Help me plan refreshments please!

[Supersoakers]

We have a council training morning coming up and have been asked to sort the tea coffee and light refreshments. We’re bringing our own lunch.
we have use of a boiling water tap.
Expecting about 40 people- with 2 nut allergies and a few vegans.

Ive got a click and collect slot to collect on the way. I’ve realised I’m not sure how much milk etc and what to get in the way of food.
So far I’ve put in:
semi skimmed milk 4pt
oat milk one carton
teabags 80
nescafe instant
sugar
sweeteners
biscuits- bourbon, fruit shortcake, oaties and ginger nuts.
I also put in 5 packs of 5 different mini pastries.

If anyone has done this before I’d appreciate an idea of amounts!

Also should I get cold drinks? Are the Tesco biscuits not fancy enough?

budget level- council

thanks in advance!

Have to admit I don't take milk in coffee, so can't comment on that. I'd happily eat the Tescis biscuits though and might find myself eating four😊- just thinking how many you get.

I'd budget us tight, are there any other brands id tea and coffee that are on offer? If so, get those.

Party rings are vegan biscuits.

All those biscuits are vegan- but I can add party rings

yeah I should get more packs of biscuits.

what do you reckon about the pastries?

Get a pack of gf biscuits in case.

Have you access to plates for mini pastries? Otherwise they could be messy to eat bits end up on floor etc. Does the venue have filtered water tap etc. Otherwise I would order 2 litres of still water (hopefully venue can supply glasses).

So is that only 25 pastries for 40 people? You need at least one for each person of anything you provide.
Free stuff means people take more.
If you can’t afford the pastries for everyone then don’t buy them at all. Donuts might be cheaper. And very few would take more than 1 donut! Mini things = people take more than one.
Unless this is a breakfast meeting I’d maybe stick with biscuits but buy some nicer ones! Choc chip cookies or choc digestives.

Oh, and buy more milk!

And yes to water and maybe also squash/juice

I would get 6 pints of milk and switch the pastries for something else that means you can do one each. Biscuits I would add more chocolate ones as they tend to be more popular

Ok more milk and more fancy biscuits!
And gluten free.
Will check the water and glass situation- I’m actually popping into the venue later this week.
Squash.
It’s a 9 for 9.30 start so kind of breakfast- but I think I’ll just stick to biscuits but I like the doughnut idea. They’re always dead cheap as well!

I’d put the pastries in in a rather half hearted manner and also to go over £25 minimum basket charge so I could check out and dither a bit more.

Perhaps those tubs of mini muffins and flapjacks?

I'd cut out the pastries and get a selection of scones, including GF if required. Butter and some jams.

ooh yes

Co-op do amazing vegan donuts in packs of 5 in both jam and custard (vegan obvs). You can't tell the difference! Nice and cheap too.

The scone thing sound lovely but would have to get 3 types and 2 types of butter and all a bit crumbly like pastries. I’m veering down the biscuits and mini cake route now to be able to eat without plates

Great tip re vegan donuts. Don’t want them to miss out.

We had a similar event recently with similar number. Got lots of tubs of M&S flapjacks, mini brownies, mini choc rolls etc, lots of different biscuits inc bourbons and custard creams and naicer ones. Also got a few GF options. Didn’t have to supply drinks luckily. Can’t remember how much we exactly got though.

I’m personally a crisp fan but I’m not going to go there

They are so good. All non vegans at the meeting said they would buy them again as everybody loved them and a guaranteed hit.

Do I need fruit tea?

I think it's a mistake get a few of lots of different things when you've got a fairly large group (organised lots of events)

I'd get
3 boxes of the Tesco Free From flapjack bites (75 pieces) as everyone can eat them including any surprise gluten free people.

3 packs of bourbons, 3 packs of fruit shortbread.

And a couple of punnets of grapes

Instead of plates, leave out some napkins.

Also some fruit perhaps

We usually go down the M&S snack tubs and their biscuits are very reasonable too