To Ask Guests To Bring NYE Food?

[ChicMintUser]

AIBU to ask guests to bring food to my NYE party?

I’m hosting NYE this year and I’m already dreading the sheer volume of foods I’ll need to buy. I’ve always been high-energy and very lean (I prioritize fitness and honestly, my body just doesn't require much fuel to thrive. I intermittent fast from 5 pm to noon the following day).

The problem is my guests. They are lovely people, but they seem to treat New Year’s Eve like a competitive eating trial. Last year was a bloodbath, I put out what I thought was a generous spread and it was inhaled within twenty minutes. I'm talking platters of cheese, fresh fruit, delicious charcuterie, imported European crisps, sandwiches, etc. By 11 pm people were looking at the empty platters like I was starving them, despite the fact they’d already consumed more calories in one sitting than I do in three days.

I want to be a good host, but my internal gauge for "normal" portions is clearly broken compared to the average person. I find the sight of mountains of beige food quite off-putting, to be honest. I don't want to spend my evening watching people descend into a food coma while I’m trying to actually celebrate.

How do those of you with "normal" appetites handle catering for the "bottomless pit" crowd?
Do I just buy out the local Costco and accept the waste? How many sausage rolls per person is considered "enough" for people who don't know when to stop?

Am I a total Scrooge for wanting to serve elegant, light nibbles rather than a buffet that looks like a Viking feast? I just can’t wrap my head around needing that much fuel to simply sit in a living room and wait for a clock to strike twelve.

Is it unreasonable to ask guests to bring the snacks they like instead of buying a pile of food I would never, ever eat?

Thank you!

Is it non-U to articulate ‘Goring on Thames’?
Maybe real hons just say ‘Reading’, and those who count know well which location is implied there.

Were you an ‘eating machine’, before you lost all the weight? Honestly, the way you talk about your reformed eating habits and those of your friends suggests you have traded one problem with another.

I’m doing 3 quiches, a ham, a salmon, new potatoes, salad, chick pea salad, slaw - loads of bread plus charcuterie and cheese / pate. (No puddings because I can’t be arsed). I’m assuming people will bring crisps and dips - but if they don’t no big deal.

I will have pizzas in - in case this all runs out. I do t understand why people who seemingly don’t want to - offer to host?

What reasonable person would reveal the actual village they live near? Not with the crazies on the Internet, thank you very much! All you need to know is we are close enough by car to Reading but rural enough to enjoy the serenity of nature and plenty of clean air.

And quietly flows the Dom.

I am hosting and have asked guests to bring a plate of nibbles each.. no one seems to mind .. some bring a few bags of crisps and some bring a big board.
I just make sure I make a decent amount and have back up ideas if needed.
I can understand your challenges around food.. just ask people to take home the leftovers..
If they are your friends they wont mind.

Polite guests would bring drink and token nibbles anyway. Or would at least message ahead asking if you wanted them to bring anything. You sound extremely judgemental so I don't really know why you are bothering to host again this year. Perhaps if you supplied some "beige" food your guests would be able to line their stomachs better. A fruit platter does nothing to line the stomach for the Hogmanay booze.

Gorging, inhaling, food coma….

I’ve found some goats cheese flavour ones I’m going to order.

For my New Year’s party I’m doing ham in the slow cooker. Plenty of rolls with chutneys and cheese. That’s always a good one!

I would make a curry, garlic bread, popadoms etc.

Then have basic snacks, chocolates, crisps, nuts, etc x

Or order pizzas ! X

I wouldn't expect more than nibbles if I was invited to a party from 9pm , I would eat first. Very strange. Is this genuine?

These options are good. It costs to go out on NYE with taxis etc doubling in price. I don't know that 'elegant nibbles' would persuade me it was worth it.

Elegant light nibbles sounds like you didn’t provide enough food - without seeing the quantity of food you laid out nor knowing exactly how many people I can’t tell you who is unreasonable but I would be buying the kinds of things that are filling eg yes to a selection of cheeses but make sure one is a hefty block of basic cheddar and lots of bread available. Ditch the European crisps in favour of normal large sharing packs, add dips, plus crudités to slow down those gluttons. Charcuterie is good but add cheaper ham, lots of sandwiches as filling, perhaps skewers of chicken in a soy marinade, salads included fillings ones like a couscous and a bean salad.

im far from a glutton but I’ve been to places where the catering has been beautiful but not enough

😂

Having just looked at the price of Brets I'm sticking with good old Walkers marmite flavour

I very much doubt it’s genuine 😀
but I’ll add my bit : just invite them for dessert then they ‘ll know to eat first !!! loads of cakes cheesecake mince pieces, trifle what ever and some fruit if you must 😇 maybe a cheeseboard with grapes and stuff.

What is wrong with chilli? I would love to turn up to an party and find chilli and jacket potatoes. Even if you don't do chilli, jackets are easy with some cheese, maybe tuna mayo. Stick a few pizzas in the oven, get a few baguettes and cheese and you're sorted, well along with the other nibbles.

Me too! 9pm is quite late and I’m used to eating at around 6.30 pm. But if I turned up at a party at 9pm and was drinking alcohol I am sure I would be hungry pretty soon and want some food!

I know my friends always starve before coming to my house as they love eating what I have cooked. They joke about pacing themselves so that they can do justice to the meal and all the items made etc. Similarly if I knew I was going somewhere where food would be sparse I would eat well before going and also take food along as a gift! Hopefully OP will be generous with her guests this year! 😊

Walkers don’t do goats cheese. I think I need these. I’m not sure.

Over do bagettes and cheese. That's filling for hungry people

Yabu but when I host nye I buy literally the basic nibbles and we order takeaway and split the cost

Why are you even hosting people when you seem to dislike them so much and dislike the idea of feeding them?

It seems like you have some kind of issue with food yourself too but on the other end of the scale.

“despite the fact they’d already consumed more calories in one sitting than I do in three days” - but what you eat is a long way from what the average person eats.

It doesn’t have to be a beige mountain, just bigger quantities and it’s not unreasonable to ask people to bring a dish with them for a get together.

The Dom will be flowing!!!! How pretentious.