That a grazing table will end up looking a bit shit?

[Lollypollydolly]

Looking for catering for a party, will be children and adults and all I keep being offered are grazing tables/platters. Having not experienced one first hand I'm worried that though it will start looking beautiful once the guests start digging in it will look a mess and maybe bit unsanitary?

YABU - they look fab and stay looking fabulous (if a little disheveled by the end of the party)

YANBU - Wasteful fad crawling with germs, find an old style caterer.

Utterly vile, even in non-covid times. All you need is a few kids/people who are less than hygienic after using the toilet and you've got a recipe for D&V. They remind me somewhat of pigs' troughs.

I'm not sure how it's less hygienic than a buffet with plates? people can touch the food on either? or why it looks more messy than a buffet with half empty plates

Everything is touching and so close that someone couldn’t pick up an item without touching several other items in the process, you don’t have that issue with a plate of sausage rolls and a separate plate of quiche or whatever because you tend to just take the one at the edge.

Glad you have opted for old style OP
I couldn’t eat from a grazing table!

Agree with some of the previous comments. It looks nice on Instagram but would probably end up looking a mess in real life. Think about what a plate of nachos looks like once you're half way through.

Vegetarians and people with allergies would be worried.

Obvious hygiene concerns even at the best of times, but especially now with Covid I think even more people than usual would be worried about hygiene.

I just googled. Sweet Jesus. My actual food nightmare 🤢🤢🤢

It’s all Instagram bollox

What’s a grazing table?

Kids touch everything. I watched as they got their grubby hands on various bits and put it back and went off it.

@Idontlike

I'm not sure how it's less hygienic than a buffet with plates? people can touch the food on either? or why it looks more messy than a buffet with half empty plates

Everything is touching and so close that someone couldn’t pick up an item without touching several other items in the process, you don’t have that issue with a plate of sausage rolls and a separate plate of quiche or whatever because you tend to just take the one at the edge.

Glad you have opted for old style OP
I couldn’t eat from a grazing table!

How can anyone think that looks appetising? And that's before the hordes have rifled through it 🤢

I went to a do a few weeks ago with a large grazing table. It was quite a warm evening and within an hour or so the flies were waiting to swoop (even though the table was inside). It was pretty grim to be honest. At least with a buffet which is set out on serving platters/plates it easy to cover with clingfilm or foil but no option for this with a large table.

I had to google it as well, it looks like a nightmare really. Definitely wouldn't want to eat off it, especially after other people had been poking around in there

They're awful! My DSis is obsessed with them (and posting about it on Instagram!) so there's always one whenever she hosts and I can't stand them. We're veggie so I can't cope with the few bits I can eat touching all the meaty bits.

I think they’re just gross. For all the reasons stated.

Traditional buffet with bowls and spoons all the way.

@EerilyDisembodied

They look grim. I'm in a food group on FB and people keep posting photos of them or suggesting them to people hosting parties, I just don't get it. Even if you use serving utensils everything is touching and picking up flavours from other things and will get dislodged and messy as soon as something is taken. As for allergens, it must be a nightmare.

Same. I bet we're in the same group! All I see is lots of meat nestled up to strawberries and cheese 🤢. But everyone keeps saying how great they look. I was beginning to think I was the only one who thinks they are gross.

I'm gonna demur slightly and say that I don't think that they look any more messy/unappetising than a normal buffet table that's half-eaten.

Do it if you like!

@Dinosauria

easy for guests to pick and nibble at food.

Just googled what one was, and this was the description not envy

A trough is another way of doing it.

Or nose bags. I’m always tempted to provide nose bags at my dos and then no one has to lose eye contact or leave to get more food in the middle of conversations.

They do look amazing but probably not the best during these covid times, but - they do look amazing.

I do smaller versions for small family get together still - most of us lateral flow first though.

@User5827372728

What’s a grazing table?

🤣

Just googled and I think they're gross! If you were vege or had a food allergy or intolerance, everything's touching and nothing's labelled.

You could do a separate children's one, but they'd come and paw the adult food and cough over it just the same.

I wouldn't touch it unless I was the first up and had seen it set out, too.

Do people get plates or are you supposed to take it hand to mouth? What if the men people just stand there continuously grazing and blocking everyone else's access?

I thought a grazing table and a buffet were the same thing

Got to be honest I wouldn't eat from one at all... I love a buffet, but one with containers and utensils. We all know bits get spilled and people are a bit clumsy with putting spoons down and so on but I'd far rather that than a picture-perfect spread of diseases waiting to happen!

''Grazing table?''...Revolting. The amount of kids and adults who don't wash their hands and pick noses and then handle food with said hands is alarmingly common.

Yuck. A Norovirus playground at the very least.

Now I've Googled it, I went to a party at the weekend which had what I now know is a "grazing table", and it was fab. It did look pretty wrecked by the end, but so were all the guests.

I had to google ''Grazing table'' and it is very different to a 'Buffet' with tongs and spoons &c.

I like grazing platters! Seems I'm in the minority though!