Critique my BBQ menu

[SaltandPepper22]

9 adults - one gluten free (intolerance). No other dietary requirements. One person doesn’t drink.

My friend has already offered to bring the dessert so not getting stuff for that and friends always bring something they would like to drink.

Currently sitting in my online shopping basket I have:

12 x gluten free burgers
12 x buns; 2x gluten free buns
12 x regular sausages
6 x gluten free sausages
1 x large block of halloumi for grilling

Skewers to make:

• At least 12 x chicken tikka kebabs
• At leas x Lamb kofta kebabs

(I am making these things because they are often not gluten free but easy to just make them naturally gf)

1 x sharing bag Doritos
1 x sharing bag of other crisps
1 x jar of olives
1 x pot of coleslaw
Ketchup
Mayonnaise
Burger Sauce

Cheese slices
Hummus

Ingredients to make:

• one large potato salad
• one large roasted vegetable cous cous

Drink (bearing in mind they will also bring their own)

15 cans lager
4 bottles of ale
1 bottle white wine
1 bottle sparkling wine
2 70cl bottles mixed summer gin drink thing
Ingredients for espresso martinis
3 bottles flavoured sparkling water

Still not enough for just me 😂

I would go for gf meal all around, makes it easier than trying to keep track on what you used for which burger/sausage.

I would definitely add more non-alcoholic drinks. Also one bottle of wine and prosecco is really low, but you obviously know what your friends drink.
We normally have some good lemonade, cloudy lemonade and raspberry plus some coke and sprite as some of my friends like making a shandy.

I personally hate flavoured sparkling water, it just tastes artificial. Maybe get plain one and offer cut up fruit or good fresh juice to mix with.

@reluctantbrit I could get rid of the sparkling water and buy cloudy lemonade that’s a good idea.

I’m pretty sure it’s just me and one other who drinks wine which is why I bought the gin drinks (SIL drinks like a teenage girl) and stuff for espresso martinis. The rest of the blokes will just drink beer which they will bring themselves

Surely if your friend doesn't drink she'll be bringing whatever it is she does drink instead of wine or beers like your other guests

I wouldn't over think it

And your friends are just happy to be there and hang out more than anything

Relax and enjoy

Your menu looks great

Premium sausages at the supermarket (Taste The Difference, Finest etc ) are naturally gluten free so that would be an easy gluten free main.

Your menu sounds delicious - I bet that I’m not the only one who’d like to attend.

Is cross contamination an issue? If so, buy all gluten free sausages. Often have a higher meat content than non gluten free ones so are better for everyone.

Okay I have swapped all the sausages for gluten free ones, got rid of my flavoured sparkling water and replaced with cloudy lemonade and iced tea, swapped the cous cous for quinoa so now the only thing that isn’t gluten free is the non-gf buns but I’m not going to inflict gf buns on my wallet or others’ tastebuds 🤣

Get the corn on the cobs and coleslaw too. All sounds lovely! Hope you have good weather for it too.

I would definitely add a green salad - I always like salad at BBQs. I think you probably have far too much meat but you will know how much your guests eat!

@caitlinsjoy I’ve got coleslaw (I love it so wouldn’t forget it). Lots of people have suggested corn on the cob so thinking that might be a good idea

Ice tea - totally forgot, that's my non-drinking friend's drink of choice. She normally brings it but I cater for her as well.

I'd do veggie skewers instead of one of the meats - courgette, pepper, onion maybe mushroom.

Could you ask the non drinker what they like? I don't drink and don't enjoy being offered sugary drinks like Cawston or cloudy lemonade. Give me a good pepsi max or coke zero with lots of ice and lemon any day! (I'd bring my own but it's frustrating when it's assumed I like every soft drink and don't have a preference!)

Sounds lovely though!

I’d possibly do veggie skewers as well, but I really like the sound of all the meats so I don’t think you should cut back on those! BBQ is really about the meat if you aren’t catering for vegetarians or vegans.

Ask her! And if the answer is tea, show her where the stuff is so she can make it herself from cup 2 onwards

@Putting no vegans or vegetarians which feels rare these days - I’m glad it’s friends not family otherwise I would be trying to cater for a vegetarian, a vegan, a coeliac, a nut allergy, a kiwi allergy & a strawberry allergy 🤦🏻‍♀️

I know your friend is bringing dessert, but could you also provide some fruit? Like some strawberries or mango fingers? Nice to round off a meal and offset a sweet dessert.

Sounds great OP.

I'm hopeless with bread and would prefer a wrap.

I’d be tempted to do more than 12 buns as some people will want more than one each over the course of a bbq.

Doritos aren't gf, OP. They contain barley malt extract.

Sains' own brand equivalent are gf though.

Have a super time!

@Moirarosesgarden yeah I’m on the fence about buns. The GF person as their own bun so really it’s just 8 people for 12 buns. I never eat bread at BBQs (waste of calories when there is other stuff to prioritise) so that takes us down to 7. I have separate hotdog buns for sausages that I forgot to mention as well

You need more doritos and crisps.
Also mustard (American style).

Cheese for burgers, lettuce, tomatoes, maybe some red onion sliced thinly.

Sweet corn is nice grilled.

One halloumi between 9 people???? That's around 0.7 of a slice each!