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Original poster

Does this sound like an okay party spread?

358 replies

bdaypartyfood · Yesterday 11:35

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!

OP posts:
PistachioTiramisu · Yesterday 15:24

What about vol-au-vents filled with M&S tinned chunky chicken?

You could also make loads of smoked salmon on brown bread squares for not too great an outlay - just squeeze some lemon and black pepper on top of them.

What about some chicken sandwiches?

Terfedout · Yesterday 15:24

Sookisssss · Yesterday 15:14

I have twice had barbecues and posted on here. Everyone was screaming and shouting that I wouldn’t have enough. I had to throw enormous amounts away both times and that was with ignoring Mumsnet.

🥪 Sandwiches — the main eventAim for 130 whole sandwiches = 260 halves.
Filling Whole sandwiches
Ham 40
Egg mayo 30
Tuna mayo 25
Cheese 25
Ham & cheese 10
Total 130
I'd actually make ham the biggest quantity, as it's usually the safest crowd-pleaser.
Buy approximately:

  • 26–28 loaves sliced bread
  • 3 kg ham
  • 36 eggs
  • 10–12 tins tuna
  • 2.5 kg cheese
  • 4–5 jars mayonnaise
  • Butter/spread
🌭 Sausage rolls — coldYou can absolutely serve sausage rolls cold.
  • 180 mini sausage rolls
  • Or around 60 large ones, cut into thirds
I'd favour mini ones, because people can take a couple without filling their plate with one item.

🍝 Cold pastaMake a big cold pasta salad.

  • 3 kg dry pasta
  • 2–2.5 kg pasta salad ingredients/dressing
  • Sweetcorn
  • Peppers
  • Cheese
  • Mayo or a light dressing
You don't need 4 kg now because the sandwiches and sausage rolls are doing more of the work.
  • 🥔 Crisps15 large sharing bags
  • Mix of ready salted, cheese & onion, salt & vinegar, etc.
Put them into bowls so people can help themselves.

🥚 A few extra cold fillersI'd add:

  • 30 Scotch eggs, halved
  • 2–3 packs cocktail sausages, served cold
  • 2 large packs pork pies, cut into slices
  • 2–3 packs tortilla wraps, sliced into pinwheels if you want something different
You don't necessarily need all of these — they're your cheap insurance against running out.

🍰 If you're also providing dessertI'd keep dessert simple:

  • 70 pieces of cake/brownie
  • 2–3 large packs of biscuits
  • Fruit if wanted

🛒 My exact shopping list for 70Sandwiches — 260 halvesBread

  • 28 × 800g white sliced loaves
  • This gives you plenty of bread and some spare.
Ham
  • 10 × 300g packs = 3kg ham
  • Use generously on the ham sandwiches.
Cheese
  • 3 × 900g blocks = 2.7kg
  • I'd buy blocks and slice them yourself — much cheaper than individual slices. Aldi currently lists 900g mild cheddar at £4.85.
Egg
  • 3 × 15-pack eggs = 45 eggs
  • Use about 30–36 for egg mayo and keep the remainder as backup.
Tuna
  • 10–12 tins tuna
Mayonnaise
  • 4 large jars/bottles
Butter/spread
  • 2 tubs
Sandwich quantities
  • 40 whole ham
  • 30 whole egg mayo
  • 25 whole tuna mayo
  • 25 whole cheese
  • 10 whole ham & cheese
That's 130 whole sandwiches / 260 halves. 🌭 Sausage rollsThis is where Aldi is particularly useful.
  • 20 × 8-pack sausage rolls = 160 sausage rolls
At the current listed price of about 95p per 8-pack, that's only around £19. You don't need to heat them — serve cold. I'd actually put out perhaps 120 initially and keep the remaining 40 in reserve. 🍝 Big cold pasta saladBuy:
  • 3 × 1kg bags pasta
  • 3 jars mayonnaise
  • 4 tins sweetcorn
  • 3 peppers
  • 1kg grated cheese
  • Optional: cucumber/tomatoes if you want a little colour
Cook the pasta beforehand, cool it completely, mix it up and refrigerate. 3kg dry pasta will make a seriously large bowl, so this is excellent insurance against running out. 🥔 CrispsBuy:
  • 15 large bags/sharing bags
I'd get mostly:
  • Ready salted
  • Cheese & onion
  • Salt & vinegar
  • Prawn cocktail
Don't put all 15 bags out at once. Put out 8–10 bags, then replenish from the spare ones. 🥚 Extra cold buffet foodI'd add these because they're cheap and make the table look much fuller:
  • 30 Scotch eggs
  • 2 large packs pork pies
  • 3 packs cocktail sausages
  • 2 packs mini Babybel or similar cheese snacks, if budget allows
Cut the Scotch eggs and pork pies into halves/slices so they go further. 💷 Rough budgetI'd expect something along these lines: Item Budget 28 loaves £16 3kg ham £16 2.7kg cheese £15 45 eggs £9 Tuna £10–£12 Mayonnaise £8–£10 Butter £4 20 packs sausage rolls £19 3kg pasta £5–£7 Pasta salad ingredients £12–£15 15 bags crisps £15–£20 Scotch eggs £10–£15 Pork pies £5–£8 Cocktail sausages £5–£8 Estimated total ~£154–£174 So you've got £25–£45 left over.
Show quote history

You absolutely do not need 28 loaves of bread!

BakersKitchen · Yesterday 15:24

bdaypartyfood · Yesterday 12:08

Okay so new plan at the moment is

Ham/Cheese sandwiches (2x platter of each)
Egg/Tuna sandwich (1x platter each)

Cherry tomatoes (1kg)
Celery (1)
Carrots (1kg)
Cucumber (3)
Peppers (6)

2x 4 selection of dips
Hummus
Tzatziki

mini sausage rolls (100)
cocktail sausages (100)
vegetable spring rolls (36)
quorn sausage (1 pack)

Cheese & onion crisps
Sweet chilli
salted
tortilla
onion ring
(all 2 sharing bags, maybe 3 of the plain)

Chicken bites (1kg pack)
Cheese pizza (x4)

Breadsticks
Olives (1 tub)

Large portions of chips from local takeaway (5 portions?)

Strawberries (2kg)
Grapes (1kg)
Watermelon (1)

Fairy cakes (24)
Mini flapjack (60)
Mini brownies (60)

Does this sound more sensible!

Updated menu is still only enough for about 40 people!

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General food
hellospring26 · Yesterday 15:26

That is not enough good, even with your update.

5 bags of crisps for 70 people
1 kg of cherry tomatoes might stretch to one each, might not
2 packs of strawberries / 1/4 of a strawberry each? Same with the grapes. 3 peppers between 70 people doesn’t work and you need more dips.
The sweet things you need at least one of each for each person.

Personally I think 7pm is prime dinner time so you need to tell people in advance that it’s not.

Moltenpink · Yesterday 15:29

I think asking people to bring a dish would be the way forward here. My family would be happy to do so!

I’ve attached some presentation inspo for you. Hope the party goes well 🙂

Does this sound like an okay party spread?
fumingrightnow1 · Yesterday 15:31

Terfedout · Yesterday 15:21

Nonsense! Egg Mayo is very popular 😁

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Agree egg mayo always goes first

moose62 · Yesterday 15:31

Do you have a Costco or other cheap place to buy on bulk? Try and buy the cocktail sausages and sausage rolls frozen, much cheaper, and then cook them at home.
Ask family to bring a dish of something, of your choice, each. Or ask any family you have to bring a pudding.
I would be quite happy to take sandwiches or cocktail sausages if asked!
Whilst pizza and chips would be nice, they could end up being expensive, so just stick to volume rather than choice.

ilovepixie · Yesterday 15:32

How many sandwiches on a platter? Not enough hot food There’s not even enough for everyone to have one sausage or sausage roll each.

Sookisssss · Yesterday 15:33

Terfedout · Yesterday 15:24

You absolutely do not need 28 loaves of bread!

Show quote history

No, you don’t. This was just copied from AI. Maybe 14 or 15. Easily doable for £200 though.

mindutopia · Yesterday 15:34

Also there is no way you can do this at 7pm and just serve some sandwiches and veg and crisps. 7pm is dinner time (unless you’re 2). People will come expecting a hot meal. If you want to do drinks and nibbles, then make it 8pm and say drinks and nibbles. Just have crisps and dips and sausage rolls and cake.

Also have you costed the drinks? It’s usually 1.5 bottles of wine equivalent per person. 70 people is 105 bottles of wine (or the equivalent in beer or nice fizzy drinks) at £7 per bottle if you go cheap, drinks alone are £700+.

ilovepixie · Yesterday 15:34

Most people would take about 2 sandwiches, 3 cocktail sausages, 2 sausage rolls, a slice of pizza and a spoonful of salad and a handful of crisps.

ModernNV · Yesterday 15:36

Based on your budget you should stick with nibbles and maybe dessert. Let your guests know in advance.

UncleBryn · Yesterday 15:40

I do pizzas for our girls football team after a match so approx 30 people including coaches etc and I do 18 pizzas, crisps, 90 cocktail sausages or mini sausage rolls, scones top and bottom with cream and jam and it all goes! So I definitely think you need more food, everyone will have 2-3 sandwiches at least plus all the other bits.

GreenEyesMillennial · Yesterday 15:41

Hayley1256 · Yesterday 14:47

Ok I would definitely up the sandwiches, if your using 1.5 loads of bread per platter that's 30 triangle sandwich's, people will probs have 3 or 4 each so I think you need around 6 or 7 platters.

I would add about 6-pizzas and increase the number of dessert options. If your serving tea/coffee then I would get some biscuits. How are you going to serve the chips.

If allow for 2 mini things each (chicken bites, spring rolls etc).

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Also 1 tub of olives for 70? Seems pointless to even have them

PrincessScarlett · Yesterday 15:51

You definitely need to say on the invite that snacks/nibbles will be provided otherwise people will arrive at 7pm expecting a proper feed. 7pm is dinner time in a lot of households.

Sausage rolls and cocktail sausages are extremely popular party food. My family gathering of 24 people demolished at least 4/5 mini sausage rolls each. Do not under estimate how much the children will eat. Children love sausages and crisps.

For the number of people you have I would have 150/200 mini sausage rolls, cocktail sausages etc. I would also have some quiches and a cheese board.

Sookisssss · Yesterday 15:53

mindutopia · Yesterday 15:34

Also there is no way you can do this at 7pm and just serve some sandwiches and veg and crisps. 7pm is dinner time (unless you’re 2). People will come expecting a hot meal. If you want to do drinks and nibbles, then make it 8pm and say drinks and nibbles. Just have crisps and dips and sausage rolls and cake.

Also have you costed the drinks? It’s usually 1.5 bottles of wine equivalent per person. 70 people is 105 bottles of wine (or the equivalent in beer or nice fizzy drinks) at £7 per bottle if you go cheap, drinks alone are £700+.

It is in no way normal whatsoever to cover drinks at a pub or club for a birthday. Don’t be ridiculous.

Change2banon · Yesterday 15:58

I would do:

sandwiches -
2 x ham

2 x cheese savoury
1 x egg & cress
1 x tuna & cucumber

6 x basic/savers quiche
6 x reasonable basic pizza (various flavours)

2 x corned beef pie
2 x mince pie
2 x cheese pie

Mini sausage rolls
mini sausages

3 x ready salted crisps
3 x salt & vinegar crisps
2 x chilli crisps

pineapple/cheese/tomato skewer (hedgehog style)
cucumber & carrot sticks

Brownie bites
crispy bites

I definitely wouldn’t bother with chips!
I also wouldn’t bother with fruit.

From my experience, people undereat at this type of party/evening.

Teanandtoast · Yesterday 15:58

2 pizzas won't go very far for 60-70 people surely?!

BinNightTonight · Yesterday 15:59

bdaypartyfood · Yesterday 11:56

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

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Sounds lovely!

CurbsideProphet · Yesterday 16:01

@bdaypartyfood do you have a slow cooker , or could you borrow one or two depending on size? One option could be to make a chilli and transport in the slow cooker, out on the table for people to serve themselves. That goes well with crusty bread. To my mind that would be an inexpensive option to add to the buffet, but also filling / would add something extra.

Inthejunglethemightyjunglee · Yesterday 16:02

bdaypartyfood · Yesterday 11:46

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!

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I never eat at buffets as I’m vegan and it’s never labelled so I usually eat before or bring a snack in my bag so can’t comment on what I would eat.

You would however be surprised by how much people either pile on their plates and don’t eat or pile on the first go around and don’t think about anyone else.

DH’s family love a party food buffet in a function room and thinking about what they all have on their plates they would probably have 2 sandwich triangles, 3/4 mini sausage rolls, 1 or 2 slices of pizza depending on how it’s cut, crisps. You also have to expect people will go for round two if drinking.

allmycats · Yesterday 16:03

Is there any chance of paying a man with a baked potato van to turn up at the venue and you pay him £100 for standing for a couple of hours and he sells baked spuds with a choice of fillings which your guests pay for. Let them know that this is the plan.
Then spend the other £100 on cakes etc?

Sunbringer · Yesterday 16:04

Sookisssss · Yesterday 15:53

It is in no way normal whatsoever to cover drinks at a pub or club for a birthday. Don’t be ridiculous.

Show quote history

This. It’s not a wedding people will buy their own drinks

YourAmberExpert · Yesterday 16:04

What on earth is a chicken bite tho

catsflorafauna · Yesterday 16:12

Honestly I would double everything. Depending on timing people won’t eat before so will be hungry and hopefully will be there for a while and go back for seconds. I always buy a few cardboard takeaway boxes for leftovers and encourage people to take them. I am a feeder though but I don’t think you’d have much left over after people taking some going home snacks (maybe fruits and veg).

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