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?

You need to learn the art of buying a few bags of chips, some cheapo garlic breads and a few cheap pizzas. £10 max and will fill everyone up. No one should be filling up on the expensive stuff.

The fatties will gorge on this and be more than happy. (Me)

🤣🤣 shark jumped again with the maldon sea salt. Must try harder, see me after class.

Enjoying food on NYE is normal! Hope you can work out which foods your guests will enjoy!

Oooooooh pour a curry on a pizza and throw the Maldon salt on your guests as you set off fireworks!!!!!

^ This ^

Spot on I reckon

I'm getting a better idea. My mistake was not doing a proper meal and just relying on the nibbles last year. I'll be doing a meal, nibbles and then bacon and sausage baps post fireworks.

I'm so appreciative of the advice I've recieved ♥️

Fireworks? But you'll upset the horses in the stables.

Korean purple bamboo salt might be preferable to the Maldon. It aides the digestion and is rich in antioxidants.

I’ve not read the whole thread but has it been explained about the imported European crisps? Just curious.

Korean would be acceptable too.

We don't have horses?

The chances of anyone who lives in London wanting to go to Reading for NYE to be booted out to get on a train are slim to none.

Your fasting must make it difficult to guage what a typical person eats. Tbh I wouldn't be impressed with the late notice of bring a dish you really needed to do that when inviting - putting on more food doesn't need to be beige you could do wraps/sandwiches from costco they also do large pasta, pizza, stew, curry trays or make 1 of these at home

I enjoy Bret's crisps, which is a French brand. They have flavours we don't have. Really quite fab but I also enjoy other crisps from the continent. I also adore British crisps so this not some sort of anti-UK crisps campaign, I promise 😜

Is there a reason we needed to know the crisps were “imported European crisps” 😂 you sound like a snob op sorry.

They want to escape the craziness of the city and have country time. Nothing like fresh country air and a beautiful home to spread out and relax in while the champers flows!

NO SHIT 😂

🤣🤣🤣

You're chucking them out to the station, and Reading is not the country. Come on, you can do better, you started so well.

No problem at all with giving guests the option to bring a plate of nibbles to share - I would not make this sound like a condition as (a) it may put some off and (b) you could end up drowning in sausage rolls. However,giving people the option makes it harder for those that do not bring anything to stare at empty platters with any kind of blame in their mind.

Two other comments. First, you make a Viking feast sound like a bad outcome. I would love that for New Year. Second, as someone who lives and works in Paris four days a week, I utterly refute your argument that French crisps are better than English. They do have more flavours, but most of those are weird. Give me a bag of Tyrrells vegetable crisps any day. 😋

Sorry yes just seen chilli gate 😂

im sure it'll be a great party.

Champers? Was better with the Dom reference. You're slipping.

An evening in Wokingham / slough / Maidenhead / Bracknell / Newbury with Dom, fireworks and a jacket potato? Oh and some French crisps. Camembert flavour or aioli? I think you’ve nailed it now.

I am very sad that I won't get an invitation. Very sad. Crying into my kettle chips.