Help me plan a buffet

[MapoTofuLettuce]

I always like buffet-commentary threads and find them useful and now I'm doing one of my own 😁

I'm doing a buffet for 16. 10 adults, 6 kids aged 6-1. No one has any allergies or restrictions. I'm keen to have good options for the kids, plenty of healthy stuff, more of an Ottolenghi-ish vibe than trad beige. I enjoy cooking and am happy to do lots of work ahead but would rather not do too much at the last minute so I can chat to guests.

What sort of thing would you do?

Spanokopita
Cold chicken legs marinaded with honey and ginger
Potato salad
Tabbouleh
Greek salad
Potato wedges, warm, for kids
Warm sausages
Baguette chunks
Cheese board
Deli meats
Home made pizza slices

I'm hungry now amd should stop getting carried away...

All the above, plus a big aubergine parmigiana (make ahead and just warm through in oven)

Maybe some nice hummus / dips to go with bread www.rivercottage.net/recipes-in/hummus

I always love a homemade quiche. Perhaps with asparagus as it's the right time of year?

Big green salad with lovely lemony dressing and toasted seeds or crunchy croutons.

Morrisons do some nice sandwiches platters that you preorder. You can then add nice colourful food to it.

You can get away with doing bits from across the Mediterranean, and it all works together. I usually put in the following:

• Greek salad
• Tabbouleh
• Lamb koftas
• Chickpeas and chorizo
• Imam biyaldi
• Tzatziki

And then you can add things like olives, sunblush tomatoes, roasted vegetables, flatbreads… basically any tapas, meze, antipasti or whatever will work. And another benefit is that a lot of it is vegetarian, so you don’t have to worry about adding in different bits for non-meat-eaters.

Ready made stuffed vine leaves are a possibility for the adults too.

Some really great ideas on here, thank you!

Got to have carrot and hummus! 😍
Also bread sticks and some pitta for the hummus too

I’d have loads of picky bits altho I know mumsnet hates a picky tea 😂

Fresh breads
cheese board
cold meats
quiche
salads
potato salad
Coleslaw

crisps
dips

so people can just pick and eat what they want and it’s minimal cooking or fuss

I'd do a big joint of meat.

I’d do a gammon or salmon.

If you like ottolenghi style stuff I’d pick maybe 3/4 of his salad/veggie dishes and then serve with kofta, falafael, marinated chicken (leave some plain for fussy kids), selection of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern dips (I like Sabrina ghayour’s recipes), good Turkish bread.

v easy marinade I often use for chicken is olive oil, salt, zataar, turmeric and lemon zest. Roast as you would normally.

I try to make it easy for myself so do a base of shop bought things that are easy to just open the packet and plate up, some side dishes I can make ahead of time then some meat or easy things I cook on the day. E.g.

Shop bought stuff:

Crisps
Dips/hummus etc
Olives
Sliced deli meats e.g. slices of ham, cooked chicken, chorizo
Cheese
Chutney
Crackers
Butter
Bread rolls

Make ahead of time and just serve up out of the fridge:

Homemade coleslaw
Pasta and pesto or another pasta salad
Cous cous with roasted veg
Mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes and a basil leaf on cocktail sticks

Easy to cook on the day:

Jacket potatoes
Chicken drumsticks
Sausages
Lamb koftas

Dessert I normally just whip a load of cream, put out shop bought meringues and various berries/other fruit and people make their own eton mess. I also leave the cheese, crackers and chutneys for those who prefer something savoury rather than sweet.

That tends to go down well with the adults and children as there's something for everyone.

Corned beef & potato pie
Bacon & egg pie
French sticks
Pate
Garlic roule
Tomato pasta salad
Charcuterie board
Veg frittata
Crudités & dips
Green salad
Tortilla chips
Sausage rolls
Falafels
crab sticks
Chicken skewers
Scotch eggs
Rice salad