Buffet for 40 people - ideas needed

[carnivalqueenthethird]

Later this year my parents will be celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. They had their reception in a local village hall, so i have hired the same venue to host a surprise party for them.

It’s going to be a mingle and chat kind of event rather than a full blown party disco and will be held at 1pm. There will be tables and chairs to sit at, so it doesn’t need to be purely finger food.

I was originally going to do a mixture of hot and cold food - the hot being pulled pork and beef brisket with rolls, but I couldn’t think of a vegetarian alternative. We also have some quite greedy family members who would pile their rolls up with 4 people’s worth of portions, so I would need to stand there and serve which I thought would be just a bit too much hassle for 40 people.

So I think I’m going down the cold buffet route. I plan to make sandwiches, cocktail sausages and cheese and pineapple skewers as my parents had these at their evening reception. I will also do a tray of vegetable sticks with dips and get some crisps, but I would really like some ideas of other things I can serve that are a bit more exciting and not giving off children’s birthday party vibes. Particularly interested in vegetarian ideas as I always feel the veggies get left out a bit.

What are your go to buffet dishes? Maybe pasta salads or other skewer ideas?

The only thing I need to avoid completely is fish/shellfish as my dad is allergic and my mum isn’t a fan.

Looking forward to hearing your suggestions.

It’s so true, when I was asking my husband for ideas the first things he said were sausage rolls, cocktail sausages, something with ham and something with bacon 😂.

This is the best veggie chilli recipe I know - always get compliments. It makes a large amount too. It is all beans which is best as not everyone likes quorn etc but blending it a little gives it a great meaty consistency.

https://cookieandkate.com/vegetarian-chili-recipe/

I did consider a cheese board, but I’m a bit worried about it going sweaty. Re the charcuterie - my parents went to wedding last year that served that as their wedding breakfast and all they have done since is tell me how crap it was 😂😂. If it was my party, I would do it, but I can’t be listening to them moan for the next year 😂😂

This is actually a great site. I often make her quinoa salad which is also a crowd pleaser. I buy the packets of ready cooked quinoa btw as I am hopeless at cooking that type of grain and it saves a lot of time too

https://cookieandkate.com/thai-peanut-quinoa-salad-recipe/

Id steer away from anything Quorn, it's brutal on the digestive system for those not used to it, I think there's even a warning on the packet.

I'm sure that would work but they'd be absolutely fine at room temperature, especially the second one.

Ooh yes!! I didn’t think of that. I could always do an afternoon tea platter per table as well so the greedy family don’t eat everyone else’s, and then have some spare for seconds. It would be handy for the vegetarians as well as I can do them a nice individual one.

my friend is a cake maker and baker so she will be making some treats for us as well.

I went to an event in a local hall for similar numbers. They preordered fish and chips delivery from a nearby chippy. Everyone really enjoyed it.

Guests mingled and had a drink and nibbled on a selection of crisps and dips then sat down and enjoyed the fish and chips when the delivery arrived . There were plates of buttered bread, salt, vinegar, ketchup and pickles on the tables once the takeaway arrived.

https://groceries.morrisons.com/shop-in-shop/food-to-order?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22225103432&gbraid=0AAAAADmRZNCjb0gUXSYhNqeYbjvS0Dj7X&gclid=Cj0KCQiA5I_NBhDVARIsAOrqIsZJuxnUSaEZBG78tlhGxn4EKZ42TCcdHy_eZEAKe4dV1RWQowxBp24aAtb_EALw_wcB

I had a quick look on here and the cooked meat and premium sandwich platters don't mention any fish/seafood. I've never ordered from them, but some of it looks amazing!

Yeah you could deffo do all those the day before.

I'm sure it will be lovely! X

Personally I’d go for the afternoon tea suggestion with servings per table.

I’d also hold some extra food back if you have access to a fridge at the venue to cope with greedy guests (to make sure if they take more others don’t go hungry) and lots of extra veggie options to ensure that vegetarians have plenty to eat if the meat eaters (as they tend to do) over select from what you put out.

As pp’s have already said, I always cater 75% veggie food anyway even if the majority eat meat as this food always gets eaten first.

Often I’ll do nearly everything veggie and just cook a large ham to slice to appease the meat eaters (nigellas ham in coke a cola is fabulous) which goes down really well.

If you’re worried about some folks taking more than their share then instead of having trays of sandwiches, a tray of sausage rolls (cheese and onion rolls are always a mega hit here), a tray of pork pies etc then make the trays per table and have a mix of bits on them.
What a good idea!
It saves the last few people just getting sxraps of what no one else's wanted!

It’s something I’ve now done for years as we have a couple of people with very serious allergies in the family so it means you can have theirs completely separate.

It also means that you can serve up extras where needed - 6 vegetarians on that table means an extra tray of veggie bits as it’s their mains, granny can only eat very soft stuff etc.

Also do it at kids parties - kids focus much better when handed a plate or lunchbox rather than lots of choices. I just have someone offering a sandwich or wrap to add.

Thank you, I didn’t realise Morrisons did platters so I will be taking a lot at these.

It has all of the above. Yes I have 3 other people to help me prep and set up. I’m just doing paper plates and disposable cutlery, as it’s not a formal sit down meal.

The Brie bites sound lovely, my mum loves Brie so that will go down a treat. Thanks

Thank you

That’s a good idea! Thank you. I can’t stand cutting up melons etx, you end up so sticky!

I did originally think slow cookers would be easier to deal with as you throw it all in and does the job for you, plus it keeps it hot.

Oh, absolutely not to the charcuterie then @carnivalqueenthethird😂😂

That’s very true!! I think I may well go down this route and have a few extra bits out the back incase anyone wants extra.

It will probably be me with the dreggs as I doubt I’ll have time to queue. I might have to make myself up a plate in advance so if it all gets eaten I still have something.

If you wanted to do chilli but are nervous of rice, could you serve it with jacket potatoes instead? Lots of sides / toppings and it always get trotted out on here but the BBC burnt aubergine chilli (veggie) is delicious. Although that is an awful lot of chilli to make for 40! But perhaps two giant chillis is less effort than lots of little bits?

I’d order sandwich platters, I’ve used Asda and Morrisons before and they have been good

@carnivalqueenthethird you could do an 80s theme, recreating perhaps their wedding colours in the serviettes, balloons etc. top hits playing from 1986, their first dance..See if you can get hold of their wedding cards and photos and string them up, decorate with their mementos. Such fun! 🤩

I cater quite a bit. I would do 4 huge bowls of salad, such as green salad, potato salad, bulgar wheat salad, pasta salad. Perhaps a coleslaw too. These can all be done the say before.

Ive done slow cooked joints of ham in honey. If you have slow cookers, they can be done in the venue.

I would also do some type of brie/cranberry pastry. There will be loads of recipes online with ready to roll pastry.

The rest of the stuff, i would just buy frozen nibbles. Crisps. Fruit.

Funnily enough, our first ever thought was fish and chips - we have a local company who have a van that travels around the little villages near us, but the local venues won’t allow them to park up front. There’s been a lot of houses built around the venue in the last 40 years so I think it may attract residents coming over thinking they can buy some 😂. I didn’t think about seeing if a local chippy would do a bulk order though. I’ll ask around on Tuesday when they all open up for lunchtime.