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Original poster

Drinks in the garden

43 replies

pimmsandgin · 18/06/2023 06:49

If you were invited for "drinks in the garden from 8pm onward"

What food would you expect?

What can offer to a crowd of ppl that won't be too ££ or complicated but will soak up booze

OP posts:
Alighttouchonthetiller · 18/06/2023 07:02

Bread, cheese (doesn't have to be fancy), cold meats, olives, crisps. Keep it simple.

CornishGem1975 · 18/06/2023 07:08

Nothing more than crisps and olives.

cherrypied · 18/06/2023 07:11

I don't think I would expect anything if I got an invite worded like that. Maybe a few crisps in a bowl?

What is the purpose of the party and how many. Will everyone be seated or mainly stood about.

I like the idea of French bread and cheeses or a whole baked ham. Also some substantial cake.

Even easier is to buy (or make) platters of sandwiches and mini Victoria sponges.

Original poster
pimmsandgin · 18/06/2023 07:19

Purpose of the party is that life has been a bit shit (hence looking for budget solutions) but we still like to see our friends

Kids are moving on to secondary so we see less of the school gate people.
Just a chance to see ppl really.
Not a birthday
Will also say "bring a bottle" on invites (which will be on phone only)
X

OP posts:
Original poster
pimmsandgin · 18/06/2023 07:19

Bread and cheese is a good shout

OP posts:
Northbright · 18/06/2023 07:20

I think if you want people to stay more than an hour you need to do something a little more than crisps (unless you're 17 and food-would-be-rude). Canapes or things needing forks might be fiddly so I agree with the bread, cheese cold meats. You could do a whole ham which is very easy and people could carve it themselves. And chicken drumsticks. Or if you didn't mind forks and wanted to be more fancy, bowl food if you didn't mind washing up. And brownies and a big bowl of strawberries for pud.

Northbright · 18/06/2023 07:22

Northbright · 18/06/2023 07:20

I think if you want people to stay more than an hour you need to do something a little more than crisps (unless you're 17 and food-would-be-rude). Canapes or things needing forks might be fiddly so I agree with the bread, cheese cold meats. You could do a whole ham which is very easy and people could carve it themselves. And chicken drumsticks. Or if you didn't mind forks and wanted to be more fancy, bowl food if you didn't mind washing up. And brownies and a big bowl of strawberries for pud.

Sorry...I didn't read the previous post about the ham before I posted! Great minds etc..

FlounderingFruitcake · 18/06/2023 07:24

I wouldn’t expect anything and if I got an invite worded that way I’d be sure to eat first and would make it something filling because of the drinks! So I wouldn’t touch anything else savoury. Something pudding-y might tempt me though.

Greenfinch7 · 18/06/2023 07:25

8 seems like a slightly strange time for drinks and crisps or for ham and cheese. Won't people have already had dinner? If I just had an evening meal, I probably wouldn't feel like eating ham and cheese. You could serve dessert, or you could invite people for a drink before dinner a bit earlier on, (or you could not care and just do whatever you want, and people will just be happy to see one another- probably the best option).

WimpoleHat · 18/06/2023 07:27

The timing suggests there won’t be substantial food, if that makes sense? 8pm is dinner time to me, so it’s obviously not a pre dinner drink; I’d assume that you were earlier eaters and therefore 8pm drinks were just that, possibly with some crisps and small nibbles?

RattyHealy · 18/06/2023 07:32

If specifically saying drinks in the garden, I'd probably assume crisps and dips, maybe nuts.

I wouldn't expect a big spread, bbq or anything.

J0S · 18/06/2023 07:43

Cheese and pate / biscuits and bread is always popular, especially if you take the time to set it out nicely on pretty plates / wooded boards / slate etc and garnish with grapes so it’s less beige.

This is quick and easy to do although not cheap. Please get some GF bread / crackers if you have any gluten free guests.

I also do Chopped up veg and dips / hummus, which is cheaper to buy but all that chopping up takes some time. However it looks great with multi coloured veg.

I usually get some “ wow this looks great “ comments when I do these two things together.

These give options for vegetarian and vegan guests if you have any ( I’d assume one in ten depending on the age group of your guests / where you live ).

Maddy70 · 18/06/2023 07:49

Alighttouchonthetiller · 18/06/2023 07:02

Bread, cheese (doesn't have to be fancy), cold meats, olives, crisps. Keep it simple.

This is exactly what I would serve

ThreeRingCircus · 18/06/2023 07:56

I wouldn't expect anything other than snacks.....crisps, nuts, olives that sort of thing as I'd assume everyone was eating dinner beforehand. However I think if you do some bread, crackers, cheese, cold meats too then you'll cover all bases.

Beamur · 18/06/2023 07:59

If you invited me for drinks I wouldn't expect a meal. Literally just crisps/nuts would be fine.

SquirrelFan · 18/06/2023 08:11

Small cocktail sausages, maybe prawns, cheese, crackers, crisps,dips. Like the idea of veg sticks with hummus. Depending on your space, try to spread out the food, so people aren't crowding round one table (in the past I've put vegetarian stuff on a different table and just quietly mentioned it to veggie friends). I wouldn't necessarily say 'bring a bottle' - most people do anyway.

Dumpruntime · 18/06/2023 08:15

Northbright · 18/06/2023 07:20

I think if you want people to stay more than an hour you need to do something a little more than crisps (unless you're 17 and food-would-be-rude). Canapes or things needing forks might be fiddly so I agree with the bread, cheese cold meats. You could do a whole ham which is very easy and people could carve it themselves. And chicken drumsticks. Or if you didn't mind forks and wanted to be more fancy, bowl food if you didn't mind washing up. And brownies and a big bowl of strawberries for pud.

I’d really not expect that for drinks at 8. You’re basically saying a meal.

op, I do drinks for friends in the evening regularly. I’d not do effectively dinner as this poster is suggesting, otherwise I’d invite them for dinner, and earlier, but I would put out snacks, cheese, nice bread, olives, nuts, crisps, canopies etc. but I don’t think many folks would expect a whole ham, bowls and chicken etc.

Mushroo · 18/06/2023 08:19

In our group evening drinks the food would be crisps, nuts, and a cheese board always goes down really well. Maybe some sort of cake / brownies.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 18/06/2023 08:23

Definitely some kind of food if you're expecting people to stay and drink.

Crisps and dip
Nuts
Salami/cold meat selection
Cheese/crackers
Something sweet - fruit or brownies or something dessert-like.

MadeItOutTheOtherSide · 18/06/2023 08:26

My family do this every weekend, we do crisps, dips, chopped veggies, and usually some combination of little sausages/sausage rolls/cheese straws/olives/prawns/chorizo, sometimes a chicken nugget or a mozzarella sticks. Just picky bits to go with drinks. It’s not meant to be dinner.

trampoline123 · 18/06/2023 08:36

I'd just get in crisps and dips probably.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 18/06/2023 08:53

Retro sausages on sticks - best quality sausages cooked and cut into thirds - these invariably vanish. I once made some as an afterthought for an alfresco do at a BiL’s very grand place in France - a big plateful lasted barely half a minute!

I had taken a couple of packs of frozen sausages partly to serve as ice packs during a 7 hour car journey.

Northbright · 18/06/2023 08:59

Dumpruntime · 18/06/2023 08:15

I’d really not expect that for drinks at 8. You’re basically saying a meal.

op, I do drinks for friends in the evening regularly. I’d not do effectively dinner as this poster is suggesting, otherwise I’d invite them for dinner, and earlier, but I would put out snacks, cheese, nice bread, olives, nuts, crisps, canopies etc. but I don’t think many folks would expect a whole ham, bowls and chicken etc.

Show quote history

Whole ham as its cheap and looks good..I was just trying to think of easy things as I am quite cateringly-challenged. (I did include cheese!). I suppose it depends what time you eat. I've noticed in the last few years that drinks parties just means that there's no seating but always at least decent canapes or food of some sort and more than olives or crisps. Only if you want people to stay for the evening obviously! The OP will know what her group usually do. My hangovers are so extraordinary these days that the thought of more than an hour's drinking with no food....

cherrypied · 18/06/2023 09:09

To be fair if I had a big tea at say 6pm
Because I was facing a night of drinking, I'd be disappointed to go and find all this lovely food! Grin

I think what you are referring to is what I would call drinks and nibbles!

Drinks in the garden I'd be hoping for pins and maybe some strawberries or a nut or two?

cherrypied · 18/06/2023 09:10

It's sounds lovely OP i hope you have a fabulous time with or without the ham!