Does this sound like an okay party spread?

[bdaypartyfood]

Currently planning a surprise 30th birthday for my partner and catering it ourselves. It’s a family party so a mix of ages and some children there! Probably about 60-70 people coming.

I’ve never really done a buffet before but my current plan is this:

Ham sandwiches (1x platter)
Cheese sandwiches (1x platter)
Egg mayo sandwiches (1/2 platter)
Tuna sandwiches (1/2 platter)

Cherry Tomatoes (500g bag)
Celery
Carrots (1kg bag cut into sticks)
Cucumber (2 whole cucumbers)
Pepper (1 pack of 3 peppers)
All served with various dips

Mini sausage rolls (50)
Cocktail sausages (50)
Vegetable spring rolls (24)
quorn cocktail sausages (1 pack, only one vegetarian that I know of!)

Cheese & onion crisps
Sweet chilli crisps
Salted crisps
Tortilla chips
Onion ring crisps
(All one big share bag per flavour)

Chicken bites (72 pack)
Cheese pizza (x2)

Breadsticks (2 packs)
Coleslaw (1 pack)

Strawberries (2 packs)
Grapes (2 packs)
Watermelon (1)

Fairy cakes (24)
Mini flapjack (20)
Mini brownies (20)
Mini rolls (20)

Also doing some gluten free sandwiches and some gluten free cakes (only one person is wheat intolerant not coeliac so no cross contamination concerns)

Obviously a proper birthday cake as well!

Does this sound like a good spread of food? Too much or not enough?

Trying to stick to a budget where possible as the room hire was expensive!

Thanks in advance for advice!

May I be the first to say, not enough sandwiches. Or crisps.

Settling in with 🍿 for this one...

Happy to be told it’s definitely not enough! Do you think an extra platter of ham and cheese or different fillings would be best?

More cheese sandwiches, and or do some jam sandwiches for the kids 😃

Not sure how big a “platter” is but sounds like nowhere near enough food I’m afraid. Especially things that one packet of coleslaw, two pizzas etc for 60 or 70 people.

you want to think about how much of each thing one person would have. So for example 3/4 or a full round of sandwiches, two savoury items, the equivalent of half a small packet of crisps, four or five crudités, two small sweet things

if its over a period of time people will graze so consume more and kids also waste a lot

I would look at reducing the number of different items eg flavours of crisps and increasing the amount per item, as the more items you have the more uncertainty is introduced.

I would probably do 2 (maybe 3) share bags of crisps per flavour you need imo some dips and more coleslaw maybe a full platter of tuna how big are your platters because you might need a back up on sandwiches. No grapes they are a faff and get squished in.

Forgot to add that the venue allows takeaway food brought in so was also going to go out and buy a few portions of chips to add on!

Fair point - 50 mini sausage rolls is less than one each, for example

I have got a few pots of hummus and a 2 of those 4 selection dip things! I thought people could use either for veg sticks or crisps!

The platter sizes are probably about 1.5 loaves of bread per tray, so maybe more sandwiches are needed! Perhaps two platters of ham/cheese

I did think that but also thinking not everyone will eat every option! Plus of the 60-70 people at least 10 are under 10 so small appetite!

I might add on another bag of mini sausage rolls though as that would then be 100 so more than enough of them!

It sounds very upf and carb heavy.
Youbdonrealise the cocktail sausages and sausage rolls will disappear like hotcakes and there isn't enough for for one each! Three each of those minimum and cut down the crisps.

1lb cherry tomatoes for 60/70 people! How about putting a cherry tom, black olive and mozzarella pearl on a cocktail stick x 120? Add a basil leaf too.

Cut the celery into one inch pieces fill with philly, prawn on top and sprinkling of paprika. IME crudites and dips never go.

Good quality french bread, sliced into 1/2" rounds, smoked salmon or meat pate spread on top, decorate with three fine slices of stuffed green olives.

Replace chicken bites with marinaded skewers x 80/90.

How does coleslaw work if this isn't a fork buffet?

Sarnies: fine with enough filling, crusts off and sliced into 4 fingers - arrange like mini jenga.

Mini cheese and mushroom tartlets x 80/90

Etc, etc.

I think it’s way too little to be honest, more a spread for 30 people. I agree with the poster who suggested visualising a plate.

Most people would have 3 sandwiches, a sausage roll or two, a handful of veggies and a handful of crisps plus one of each other bits.

I’m going to be really honest, no one would eat half of the suggestions here, they will all want classic party food and will be fine with upf and carbs for one day!

I feel like everyone eats crisps and it’s such an easy thing to grab so I disagree there!

There are tables and cutlery so things like coleslaw etc aren’t a problem!

I appreciate it might not be enough and happy to add on more, but they’ll definitely want plain and simple things!

A bit more of everything. 70 people will get through a huge amount of food. Pizza, for example - maybe 16-24 people could have a slice if you're providing two pizzas.

I agree about things like offering more crisps but in fewer flavours. Keep it easy. And definitely up the sausage rolls significantly - people will go through them like a swarm of locusts.

General consensus so far seems to be to up to:

2x platters for each of ham & cheese sandwiches

Double amount of cocktail sausages and mini sausage rolls! Perhaps add some cheese and onion rolls or pork pies maybe?

2 x each bag of crisps

2 x coleslaw

Obviously still including everything else mentioned in the op! Does that sound like a more sensible amount?

I think rather than buying ready made stuff its often cheaper to make something yourself and looks a bit more appetising. So you could make a few massive sausage rolls really easily and slice that up. People love those, they are so much nicer and its cheap. Plus theres a limit to how many pieces you could eat whereas I bet people could eat loads of ready made sausage rolls by mistake without even thinking. I could. Boiling a gammon is a lot cheaper and nicer than bought ham and you would get lots of slices compared to bought ham. Buy a couple of whole cheeses from cost co. You wouldn't need more than a couple.

I appreciate you may not have the time obviously. But those things don't take very long.

I think something like pizzas would be fab and chippy chips!

Planning on grabbing a few large portions of chips from the nearby chippy too!

I would double or even triple your original menu. 2 packs of strawberries for example will only feed about 10 people at a push

I thought I'd suggested simple, classic party food!

Sorry just to add they were 2x 500g packs, so 1kg of strawbs!

If you have different kinds of eg cakes, the first people will take one of each and you will run out. Better to have just one kind, eg just brownies, and allow for 2 each. So you need 140 mini brownies.

If you serve mini things, ime people will eat several each. One bag of three peppers is not going to go far between 70 people! Also how big are things like one pack of coleslaw? 100g or 1kg? You could do things like cook a gammon joint or two which would work out cheaper than buying packs of sliced ham and either slice for the sandwiches or serve it sliced with bread rolls/sliced baguette etc. you can cook it, slice it and freeze it ahead too.

Not everyone will want to eat everything. There are no alternatives to sandwiches and anything pastry based.

I don’t think anyone I know of that will be going will eat pate (or wouldn’t want to at an easy family party!) and I’m not actually sure what Philly is! I think a few would maybe eat olives but certainly not lots and definitely not on everything, but I might add a tub onto the menu for those who will

What's the purpose of the coleslaw?
If it's a fork buffet then you need more salad and green stuff.
Only two pizzas between 60 people? You want loads more than that!

That's enough for 8 to 10 people only. Seriously you need a lot more. Hot buffets can be better in terms of cost because people eat a clearly defined meal instead of lots of snack type bits where they pick and end up eating a lot.