in too.

Make sure you have at least three different salads, all gluten free (and also, as another PP said - check if the person is just intolerant or full-blown coeliac as that will impact how you serve and prepare). At least one salad should have carbs - gluten free grains or potatoes.

Then top up with a selection of dips - hummus, tzatziki, baba ganoush etc and a selection of olives, pickles and condiments.

Buy gluten free bread or crisp breads and serve separately as well as a couple of loaves of really lovely fresh bread of whatever your preference is or whatever you can get from your local bakery.

Thank you for all the suggestions - there are some great ones! I particularly like the idea of the ploughman’s as my mum has said she will bring a potato salad so that kind of goes and it doesn’t sound like it will be hideously expensive.

The gf person is just an intolerance so doesn’t mind too much about cross contamination thankfully!

This sounds perfect. 👌 rice salad too will suit all... with some chickpeas in it and veggies.

I would actually skip the chicken thighs unless you have room for every one to sit down and eat. You want things that are easy to eat with just a fork/fingers if people will be standing.

A propos nothing in particular-do you ever wonder what some people actually eat?

Never 🤷‍♀️

The cheese board I would like.

For dinner tonight I have salmon cooked in lime juice, a few baby new potatoes, peas and carrots.

Tomorrow I have bacon lardons in a sauce made from creme fresh, Gorgonzola and peas with a small portion of tagiatelli.

Chicken breast wrapped in prosciutto and a medium jacket potato with baked beans on Friday.

For lunches a ham omelette, beans on toast, jacket potato with melted cheese, cheese and ham toastie or soup and a roll are all things I eat. I eat a lot of berries like raspberries with Greek yogurt for breakfast or scrambled eggs on toast. I eat a lot of fruit and don't actually think I'm that fussy an eater.

Exactly what I was going to say. Chicken thighs might be a pain because they're difficult to eat without a fork and knife and that requires sitting down really. I'd go chicken drumsticks instead of thighs but even that's messy. Fork food is best. Salmon is easier eating? Or pulled pork.

Wow you eat a lot of meat and fish @caringcarer . Do you never eat a veggie or vegan dinner?

Most people don’t like shop bought falafel they are nothing like real thing

I’d do seasoned chicken drumsticks, sour dough sandwiches ( cheese , ham and hummus with lots of crispy salad in each one )
greek potato salad , ( boiled cooled peeled potatoes drizzled with olive oil lemon and salt with chopped fresh parsley)
or English style with mayo and vegan mayo with sprinkling of paprika
salad
variety or salads and dips
vegan sausage rolls

Not sure why people think everybody can eat vegan. If you have inflammatory bowel disease many vegan foods are totally unsuitable.

Obviously special dietary requirements should be catered for!

Not for dinner but for lunch I sometimes have scrambled eggs on a slice of toast, baked beans on toast, a cheese toastie, or jacket potato with beans or cheese but not both, an omelet or soup. I do like homemade tomato and lentil or leak and potato soup . I eat meat, fish or chicken every night for dinner. DH is a veggie and does cook things like macaroni cheese, penne Arabatica, but too many carbs for me. I like high protein and low carbs. I don't like spicy food as it disagrees with me so no curry either.

Ploughman sounds good!

French bread, boiled ham, cheese pickles veggie quiche etc

I'd not eat cold bone in chicken at a buffet. Too messy.

I find less choice but more simple better.

Scones too are fab pre filled with jam butter and/ or cream and cut in half.