Can I have some help putting together a gluten free buffet please

[WillowtreeHouse]

For around 20 folk and would rather not have any hot dishes if possible please. Def a finger buffet. Ideas for little puddings would be great too please and everything must be gluten free. Thanks!

A fork buffet would be easier as you can have rice salad, other salads, cold meats etc. get gluten free crackers and cheeses. Sushi is gluten free, just buy gluten free soy sauce - you can have make your own with rice, seaweed sheets cut into 4 and assorted fillings

Very easily. All your meats (not breaded ham) and cheeses. Gf part baked baguettes be sure to use a clean oven tray. Gf breadsticks are good if you want dips. Or no gf bread at all. Most crisps are gf. Potato salad. Rice. And all other food us gf anyway. Any veg. Almost any sauce, can be made with rice flour instead. Any fruit.

Five bean chilli and a meat chilli with tacos is good. Gf corn ones obviously.

Yes I think you're right, fork buffet it is.

But you said cold so ignore that one.

@MillbankTower sushi is gluten free if you use gluten free soy sauce

Dh is gluten free and I have previously for a buffet bought gf frozen profiteroles (available in Asda), put about 5 or 6 in each paper cup, drizzled with the chocolate sauce that comes with and added a wooden fork to each cup. Went down well with gf and non gf guests. Gf cheesecake is also pretty easy to make using gf biscuits and you could do make individual ones in paper cups

Coconut macarons (the Mrs Crimble ones are GF) Pavlova (check if it's a shop bought one)

M&S have a reasonable range of gluten free cakes.

You are probably no where near Dawlish in Devon but this little cafe will do some products by post though not sure exactly how it works (and if any of you ever happen to be that way and want a gluten free meal I couldn't recommend them more highly) Home Kitchen Dawlish

I'd roast a few chickens and have that cold alongside salad bits - some little roast potatoes, veggies and garlic mayo, green salad, maybe a rice salad too.

For pudding, I'd make mini pavlovas (or a big pavlova and slice it but mini ones are neater) with meringues, cream and fruit. You can buy ready made meringue nests on most shops. And maybe some brownies - the nigella gluten free recipe works well but any brownie recipe will be fine with gluten free flour.

I also buy a gf tiger loaf, make criss cross cuts into the top and stuff with garlic butter and cheese - goes down really well

Totally nicking this - not for a party just to have next time we have (gluten free) spag bol. Don't know why it's not occurred to me before!

I don’t have any suggestions to add as some of these look amazing but I am place marking as a coeliac myself, also about to have surgery and chemoradiotherapy.

Also I am sure everyone won’t find it ‘awful’! I think it’s really lovely you are doing so much to make sure everyone has a nice time and doesn’t need to worry about eating the wrong thing.

Yes, gluten free choux pastry tends to be good.

I love the Asda gf profiteroles, sadly we don't have an Asda nearby. The Tesco ones are vegan so don't have real cream in them

Sushi is very often GF. Unless you’re putting in gluteny stuff. But the rice is fine. As is the nori, fish, veg and lots of the things you’d put in/on it. The soy sauce for dipping isn’t, but tamari/GF soy sauce is absolutely fine.

It’s easy enough to check the ingredients in ice cream. Mostly its quite obvious that cookie dough ice cream won’t be GF.

Various kinds of noodles are GF. Rice noodles, tapioca noodles, sweet potato noodles, buckwheat noodles.

Satay can easily be made GF.

This cake is moist, and delicious. You could make it into cupcakes rather than a large cake too:

You’re just being awkward here!

Rice, fish, seaweed veg all gluten free - so sushi can easily be made gluten free.
Noddle salads are normally made with rice noodles which are gluten free
Lots of ice creams are gluten free - obviously op would choose a gluten free one!
Satay can easily be made gluten free - eg with chicken, peanut butter, gf soy sauce, chilli, coriander, maybe coconut milk.

Point being
They can be made
But if you buy them they are not!

(I am GF and so often food bought by others for me is not able to be eaten)

Sushi is if it's seasoned with tamari rather than soy. Sushi rice is because the rice seasoning doesn't contain soy.

Rice noodles are gluten free. 100% buckwheat noodles are gluten free.

Other things need checking.

It's not really that hard, just don't include any pastry dishes or bread (could do gluten free crackers with cheese). Gluten free flour for cakes is fine, I honestly can't tell any difference. So: rice or potato salads, cold meats and cheeses, salad vegetables, pickles, chocolate cakes, berries, cream. Make your own cheesecakes with gluten free digestives or ginger biscuits. Also some things are surprisingly gluten free if you look on the packaging eg mozarella sticks.

'Sushi isnt typically gluten free. Sashimi is ?
Some ice cream isnt gluten free.
Noodles are not gluten free
Satay isnt all gluten free'

Negative much?
Sushi can be ( and traditionally is) gluten free.
Ice cream isn't difficult to find gluten free (especially Asian coconut or rice milk types).
Rice noodles are ubiquitous, make a lovely Asian style salad, and are gluten free.
Satay is gluten free unless you use a packet or jar.

Raid the made without wheat section at M&S? Or Ocado. There are so many gluten free options available these days. The gluten free quiche at M&S is particularly good.

What gluten do you think is in sushi???? It’s only the soy sauce that can contain gluten but gluten free is available. Noodles are easily available gluten free. You can easily avoid gluten and eat totally unremarkable food.

Are you gluten free but stuck for ideas or non GF? I'm asking because I think the advice depends on the answer. I may be preaching to the converted here but if you're already used to being strictly gluten free you will have a better idea about ingredients, reading labels, avoiding contamination etc. I think the Asian themed idea is good as so much can be done round that. Afternoon tea type items are also nice but you'd probably have to make a lot of it yourself (avoiding contamination if you're not GF) or spend a huge amount of money. I saw a Battenberg for £7 online. Just in case, be careful with drinks as they can be an unexpected source of gluten. Check everything. Apologies if you already know.

The seaweed is shop-bought sushi is sometimes dusted with wheat flour, seemingly for no explicable reason except to make it even harder for coeliacs to pick up a meal deal on their lunch break 🙄
(Obvs doesn't apply if you make your own)
OP, I think your GF friend will adores you for this - I would!
And to the PP who suggested it'll be "awful" for everybody else, what do you think most buffets (cafes, parties, afternoon teas...) are like for coeliacs?? "OK everyone, tuck into the pastries, artisinal breads, samosas, and sausage rolls! Oh, and here are some crudités and dip for you."

...the dip at that point with three broken off pieces of breadstick poking out of it because some prat decided it wouldn't make any difference at all. And the crudités are on a platter with the pork pies and ham rolls...