Buffet suggestions

[TheChosenTwo]

What would you have on yours? Will be making everything. It’s all going to be finger food, not a sit down dinner although if people want to sit then they can!
No allergies, a mix of meat eaters and vegetarians but it will mostly be veggie food on offer.
No need to comment about meat eaters eating all the veggie food, people can eat what they want.

Have already planned:
selection of bruschetta
ottolenghi garlic tart quiche thing
spinach and feta filo triangles
meat and veggie sausage rolls
spiced beef pastries
roasted ham
cheeseboard with crackers and chutneys

anything else you’d like to see?

Hummus and veg sticks.

Cocktail sausages. Obviously. 😂

Green and black grapes to go on the cheeseboard, you only need a few but it makes it look nice.
Crisps.
Pickled onions & gherkins etc.
Bowl of salad - cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes, bits of yellow pepper look nice with that.

I agree with above about pickles, crudités, grapes etc stops it from being too heavy.
I like a big flat bread topped with caramelised onion chutney, figs, gorgonzola and baked, then sprinkle over rocket leaves and a drizzle of honey before cutting into fingers and serving.

That's a lot of pastry currently

Potato wedges
Agree cheese a good shout, olives
Grilled chicken breast or prawns on sticks
Cocktail sticks with mozzarella, cherry tomato, bit of basil leaf

Frittata cut into squares
Mini steak pies
Cheese board
Small stovie pots
smoked salmon board
Charcuterie board
Mini brioche rolls & filling
Fruit platter

Thanks. We will have crudités with some dips aswell as obligatory crisps/olives/anchovies. All the accompaniments will be on the cheeseboard, grapes, pickled onions etc.
dh was going to make a pissaladerie bread thing, forgot that.
yes it’s a bit pastry/bread heavy but it’s a buffet, everyone knows it’s a buffet and then have the option of eating at home if they don’t want to eat here! Everyone lives within a 5-10 minute drive away so no one is travelling for miles 😁

Samosas, bhajis, chicken/veg skewers, flatbreads, roasted veg, cous cous, jacket potatoes, tuna crunch, a few cheeses, coronation chicken, a few deserts.

A salad or two. Maybe a winter slaw, and tabbouleh with roasted cauliflower or root veg, or something kale based if you prefer leafy salads

I'd do roasted vegetables with that, hardly anyone eats salad at a buffet, but roasted veg served room temperature with a chimichurri/sauce vierge/gremolata would be lovely.

Its not a buffet without cheese & pineapple on sticks. And you need some crisps.

I also like honey & mustard sausages and some daulpinoise potatoes. So there is hot & cold options.

It’s very carb heavy and a bit beige. Winter salads would be good. Are there any dairy or gluten free guests as they wouldn’t be able to eat much of your current choices.

Some more fruit, and some sweet options? My BIL had a big birthday a couple of years ago and my other sister and I both provided some food for the buffet. She made coronation chicken and something else, I made a selection of mini savoury tartlets (just a couple of bites, or just one BIG bite) and some filo parcels. The tartlets were all versions of quiche. Some smoked salmon and asparagus, ham and egg, cheese and tomato, mexican cheese, cheese and caramelized onion etc. and the filo parcels were just onion chutney and cheese (lots of cheese). They all went down very well, especially the filo parcels. I was asked for the recipe for the filo parcels and it was a bit embarrassing to say it was just a teaspoon of onion chutney and some grated cheese!

My hosting sister made a big pot of chilli - but interestingly enough very little of that got eaten. Maybe because that is something you actually have to take care eating? The finger food went down better even though most, if not all, people were sitting down to eat. The cheese and biscuits went down well though.

I agree with salads. Cubes of watermelon and feta with a mint leaf on cocktail sticks, Greek salad, maybe tabbouleh. I'm not keen on roasted veg though.

Just seen there were more replies!
No, no allergies or intolerances, just a few vegetarians.

Yes it’s a bit beige and pastry heavy, no one I will mind that. It’s a finger food buffet, not doing salads as we have 35 coming and a table that’s not big enough so although some will be seated, some will be standing but it all needs to be eaten using fingers. Should have stipulated finger food in the op! Sorry!! Most people should be able to find somewhere to perch, there’s probably seating for 10 in the front room and another 20 in the kitchen if people don’t mind squeezing in but the actual dining table will largely be out of action due to having all the food on!

It’s just an offering of buffet nibbles, no one is going to pass away without a side salad for one evening 😂 it’s a fairly standard buffet for our family, everyone knows roughly what to expect. We are a really
close (but big) family and all get on well; if they don’t want to eat buffet they can definitely eat something more nutritious at home before coming, was just looking for some newer ideas that we haven’t tried yet. I’m going to do a burata and Broadbean and mint type bruschetta, we have the beans in the freezer from mil’s allotment so she’ll be happy.

To be fair I don’t even eat when I’m drinking (which I will be), and I know mostly people will just pick. In-laws will definitely want a ‘proper’ plate and to sit down, but other than that everyone else will just pick something up as and when they fancy it.

Oh, and someone mentioned pudding/sweet, there will be plenty of that after, that’s covered!

Crudités will be fine and some grapes etc on your cheeseboard. It’s nice to have the freshness but it’s a faff eating a salad at a buffet.

I love a selection of salads if I can sit down to eat! And we do them during the summer when we can make use of the garden too, we can seat another 30 at least outside!
But yes, you just have to make amendments when you’re a bit more pushed for space. Crudités are easy to eat with one hand.

Yeah. I find crudités easier than a full mixed salad for a finger/fork buffet: peppers, cucumber, carrot, celery, endives/little gem leaves, and cherry or baby plum tomatoes, served separately not all mixed together

If it’s just finger food, I’d skip the quiche. I can’t imagine eating a quiche without a fork at least! Especially skip a cheeseboard, as I would need a knife, plate, and a surface to put the cheese on a cracker or bread. If you’re planning on plates and forks, then winter salads are super easy and a bit more exciting than a beige buffet. If it’s literally drinks and nibbles (which I love), just stick to that. Then no plates and forks and balancing drinks are involved.

If there are no allergies, I would do pintxos. Not sure if you’ve been to the Basque Country, but they put everything on a thin slice of baguette so you can pick it up with no cutlery required and you can hold your wine too!