To ask for your ideas of what I can serve eight people cheaply?

[Wantedfghj]

Our family usually has a get together to watch England in major tournaments. I hosted the first one and had a barbecue with burgers etc plus a ham joint, salads, sides, an cheeseboard and charcuterie etc. It came to £200 and I was very pleased to do it. I enjoy hosting and would be so embarrassed if anyone was hungry. People often comment that they get good hospitality here and I’m pleased they think so.

Due to a change in circumstances, I am now also hosting on Tuesday. There will be eight of us. I can’t really afford to spend the same again, but I don’t want anyone to be sitting hungry. Has anyone got any ideas of what I could serve?

Jam sandwiches? No way would I host twice!

Yes to the baked potatoes.

Couple of packs of big chicken legs (£4 each in Tesco), either roasted or BBQ'd as your main meat. I'd then do a couple of pasta salads, a potato salad, some roasted on the cob, and roasted vegetables. I'd make a fruit salad with cream for afters. You could do all that for less than £50 if you shop carefully.

In this situation my family would split who brings what to the table - eg someone brings desserts and someone the drinks ,

Unfair to expect you to shell out.

As you’ve already hosted I would do chilli or lasagna and a green salad.

Don't get a whole chicken, it's too much faffing about with carving etc.

These are what you want (see picture).

A pack of 4 is about £4 from Tesco. You just season and throw in the oven. So easy to cook and taste delicious!

I hope you are not being taken advantage of as you sound very good natured

chilli would be perfect though and you could bull it out with grated carrot etc (though I do think you shouldn’t have to after a 200 bill the last time mid cost of living crisis)

Lamb shoulder sufficient for 8 people is about £25-30 at waitrose. Say another 20-30 if you really want to do fabulous sides or salads including more expensive ingredients like good cheese.

Still a lot cheaper than the £200 she spent last time.

A big chicken tray bake using thighs would absolutely be cheaper - I did it myself last summer to keep costs down - but the lamb can still be done at lower cost.

I'd do nachos - big vat of chilli, bowls of salsa, guacamole and sour cream, big platters of tortilla chips with melted cheese. Bowl of spicy rice if you fancy it.

This.

Just bread, crackers, cheese and meats followed by ice cream.

Slice your own salami, cook a small ham, cube/slice the cheese, a couple of jars of sun-dried tomatoes and a chutney and you're done. Lidl probably best.

ETA and pickled onions

I would do chilli and/or curry with baked potatoes rice salads and sides

Do people want chilli and rice in 28c weather?
What about roast chicken thighs, salads, potato salad, garlic bread.

My dad always hosts for the Euros/World cup

His speciality is loaded potato skins (linked), can do both meat and veggie options. Then we normally have some chicken legs, bit of rice and salad. Always goes down a treat. And not expensive at all.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/loaded-potato-skins

We do bao buns with different filling options (pulled pork, chicken, veggies etc.). We tried chilli but people didn't want anything spicy. People fill these themselves with whatever combo they want. Also means you don't need place settings.

Plus bao buns sound fancy but you can buy a big frozen pack of them very cheaply from Chinese shops. And the meat goes a lot further because you can't fit much in them.

Jacket potato’s topped w chickpea curry? Gosh

A big pasta dish you can slap in the slow cooker.

I make this chicken Alfredo. It's literally 4 ingredients & everyone loves it. A jar of Alfredo sauce, a jar of marinara sauce, chicken breast & any pasta of choice. Bows or spirals go well. Oh & cheese. Mozzarella or parmesan.

I make it whenever I'm invited to a "pot luck" event. It's cheap & yummy. Serve with crusty bread or garlic bread

Jacket spuds filled with chilli

Pasta bake

Lasagne

I must be the only person who would find making enough lasagne for 8 hungry people (plus sides) a complete pain in the bum at short notice!

Big bean chilli and rice

@Unexpectedlysinglemum yep. Bean chilli, cheap nachos, some wraps and dips. Also use feta on top the chilli to make it look posh.

I was going to say that.

Maybe something like a chilli in the slow cooker (if you have one) made with lentils and veg as well as meat.

Grate a load of cheese and have creme fraiche, butter, mayo for people to help themselves.

And it seems I'm not the only person with this idea.

I'd buy a couple of ready cooked chickens and strip all the meat from the bones before they get there, couple of different salad options and some crusty bread and wraps. I love roasted peppers with chicken too so I'd do a couple of decent sized ones and get them de-skinned and sliced before they arrive. I'd want the oven on for as little time as possible

If you're doing dessert I'd do a quick Eton Mess type thing just before they arrive, strawberries/raspberries, meringue and ice cream instead of cream as it's going to be hot

I'd do the chilli, overnight in the slow cooker if you have one. Cooking in ovens usually makes me hotter than cooking on hobs so wouldn't want to do anything that involved roasting. Offer rice, nachos, guacamole and salad. Doesn't have to be a particularly heavy meal, people can just have more of the sides if they're that way inclined.

Get someone else to do the dessert, or if it's going to be down to you pick something light like strawberries.

Following! Love some of these recipes