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?

I didn't think crisps would set off such a tizzy. I like British crisps but the Bret's ones, from France, are in flavours we don't have. And worth every penny!!

Shark jumped

In what way does she sound "lovely"? She's contemptuous of her "friends" and clearly thinks she's the absolute bees knees.

I had one of those ‘cook’ meals I recreated myself last night.
Chicken and cashew satay with peppers and green beans very simple to make and impressive visually with loads of jasmine rice (the stuff you microwave comes out beautifully sticky and fluffy)
maybe something like that with lots of naan bread /Roti rather than than the ubiquitous chilli or cottage pie always suggested on here

I think it’s just your wording. Sounded very “Mrs Bucket, the lady of the house speaking”

Love a good crisp! - you can’t never have too many (in my opinion 🤣)

Not sure why you are hosting - how miserable

Tell them to eat dinner beforehand and that you'll only provide nibbles. Maybe party hosting isn't your thing?

Just do a large chicken…. Don’t they feed folk for multiple days on MN

chilli? I would rather have imported crisps and a butty! Chilli is a weeknight meal for most, not a NYE thing. And hardly easy to eat finger food

Is a roast chicken really suitable for a party - it really won’t serve too many!

Into the gravey -along with the sprouts ?? On NYE lol as if

Not at all, we do this in our friend group all the time.

We're hosting NYE this year and I always tell people I'll be providing a buffet and they are more than welcome to bring anything they particularly fancy to add to the table. I suppose it depends on your friend group but no one is ever offended by the suggestion of bringing a dish or whatever.

Hardly. I adore my food and will be enjoying plenty of it - thanks to kind previous PP, I'll be including some sort of mains in addition to all the wonderful charcuterie and nibbles and crisps and desserts.

I do embrace French food culture though, I'll give you that. No Doritos in this house!

Hahaha Good one OP. This is hilarious 😂

Came to say this! Why are you kissing someone’s arse??? You’ve never met them

Have a good party OP. You’ve been roasted a bit. I do a buffet and then bacon/sausage baps at 12.30 to soak up the booze. I always think it’s good for people to eat when drinking, avoids carnage.

At our local pub the landlay does a huge roast ham and puts out breadcakes, stuffing, apple sauce and roast potatoes when she is catering for birthdays and funerals. You could have a vegetarian option as well to replace the ham. This keeps it simple and easy to do.

Yes, I suppose so! Obviously avoiding the chilli as it seems a bit divisive!! Also can't stand a kidney bean myself.

My idea of a buffet is pizzas, mini sausage rolls, cocktail sausages, cheese/ham sandwiches, pringles, Doritos, mini chicken skewers, crackers etc. With some cheese, cucumber sticks, strawberries and watermelon to balance it out a bit 😂

And I'll agree that doritos are spicy cardboard.

But if, and its a vanishingly small 'if', you are genuine, you are both not suited to host and have a dodgy relationship with food.

@ChicMintUser If they're the same invitees as last year AND, presuming they RSVP "yes", it means that they're not put off by the sensible, minimalist, healthy party foods you supplied last year.

It might be smart, as a footnote on the invitation, to say: "For the 18 people I'm inviting, I'm putting out three large fruit platters, 30 small sauage rolls, 48 party-sized meat pies, six ALDI dips and nine packets of cracker biscuits, two 300gram packs of plain crisps and one 300gram pack each of chicken, cheese and sour cream & chives. If you think, you'll need more food or other choices, feel free to add to the delights available."

Bacon baps... you might be on to something! Haven't had one of those in ages 😋

You still don't HAVE to host if it makes you feel like this. People can make alternative plans.

I think I'm a rather good host though. I will agree to disagree on the "dodgy" food of it all. Cheers to the New Year!