Is this enough food for a barbecue?

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I’m having a barbecue for 24 people on Saturday. I haven’t hosted for this many before so can I check with those if you who are more experienced whether this is the right amount of food?

On the barbecue:

24 burgers
24 hot dogs

Prepared in advance and served cold:

50 buns
A large gammon joint
15 barbecue chicken drumsticks
15 plain drumsticks
A potato salad with lemon and garlic
Homemade coleslaw
A Caesar salad
Another type of vegan salad

Then for people arriving I’ll have a cheeseboard, crisps, dips, and sweets out.

Is it enough? Should I add a pasta salad?

I expected people to maybe say ‘do a few more burgers’ or ‘I’d add a pasta salad’ and things like that, but some people have got strangely offended. It is bizarre.

And yes, this is very much ‘come round to chat and drink alcohol’, with the barbecue and food secondary to that.

I’m not keen on burgers or sausages but could absolutely demolish the chicken drumsticks cold, so they at least won’t go to waste.

I think I might get 16 hot dogs and 16 sausages and then people have a choice.

If you want to keep your gammon, smoke it on the bbq earlier in the day. The problem with bbq’s is that they appear to change people’s mind set. If you went to a pub for dinner you might order a burger. I’ve never seen people order multiple ( admittedly I know some places you can add an additional patty) but you don’t tend to see people with three burgers lined up. For some reason though, at at bbq, people do eat a lot more meat. And don’t forget, protein is big at the moment! Everyone is trying to hit their macro’s so meat is a popular choice.
I think you’re menu with the additions you’ve mentioned will be ample, but I do echo the views that frankfurters will be far less popular and would there for do additional burgers to compensate.

But honestly, most people aren't going to want to eat tinned hot dog sausages, nor cold cooked chicken, so really she's offering a single burger and some cold gammon (which I'm not sure will get many takers) and a bit of salad.
No doubt she'll be back saying she had tons of tinned sausages and greasy cold chicken left and not be able to figure out its because that's nasty and no-one wants to eat it, rather than that she overcatered.

If it’s a basic burger and sausage bbq, I wouldn’t bother with salads. Chicken thighs would be better than cold chicken legs maybe. Sounds like it’s going to be more of a drinking social and the food is there to line the stomach rather than a gourmet feast, which there is nothing wrong with at all. I just can’t see how an over processed hot dog would in any way go with a feta and mint salad! Sack off the salads and keep it as finger food - then you won’t have to wash up plates and cutlery!

How can you be arsed to feel so strongly about a barbecue menu at a barbecue you’re not going to?

People do like hot dogs. That is why they are sold in so many places 🙄.

Yeah, you're right. I don't really give too many fucks about it. I'm just a bit bored.

Knock yourself out with your menu. It doesn't matter to me, I'm not eating it.

The burgers, buns, sauces, and alcohol are all processed too, as are sausages. It’s just one day.

I definitely think I need sides and salads - I’ve got disposable plates and cutlery though.

Christ there are some arseholes on this thread. OP it sounds fine, you probably won’t have as many ganets who have pre defined ideas about what a bbq is or isn’t in your friendship group 🤣

personally I never really eat at a bbq- like you OP I’m not keen on burgers or sausages or bread rolls.
maybe I’ll have some salad and bread. I Prefer to chat and then the time / food just goes! It’s only one afternoon/ evening who cares if people don’t get exactly what they want?

have fun and make sure you all have lots of water in Sundays heat or you’ll have puking and mad drunkensss 🤣

That’s much healthier 👍.

Thank you! The forecast here has it dropping to 21 degrees for Saturday which I think will be nice.

That’s a normal appetite for me, I’m active and I’m just shy of 6ft, so if you’re 4ft 10”, sedentary, look like and eat like a sparrow - 2 sausages, 2 burgers (you can keep the buns), a chicken drumstick and some salad will probably over face you, but it will allow you to claim competitive under-eater status. Let’s hope your guests aren’t the abnormal appetite types like me, because they’re going to go hungry.

I’d probably ditch the gammon and do 30 each of the burgers and hot dogs. I love a corn on the cob from the bbq and would always go for some spicy rice and pasta salad too

The only thing I’d change for future bbqs op, is asking MN for opinions beforehand. Macros, ffs.

My father is 6”4 and couldn’t eat two burgers with buns, two hot dogs with buns, chicken, gammon/pulled pork, potato salad, coleslaw, caprese salad, sweets, cheese, and crisps in one sitting. That is somewhere between 3000-5000 calories. That is simply not normal.

On the plus side, they won’t care about it the macros when they’re a bottle of wine in.

Something like a barbeque you can't just have one of everything for people- what happens if someine piles it up- I've known people take a couple of everything, and not touch the salads. you also needs more bread, and another couple of salads, and some vegetarian options if you have vegetarians coming.

Only one vegan and one salad and the potatoes will be vegan.

I don’t want four salads, I just don’t think they’d get eaten. I could do the pasta though.

That’s plenty. Not everyone likes sausage or burger

id have other meats for the bbq. Kebab/steak?

also add corn on the cob, halloumi

pasta salad, potatoes,

make sure you have vegan friendly bread (not brioche)

Do half of that honestly. We had a bbq recently and half of it went in the bin and that is a family party of big eaters. I would do enough burgers and sausages for each person but as for the rest, i wouldnt go mad. Next year i am doing half with a few things as reserve.

OP, people are being so mean to you! Fuck knows why. Judgemental twats.

I am sure your barbie will be brilliant - it sounds like you've got lots for grazing, lots of sides and enough bits put on the barbie.

In this weather salads are the thing for me, and even my super sporty twenty something lads wouldn't eat one of each meat option.

Ignore people being so rude and I hope you have lots of fun.

(everyone goes to a barbie for the booze, not to get into a food coma)

Why the hate for gammon? It’s delicious if cooked properly

STTE. Well Chat GPT recons you're sorted! Yes I was lazy and asked them on your behalf 😂

Yes — you have plenty of food for 24 people, especially with the cheeseboard, crisps, dips and sweets. I wouldn’t add a pasta salad unless you particularly want one.

A few thoughts:

24 burgers + 24 hot dogs: That’s potentially 48 portions of barbecue food for 24 people. Even allowing for people having more than one item, you’re well covered.

50 buns: More than enough, and sensible because some people may have both a burger and hot dog.

Gammon joint: Great as an additional cold meat option.

30 drumsticks: Again, plenty alongside everything else. Some people may have one or two, but there are lots of other choices.

Potato salad + coleslaw + Caesar + vegan salad: Four substantial sides is already a very good spread.

Cheeseboard, crisps, dips and sweets: This adds quite a lot of food before and between the main meal.

The only thing I'd consider is whether the salads are large enough, rather than adding another type. For 24 people, I'd make generous bowls of the potato salad, coleslaw and vegan salad. Caesar salad can disappear surprisingly quickly!

If anything, I'd avoid adding more food and focus on having enough drinks, ice, sauces/condiments, and perhaps some vegetarian/vegan barbecue option if you have vegan/vegetarian guests.

So my vote: no pasta salad needed. You’ve got a very generous barbecue planned.

I personally think a big massive tray of macaroni cheese would be a good idea to serve alongside everything and probably would add a few more burgers and sausages for good measure.

Gammon hate?! Wtf have I jumped into?!

Gammon is delicious!

I don't understand the gammon hate at all. Nor the cooked chicken hate. Nor the hot dog hate. I like all these things and all the sides OP suggested. I'd leave my burger for someone else to have, I expect, but that sounds like a good thing with all the people hating other perfectly normal food items on here.