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.

I'd get a local cafe or caterer to do it. Probably a sumilar cost and zero effort and stress in the day.
Sounds like a lovely party x

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g brillaint, thank you

If you have time I do couple of things that are simple and go down well.

1 - buy dried apricots, soak in water overnight. They look like egg yolks with a space in them. Stuff that space with brie, then wrap in a bit of streaky bacon, cook for 15 mins, serve hot or cold.

2 - filo parcels with brie ( yes love brie) and mango chutney, again 10 mins in the oven.

Filo parcels are easy to make with lots of fillings, spinach and soft cheese, mincemeat if you have any left from Xmas.

Mushrooms with soft cheese (cook the mushrooms first).

Meatballs, there are various recipes and lots can be eaten cold.

Yorkshire puddings, cold with golden syrup. I may loose my Yorkshire passport for telling you this, I have never seen this outside Yorkshire or a Yorkshire person's home

If you have a deep fat fryer or pans then chats are always popular. If you have not come across them before, they are new potatoes Depp fried.

Ooh thanks!! I’m going to have look on the website now. I did think it was really strange that places like M&S would put shellfish in a sandwich platter as it’s such a common allergen, but I guess a lot of people like them.

I’m tempted to sit all the greedy people
on one table, so they can fight over the food between them 😂.

Yes I think from what everyone has said doing most of veggie is the way to go. I just really want to make sure that the vegetarians don’t feel like an afterthought. I hate when you go to a wedding and the veggie option is something really basic and rubbish. It’s just been added on because they have too, not because they’ve thought about it. I like the idea of a joint of meat! We have a great local butcher that would do me a good deal I’m sure.

Yes this is similar to what I was thinking, but I really like the idea of going all out and getting all the colours for the decorations as well.

Any one have any suggestions of classic 80s buffet items I could add in?

Thanks for these fabulous ideas. Will the spinach and cheese filo things be okay to eat cold? Oh yes Yorkshire puddings is a great idea! My dads, dad was from Yorkshire and on their wedding day he stole a Yorkshire pudding from the caterers (they had roast beef as a wedding breakfast) and he ate it in the evening with some jam!

Any one have any suggestions of classic 80s buffet items I could add in?

-Vol-au-vents
-This hedgehog thing https://myfoodbook.com.au/recipes/show/cheese-and-cocktail-onion-party-hedgehog
-Devilled/curried eggs. I already posted a recipe up thread.
-https://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/easy-devils-on-horseback.html

Do you think a caeser salad would be okay for a green salad? Do you have any recommendations for a pasta salad? I don’t eat it myself so not sure what I would do.

Personally I prefer a puy lentil version, especially using the ready cooked sachets which is very easy.

I think a chicken curry and a veg one would be a good idea, you could serve it with rice, naan bread, salad and you could add in onion bhaji and samosas. Personally I would book a catering firm as they would bring everything but I admire your effort if you are going to be doing the catering. You could add in trays of chips.

Jacket potatoes with various fillings?
Asparagus wrapped in cream cheese and brown bread
Sausages on sticks
Black Forest Gateau
Small Lemon Meringue Tarts
Strawberries/Raspberries with clotted cream

I’d order from Sainsbury’s food to order. Lots of options on their website. Takes all of the stress away.

There are lots of recipes for pasta salad online. Just put that info into google.

Jacket potatoes tend to go down well with veggies too. You can microwave for in batches for about 10 minutes then just throw in about 60 large potatoes into oven on trays with salt and a bit of butter to crisp them up. You can cook in morning and take across 15 mins before the start of party in foil to keep them warm. Then a selection of toppings grated cheese, baked beans as Nd chilli. You can also use a buffet server thing to keep the food hot. A few pots of Pringles, french bread and pate/mushroom pate, 5 little cartons of cherry tomatoes. Warm through a few quiche Lorraine and cheese and onion quiche and a few bags if salad leaves/rocket and the frozen mini sausage rolls that cook in 10 minutes. If you have 1 other person who will cook sausage rolls and wRm through quiches it's quite doable.

Is your dad allergic to prawn sandwiches or will he just not eat them? The platters from M&S etc would have other sandwiches on them as well as prawn, surely?

Shepherd's pie some veggie,some meat would mean you don't have to serve rice. Have you also considered pizzas, if you have bowls of salad , baguettes or garlic bread. you would not need much more.

He’s allergic.

Do you think a caeser salad would be okay for a green salad?

Proper Caesar salad dressing contains anchovies in the sauce, so not suitable for your dad! The parmesan also isn't veggie, but I'd personally love it. 😋

You don't necessarily have to use supermarkets for pre-made sandwich platters. When I was catering something similar, I used a smaller local supplier. She only covers a few postcodes, but I'd be surprised if there isn't someone in your area who does similar. They're more likely to be able to do bespoke requirements.

I catered my youngest's christening after disastrous caterers at the previous parties. 100-ish people. Did all hot food - chicken curry and a vegan curry. Samosas, spring rolls, chicken strips from Costco. A joint of ham with bread rolls, salad and rice salad, sausage rolls, mini sausages, pizzas, hummus, dips, breadsticks, cheese, crackers, chutneys. Red velvet cake, carrot, cake victoria sponge. Big boxes of individual crisps too.

It went down really well and covered aged 2-90. Didn't do specific children's food, just made sure there was a range of food. It took up the whole day before doing the prep but then just used the oven at the venue.

Filo pastries are fine hot or cold. It might be a bit dodgy if they had prawn or something that goes off easily. You don't need to even refrigerate them.

Cheese straws are easy.
Ready rolled puff pastry.
Dijon mustard.
Grated cheese - parmesan or cheddar or a mix.
Put the pastry on a baking tray.
'Butter' the pastry with the mustard.

Score the pastry, but not all the way through, so you have thin straws. Sprinkle with the cheese.

Bake for 15 to 20 mine until golden.

Cool then snap into straws.

I put then in a glass so they look a bit like drinking straws.

They are fine on their own but also work well with dips.

Easy garlic dip, mix mayo and greek yoghurt in equal measures. Put garlic through a press and mix. I use 1 per ramekin (I live alone) but taste as you go, you can add spices, mint sauce even mustard.

I asked my DH as he used to be a chef, his suggestion was a beef stew as your Mum and Dad had beef at their wedding. Serve with beetroot and cabbage and lots of bread rolls. Serve butter in dishes as some people will like butter and some will not. Apple pie with either cream or ice cream, any children could have just ice cream.

I have just seen your comment about Yorkshire puddings, well a friend of mine told me she always gets frozen Yorkshires yet will always get the comment about how excellent hers are. She just says I can't go wrong with Delia Smith's recipe, it is online. You could serve them and obviously veg stew for your veggie people. To save washing up you can get single use bowls. If you think it is needed you could possibly have a small buffet but in fact DH said it should not be needed.

Was at a buffet (evening celebration) recently. Stupid amount of food left over, notably lumps of cheddar, baguettes, samosas/pakoras (maybe not great if not hot?). Slices of lovely ham went down well, chicken dippers for the dozens of kids, green salad with feta. My Dh said bread is a pain, people want stuff they can just pick up and take, not wanting to stand and chop up, although lots was cut up. Costco wraps were practically all ignored, not much sweet stuff was taken. Crisps /dips pretty much ignored.