Ideas for retro 80s buffet please

[zozzle]

It will be a cold buffet for 150 people for my birthday. Its 80s fancy dress with bar. I have a v. small budget and no kitchen facilities at venue so has to be cold buffet pre-prepared at home and no arctic roll unfortunately as no freezer!

Ideas to be low cost and easy to go on platters (no individual angel delights in shot glasses or anything).

I'm doing the coctail sticks thing (cheese, pineapple, pickled onion) in hedgehogs and quiche. Any other ideas welcomed.

Thanks

Would Indian and Chinese snacks be appropriate then? Like chicken satay? I think what you remember varies depending on your age in the 80s!

Yes, probably depends on what age your guests were in the 80s. If they were children then they'll remember party foods from kids parties - all the 60s and 70s kids foods were prob still being served up to 80s kids too (and, at least in case of my kids, in the 90s as well!) So serve them up those foods.

But adults in the 80s will remember different foods.....or not remember much food at all because they were too busy trying the whole drinks menu in the new wine bars ...... hic......happy days :)

nelly kiwi fruit - oh yes, in everything! Everywhere! (dreadful slimy stuff!)

I went to lots of [adult] parties in the 80's. I would suggest things like meat/ cheese platters, french bread, mini scotch eggs, cocktail sausages, mini pork pies/ sausage rolls, bowls of salad, [yes we did have salad dressings in the 80's], coleslaw, potato salad etc.
Probably not that different from a buffet nowadays TBH.

You just have to have a half cabbage covered in foil with the cocktail sticks of cheese sticking out - it is the law, or was in the 70s.

Don't forget black forest gateau. You really should have prawn cocktail but might not be easy without glasses, I supose you could use plastic cups.

celery with phili cheese put in the curved bit.

melon balls.

egg mayonaise.

a whole brie carefully cut into sections but then reasembled.

cake forks - you HAVE to eat your cake with propper cake forks.

Where's the beef sliders
Breakfast club sandwiches

I was born in north east England in 1966 and had everything everyone has put,but certainly not olives,houmus etc in the 80s.

The party was almost a decade ago, but I have enjoyed rereading it.

I'm the same age and buffets were popular in my family, we did have different things like guacamole and olives at some relatives, but my mum would definitely do the cabbage hedgehog. My dad was born before WWII and his brothers afterwards and I think it was at their houses we had the fancier stuff

I remember going to a 21st party where there were hot dog rolls cut in half with meat paste on. Even I thought that was a bit 70s.

Eleven year old thread!

I was also thinking many of the suggestions sound more 70s. I was a student and a young professional in the 80s and I don’t really think of anything food wise that would make something 80s. I’d just say it’s retro food and go with what people are suggesting, ignoring the fact that it was around in the 70s.

Its my first time coming across this post so didnt check the date lol. Im mediterranean so love olives etc but still never saw them on a british buffet in the 80s lol. 😉