Emergency buffet ideas please

[DancingDucks]

I have just realised that the family buffet next weekend is actually this afternoon. We had discussed dates and I had in my head it was next week but my sister has just messaged to ask what she can bring and DH (who is away with work and not due back til mid morning so won't have noticed the lack of buffet-able food in the house) has confirmed it.

I have few options shop wise - small Asda close by and I don't really have time to drive to the big Tesco miles away.

So I would love some easy, quick buffet ideas please?! Also need some gluten free options. Normally I would probably do pulled pork etc but I don't have time for that now and my mind has gone a blank this morning in my panic!

How many people?

Drive to the big Tesco and buy it all in? It would certainly save on stress!

I really don't have time now, it's 45 mins there and back and I have to get DCS to and from their football/drama. They're coming at 1. 😫

I'd buy as much as possible ready-made or ready just to put out on plates/platters/into dishes. If you don't want to admit to the date confusion, say you've had an unexpectedly busy week at work. Can you get any reasonably nice bread? That plus butter and/or extra virgin olive oil will go a long way to fill people up. Selection of cheese and good quality cold meat/deli meats, if possible. The obvious pastry-based stuff - pork pies, sausage rolls, quiche. Chutney. Salad leaves, cherry tomatoes (on the vine if available), hummus, other dips. Olives, if people like them. Fruit. You could buy some prepared fruit and put it on a nice plate. Strawberries and cream. Ice cream if anyone wants it?

Bean salad is really easy and quick to make, ditto potato salad. Use baby potatoes. I make potato salad by putting the potatoes in a bowl while still warm, mixing with mayonnaise, a little Dijon mustard and perhaps a bit of natural yogurt or creme fraiche, chopped spring onions, plenty of pepper and some salt, chopped gerkhin if I feel like it and have it to hand. Mix well and serve at room temperature. Bean salad - buy some tins of beans and chickpeas, whatever you can find, if you don't have any in. Drain and rinse. Put in bowl and mix well with chopped peppers (more than one colour if you can), drained sweetcorn, finely chopped spring onion or red onion and celery, chopped parsley, vinaigrette (olive oil and wine vinegar or lemon juice, a little mustard), plenty of salt and pepper. Other salad stuff can go in too if you like, for colour and texture.

Good luck!

Not loads, 12 of us.

... or just buy lots of pizzas.

Pizzas, quiches, sliced baguette, cold meats, cheeses, dips, crisps, salad, tuna pasta, fruit, pork pies, pastries, cupcakes / cakes
,

If you had had time, what sort of things would you do, so we can help you put on a quicker version of the kind of buffet you normally would. How long will you have to prepare?

Surely this occasion calls for ‘The Mumsnet Emergency Trifle’?

French stick & other bread, cheese, cold meats some salad / lettuce... fruit melon & grapes and small cake slices. See if they have some gluten free bread / cakes.

Not the cheapest but easy with plenty of variety!

I'd go even simpler - a good Ploughman's with several types of cheese, crusty bread, Ryvita for gluten free ( I THINK that's ok, but check), salad and pickled onions, and a pot of chutney.

A pudding from the freezer - maybe a roulade, as it defrosts easily?

Can you get a ‘Woosh’ delivery from your Tesco?

Small Asda compatible ideas;

Crisps
Pitta bread cut into fingers
Something from the crisp aisle that’s not crisps (lentil pops, tortillas etc).

Hummus
Cottage cheese (mix with mayo and curry powder for ‘exciting’ dip).

Ham, rolled into fingers if keen. Just cut in half if not.

Pasta, cooked now, stir pesto through. Leave to cool. Tadaa. Pasta salad.

New potatoes cooked and left to cool. Provide mayo so people can add if wish.

Carrot sticks (they may have ready cut).
Pepper sticks
cucumber sticks

Bag of frozen Indian snacks from the freezer section.

Baguettes.

Cheese board - made with cheddar, goat, brie

Crackers.

Does your local Shop do rotisserie chicken? French bread, chicken and bagged salad is our go to emergency meal.

Also fruit salad, crisps, pasta salad (pasta, sweetcorn, peas, peppers, maybe chicken, bacon).

Do a cupboard and fridge audit. Check your freezer.

I’d go baguette, posh cheese board, charcuterie, some nice chutneys, olives and a salad.

Ask your sister, and anyone else who offers to help, to bring dessert.

From the Asda get some of the ready cooked chicken, either from hot food counter or from deli section. 4 bags crispy salad, big bowl of cous cous salad made from their sachets, olives & deli peppers. Crusty bread. Maybe add a few boxes of their pulled pork or ribs. A selection of their ready- prepared pizzas.

Puddings is harder as Asda ones aren’t wonderful but maybe fruit platter from their strawnerries, melon, etc with some ice cream & sprinkles? Is it too late to bung a cake in the oven?

Keep it really simple, don’t get too many different things as it can look a bit children’s party. Asda do a good gluten free selection:
Cheeses
Cured meat
Olives
Grapes/pickles for cheeseboard
Baguettes
Gluten free crackers (only gluten free so no mix ups)
Green salad
Spanish tortilla
Marinaded prawns (just the ones in a packet)

Loads of sausages and nice bread rolls with a variety of sauces? Like posh hot dogs?

Also good excuse to empty out your freezer and just cook everything there is 😁

Brilliant ideas, you lot are amazing, thank you!

Anywhere you can order in from?

I realise this isn't an option for everyone but I'd order in from a local Greek place (so mezze platters / bread / all the dips)

Or do you have any supermarkets that offer a "quick service". I know Sainsburys offer Chop Chop which is x amount of items delivered within the hour.

Otherwise you need to get to Asda pronto and buy anything vaguely buffet like as soon as you can. I'd go for flatbreads / pittas / French stick / dips / coleslaw / potato salad / deli meats / chicken wings and bung a few pizzas in the oven.

Or else could you be honest with your guests and tell them all to grab a few bits on route?

Has the small Asda got a hot food counter?

If yes I’d pick up a couple of rotisserie chickens, probably 3 baguettes, a couple of big premade salads, some cheese and some sliced ham. Everyone can make up some kind of sandwich thing they like from that. Then have some coleslaw and potato salad as sides, maybe some scotch eggs/pork pies/sausage rolls, if they have the frozen sausage rolls then I’d probably get those and stick them in the oven so they’re warm for the buffet as they’re usually nicer.

Ask anyone wanting to bring stuff to bring cakes or a pudding option.

I'd have suggested similar to others

bread
crackers
cheese
hummous
olives
meats
nuts or other snacks
cooked chicken - slice
Sausage rolls / scotch eggs / spring rolled - whatever you find in the deli counter or party food section
cook some pizzas in the oven

pasta salad with prawns
roasted chickens
small roast potatoes
cheese board
french sticks
greek salad
dips
crisps

Id just own the mistake ..
Big pile of sausages, roast chicken drumsticks cheesy chips , soft rolls . All the sauces mustards . Coleslaw .. Couple of bags of salad . Drinks .. Done