buffet food for 18th birthday.

[screamingsiblings]

DH are both adamant we are right. Please solve.

Village Hall type party for a few family members, plus 18th birthday DC's friends. Disco/Karaoke type thing. probably around 40-50 people in total.

One of us wants to serve food like a chilli, salads, rice, quiches,
One of us wants to serve hot dogs, salads, pizzas.

We will be cooking/serving the food ourselves.

Which would you serve up?

Thank you.

I'm struggling to work out what food would be best, because I just can't imagine my ds wanting to celebrate with friends and family together, shows how different everyone is. I suspect ds will have a get together with his friends, that he will mostly organise himself, plus a small family gathering. Either a garden party with bbq or a nice dinner somewhere.

If we did do the village hall, shared family and friends celebration, then I think he would want a nice buffet, no chicken nuggets and sausage rolls, but things like flat bread pizzas, hummus and dips, lots of crisps, goujons with chilli dip etc... or a food van outside.

As others have said, I'd do a cold buffet that can be put out in advance and that can people can graze on throughout.

I feel like chilli at a party is weird.

What 18 year old would want a party at the village hall served with quiche 🤣

Are you going to ask your son, op?

I would if it was a party for me and my grown up friends. I think for an 18th birthday finger foods, pizza etc is a safer option. Firstly, you don't want them spilling chilli all over the floor and from bitter experience in my youth, Chilli is revolting when it comes back up if you have overdone the alcohol which might be common with just turned 18 yo who won't yet know their limits.

I can’t imagine 18 year olds sitting at a party eating chilli and rice. They’ll probably prefer grab and go style foods, sausage rolls, Pringles, nachos. My teens would probably prefer a pizza delivery though.

Ask you DC! But at DSs' 18th parties we did pizzas and hot dogs because that's what teens wanted. With crisps, some salads (untouched ) and chocolate brownies and choc ices at about 11pm.

I'm not entirely sure who the guests are. You say the party is for a few family members and ds. How old are the family members? Has ds invited mates?
When you say hot dogs do you mean proper, nice sausages or frankfurters?

I think for minimal faff I'd get the butchers sausages, baguettes do a pan of onions, ketchup and mustard. Easy to do some veggie sausages and get some gf rolls (check for gluten in sausages if necessary).

The more variety on a buffet the more expensive and more of a faff it becomes.

Does your DC actually want a village hall party for their 18th birthday? That seems the most unusual aspect of this entire scenario...

!8 year olds won't want to faff about with chilli and rice. Finger food all the way.

I do mass catering and the issue with chilli is it's hard to leave as self service, there's the bulk of carting it around and keeping it hot, you also need ride which needs to be kept at temp and you still need a veggie option. So paying for someone else, yeah I'd contemplate chilli. But for a party I'd go cold finger food

Does you don know about the party? If so I’d ask him what food he wants.

My son had a weekend away with friends but had another celebration with us, extended family and family friends, about 40 of us at home. We did food he wanted like pizza, flatbreads, sandwiches, mozzarella sticks, spring rolls, sausages, samosas, bhajis, pakoras, onion rings, garlic bread, sausage rolls, crisps/veg and dips, salad, fruit kebabs. Also bowls of nuts/sweets/chocolates/popcorn as well as cupcakes. We did vege/vegan versions so everyone was catered for. It was all prepared and put out so we didn’t have waste time serving food and could just enjoy the evening,

What does the 18 yr old want?

Serve that.

One whose parents rule his life.

Not cold food. Can't stand sloppy sandwiches, a few sausage rolls and crisps laid out.

Chilli con carne is the best option. You can leave it in a slow cooker to keep warm. Put some bread out and voila! A proper meal that people would appreciate to soak up the alcohol!

This.

But IMO 18yos want beige food to soak up the vodka shots

They're 18 not 5.

Definitely NOT the chilli for an 18th. And I say that as someone would would eat in as my last meal (favourite food).

They will all be excited and running around taking photos and the ‘line up with your plate’ thing won’t work like it would at a 40th or christening. You need something where they can pick as and when - pizzas, samosas, cocktail sausages, crisps, dips etc. Costco is a good shout.

Rice is also a bloody nightmare food hygiene/wise en-mass and sitting out. We always did jacket potatoes with chilli at church hall parties (I’m a vicar’s daughter…) for that reason but no 18th year old is going to eat a jacket potato at a party.

Nice cold buffet foods, sandwiches, pizza, pasties, stuff to soak up any booze. Deffo not chilli !

If it's majority 18yr olds I'd do the hot dogs and pizza option, but personally I would prefer the chilli, salads and quiche offering.

If it’s anything like where I live, village hall is your only option to have a party for an 18th as literally no bars near me will hold an 18th birthday party. It sounds like you’re trying to do a nice thing for your son, that’s lovely.
With regards to food, don’t over think it! Teenagers want quick food. Domino’s do 50% off larger orders, they’ll be like vaulters. Add some cold food if you want to, but honestly serving proper food to teenagers is a waste of your time, even though your intentions are kind. Don’t listen to the ‘controlling’ comments, you’re trying to throw a party for your son and that’s not a sign of a controlling mum - brave mum in my opinion!!

Pizza delivery for sure or things like cocktail sausages and so on for the tables

Not a chilli

Chilli at a disco is a terrible idea.

Agree with either doing just pizza, or if budget won't allow, an Iceland buffet cooked the night before and eaten cold, with crisps and dips etc.

Pizza, maybe some coleslaw for the grown ups. Easy and cheap. You don’t need to go too fancy for teenagers.