Buffet ideas please

[Hetyanni]

We are going to a family gathering in between Christmas and New Year at MIL's house. She has said we will have a buffet and to all bring food. There will be 8 adults, 4 teenagers, a 9yo, 5yo and 3yo.

What dishes would you take?

Massive cheese board, good crackers or bread, chutneys, butter, fruit.

Homemade sausage rolls if it’s a finger buffet
Salmon and broccoli quiche and potato salad if it’s sit down with knife and fork

Quiches (I get asked for these)
Sausage rolls
Mini cocktail sausages in honey & mustard

We often split buffets into categories for this sort of gathering. So one household takes savouries like sausage rolls/ quiche, another cheese and biscuits and another trifles / puddings etc.

Pulled pork

Quiche
Pasta salad
Fruit like melon, strawberries, kiwi

Pavlova

I would check with your MIL to see if she has any suggestions. Just say that you are making sure she doesn’t end up with 11 quiches or just a pile of sausage rolls!
If you don’t feel like you can ask, I’d take one savoury and one sweet. Maybe a platter of anti pasti meats with caper berries, pickled chillies and olives. Then a pavlova or panna cotta. Minimum, make ahead fuss but huge crowd pleasers.

Potato salad and salt & vinegar crisps.

@Ricekrispie22

Pulled pork

I was going to suggest this. You can make ist in advance as it freezes well. Serve with rolls.

I agree that MIL should be allocating categories of foods to different groups, so she gets a balanced buffet.

Things that travel well with wide appeal...
Platter of roast chicken drumsticks
Joint of cooked ham
Cocktail sausages
Lidded bowl of ratatouille
Arancini
Cubes of frittata

Homemade chicken and mushroom vol-au-vents! Mmmm
Smoked salmon on brown bread and butter with capers and lemon juice
Sausages on sticks (haven't seen these for years)
Homemade sausage rolls
A trifle
Mini shortcrust pastry shells filled with cream and fruit

Thanks for the suggestions all!

To clarify, MIL doesn't cook (she physically can't) so the food will be 100% provided by the 3 visiting families. We are going to be sharing what we are bringing in our WhatsApp group to avoid duplications, just wanted to get some ideas for what we can provide to start off, then the others can add their ideas from there. BiL will definitely be bringing cakes I reckon as he an amazing baker.

Great ideas, thanks so much! Keep them coming!

Fruit and cheese platters
Sausage rolls
Chicken drumsticks
Sweets and chocolates
Pastry pies

And cake

Pasta salad. My lot like 50-50 chicken, pesto, fresh basil olive oil lemon juice roasted cherry tomatoes and red peppers. It travels well.
Potato salad with spring onion, peas and fresh mint.

Could do a cheese board, meats board, savoury snack boards and/or a dessert one.

Pinterest would be good for ideas on these! 😊

Homemade hot smoked salmon pate with a selection of breads and crackers to spread it on.

We've done a bit of a buffet for a family gathering day. Mostly pizza and homemade garlic bread with salad bits, crudités, houmous and dips. The garlic bread being a particular hit with everyone, even the fussy eaters, so I would take those ready to stick in the oven. Part baked baguettes, sliced and filled with a mixture of butter, fresh parsley, garlic and a bit of salt. Bake until golden.

I'd cook a gammon to take sliced cold and maybe some chicken wings and dips. Plus a big bowl of homemade coleslaw..

Cheesy balls, a bit like wotsits, last nice family get together we went through have of the things.

Options for me would be

Selection of cheeses and nice crackers
My mums sausage meat pinwheels (omg drooling). Same ingredients as a sausage role but you spread it out across the whole sheet of pastry then roll up like a Swiss roll and slice into 1cm slices and bake.
Quiche
Gammon badged in honey and mustard and thinly sliced