Light nibbles?

[Hanooooooo]

I am throwing a surprise 60th for my mum at her house for about 50 people. I'm going to get plenty of wine, beer and soft drinks in but definitely couldn't afford to do an "evening meal" amount of food for everyone coming. It starts at 7.30 on a Saturday and I have said in the email there will be light nibbles. I plan to provide olives, crisps and nuts. AIBU?

Personally, I think that's not enough for a party - but my main concern is about 50 people all putting their fingers into bowls of shared nibbles!

Yeah I think you need more than that to mop up the booze. Think canapés, cheese on sticks, sausage rolls etc. Doesn’t have to cost the earth, Iceland do a lot of party food!

Yeah, I second Iceland, they have plenty of nibbly food and it doesn't take long to prep, doesn't have to cost the earth either, and if you download their app, they sometimes do offers on things like that.

DH’s 50th - 30 guests, we weren’t locked down but covid was a concern so I needed everything to be covid safe’ and individual portions. The menu was quite a hit and I got loads of compliments. It was as follows:

• Mini frittatas (basically fancy, baked, scrambled eggs)
• Meatballs (very successful! Ridiculously easy! IKEA and a shop bought sauce)
• crudities in dip (presented in single serve glasses)
• mini onion and goats cheese tarts (friend served these at a party and it was all I ate because they were so amazing)
• olives and cheese served on little skewers
• mini desserts (shop bought mini cakes)
• cheese and biccies

I definitely over catered but at the end of the evening we were left with 2 frittatas and a lot of veggies. People don’t want the healthy option at a party! Oh, and lots of booze. We aren’t big drinkers and are still slowly going through it.

That’s not ‘light nibbles’ that’s minimal bar snacks.

Fine to do that for an evening thing, but invites should just say it’s for ‘drinks’.

Okay I am very glad I asked! Thanks so much for all the suggestions. I am thinking:

Olives, crisps, nuts
Cheese and pineapple (retro)
Toasted ciabatta with tapenade and roasted tomatoes
Chickpea frittata
Maybe some mini lemon drizzle cakes

The timing is a bit awkward for "light nibbles" imo - you'll get people turning up late after having a meal or leaving early to get a takeaway!

Sounds much better OP, otherwise people will be falling over drunk 😂

Yes something a bit more substantial. Doesn’t have to be a full meal, but more than crisps etc

50 people??

Bloody hell… big house?

I would have done a lot more catering

But suggested… bring a bottle

@Hanooooooo

Okay I am very glad I asked! Thanks so much for all the suggestions. I am thinking:

Olives, crisps, nuts
Cheese and pineapple (retro)
Toasted ciabatta with tapenade and roasted tomatoes
Chickpea frittata
Maybe some mini lemon drizzle cakes

A frittata for 50?

Think your updated suggestions are good. And as you’ve pre-warned people that there will only be light nibbles they can have an early dinner before they come.

Buy supermarket margarita pizzas. Add extra cheese & olives. When cooked, cut into squares about 2inches across & arrange on a plate. They can look like much posher party food, everyone likes it and it fills up the kids.

Your updated menu is lots better. I’d add some sausage/cheese and onion rolls and mini pizzas so it’s a bit more substantial but still easy.

I'd expect more for light nibbles than olives crisps and nuts.

I'd add a few blocks of cheeses, crackers and chutney
Hummus with breadsticks and carrot sticks
Deli meats
Pork pie

Nothing that needs heating/cooking and any leftovers can do for tea the next day.

I think you still need more variety. How about wraps and sandwiches that can be made in advance? And something else sweet like profiteroles or brownies

For these types of numbers we've previously done a big pot of rice and a big pot of chilli as well as snacks. It's not expensive to do as the meat gets padded out with beans and tomatoes.

We served it in paper bowls so not a huge portion but a bit more substantial than just crisps.

@Thecurtainsofdestiny

For these types of numbers we've previously done a big pot of rice and a big pot of chilli as well as snacks. It's not expensive to do as the meat gets padded out with beans and tomatoes.

We served it in paper bowls so not a huge portion but a bit more substantial than just crisps.

Problem with this is she's already told guests light nibbles. Chilli and rice is a meal.

Oven pizzas, garlic bread, crudités and dip, crisps, olives, sausage rolls, Iceland 'party platters' - they do different kinds such as 50 piece Indian platter etc. Few blocks of cheese with some crackers. Done!

Cheese and pineapple and tapenade are both like marmite, not popular crowd pleasers! Would do cheese board instead of cheese and pineapple.

Also, toasting stuff in volume is an arse.

I'm still not sure that's enough, even for light nibbles. I'd probably expect some quiches, bread with cheeses, meatballs on individual stocks, maybe some scotch eggs, fancy crisps, and a meat option like sliced gammon or something. Oh and maybe a big salad too!

Buy some of the shove in oven canapés; very easy, stick them out

@implantreplace

50 people??

Bloody hell… big house?

Middle size I'd say, 2 large-ish reception rooms, a hallway and kitchen. Is that okay with you?