To think it’s fine to cater a buffet for 14 myself

[Whoisthewalrus]

DH and I hosting a surprise weekend for SIL.

Lunch booked during the day (so most will have eaten) but want to have food for the evening as no doubt people will be peckish later.

I usually get M&S or a Waitrose type thing - but honestly they don’t taste great and am considering doing maybe sandwiches and a couple of salads myself.

There Will be a bit of time pressure on the day (as it’s a surprise I need to make it and hide it before 12pm) but I’d still rather do this than running around to pick up from Waitrose etc.

Buy a wooden tray (instead of a proper charcuterie board) for about £10. Decent size and cheaper than boards. Put baking paper on it prior to filling if you like. Fill with grapes, crackers, sliced cheeses, olives, nuts, cold meats (cheapest at Lidl or Aldi)
Basket of bake at home rolls with some butter in a bowl, quiche, pork pies, etc
Easy to do (I do that for 15+ once a month)

A while ham plus cheeseboard and sides a great idea

Agree with PPs that a pre-cooked dish is quick & easy to put together later, it just depends on the vibe of the ocassion.

If drinking through the evening, I'd be tempted to pop together a grazing board of meats/cheese/crackers/breads/chutneys etc. If people want more of a meal I'd probably opt for curry or chilli plus rice/breads/nachos/poppadoms etc. Or, my party fave, curry goat, rice & peas and homemade slaw - always a winner!

Also wholeheartedly agree with the Costco sushi shout - their platters are unreal! So cheap and so fresh.

Chicken legs and ham cooked the day before. Salads. Nice bread and cheeses and some olives. I'd also buy in some sausage rolls just because I like an excuse for a sausage roll.

I don’t eat meat or like egg which I realise is nothing to do with the thread but I always appreciate some cheese and bread any bread does me but I know others like fancy bread with some salad type bits as a bonus at these types of things. Maybe even some feta or those little buffalo balls to add to the salad.

if you have money to burn smoked salmon always go down well when iv done this type of thing.

so many people think that cheese and bread and salad is the boring stuff and want to do more fancy things but those are great almost universally liked basics that once they are on a plate people enjoy eating, especially if you plan on doing a joint or quiche or chicken legs or sausage rolls etc for the people who like it all of those things make a lovely plate.

Agree with @Ginkypig that most people like the basic stuff. Fancier does not equal better! The more fancy it is the more likely it is that people won't like it. (By 'people' I mean me 😁)

So many of the more recent posts are suggesting enough food for a full on meal.

I was under the impression the big lunch out is the main meal, and people might not want a lot in the evening. I would get in things like quiches and cheeses and chutney and crackers, that can be used later in the week if your guests aren't ready for another big meal