Help - need to feed 50 people quick quick

[Isthiscorrect]

Dh has decided our housewarming party will be next week. So no time to prepare.
It's an open house from 2pm onwards. What on earth is quick and easy to feed all these people arriving during the day? All ideas gratefully received. Why 2pm? The man is an idiot. Now I will need to be up at the crack of dawn preparing. I'm planning to shop two days before so I can come home from work and start preparing before hand.
Oh wise MNetters please help.

If dh has arranged it then ask him what he plans to cook? Why is it all your responsibility?

Salad and cold meat, nice bread?
Tuna pasta?
Pizzas?

DH with an apple stuffed in his mouth and bbq'd? (Jokes)

Here are things we have done on different occasions
Jackets and fillings
Soup and rolls
Order platters of supermarket sandwiches and cake
Veggie chilli and rice
Bring a bottle host provides bread dip olives
Hot dogs in rolls
Risotto

If it starts at 2pm, people will have had lunch beforehand. So you don't need to do loads, surely?

And agree - DH can do it !

Yes I would be asking him!

He decided. He does the work. If you do it you are a fool.

BBQ is the answer - get loads of burgers, sausages etc, make (or buy to save yourself some grief) a couple of types of salad then a selection of nice breads. Plus some nibbles/crisps if you want. Leave all the salads etc out for people to help themselves, stick DH or a willing volunteer on the BBQ (or put disposable foil trays of the meat in the oven if BBQ not an option) and sit with a Pimms

Big bowls of salad, jacket potatoes, sausages / burgers in buns, chicken drumsticks, veggy dips, couscous salad..... Erm.... Big vats of trifle.

Then get everyone drunk

If its an open house and people will be arriving throughout the afternoon, I'd prepare big pots of chilli, curry or stragnoff type things. And then heat a saucepan full as needed. Any you don't use can be frozen for family meals later, so not too much waste. And you can prepare a day or two in advance.

Oh trust me, the feckless idiot will be working very hard. He will be shopping, my pet hate. And he will be off to the offie for the booze. And yes I will be sitting with a Pimms although it requires so much extra shopping ;-) haha. He is also very good at clearing up.
Normally he is very organised but I think we were both a bit worse for wear at a mid week barbie. Friends passing thru for 3 days then coming back and passing thru for 3 days again. I think DH saw it a chance to have one get together rather than one for friends and one housewarming.
Thanks for the good ideas. Trifle is super quick and we have a number of bowls suitable. Yes yes to pre bought salads. Big huge vat of bolagnaise.
Just needed to reassure myself it was all,possible.

If it's dropping by I'd just do snack things like sausage rolls, crisps, olives, sandwiches, quiche/frittata, hot dogs...BBQ would work and just serve lots of drinks. I'd feel a bit odd eating a meal like bolognaise or eating a salad while standing and at a different times to other people is awkward.

bags of chrisps,pretzels that sort of thing.
some fruit.
bung-in-the oven garlic bread.

If people are coming at different times I'd do a few bowls of vegetable rice, one spiced and one plainer and a bowl or two of salad. Put alongside other bowls of things to go with which you think would suit most people e.g. chorizo, ham, maybe a few prawns, chicken pieces so guests can add whatever they prefer. Nice breads, sausage rolls and crisps should give you enough savouries. You could do a cheeseboard if you felt like it and make or buy a cake or two to go alongside the trifle.
A BBQ is good but in my experience although you think the men will sort it out, they stand there looking very busy but they end up 'just' needing lots of help and attention with all kinds of extra things.

And the meat always ends up over charred!

Go to the butcher and get a huge pork shoulder. Put it in the oven the night before at a low heat and cook it for about 18 hours. Smells amazing. This can then be eaten like a roast, or shredded and eaten in sandwiches or tacos. Where people assemble their own sandwich/taco/wrap. Then it's icecream for dessert. If this is in your backyard, I'd say a bunch of MiniMagnums.

Pork is a cheap option and takes care of itself in the oven with no tending. Of course, this assumes your family and guests eat pork.

This will get you started:
www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-and-shred-a-pork-shoulder-for-pulled-pork-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-79485

I just wrap mine up in tin foil and put it in the oven. Then for the last three hours, I take off the tin foil. I've bought some really big pork shoulders and they have taken longer than 12 hours to cook properly.

Sconeness I u der stand your point about eating "a meal" whilst others aren't. I think I will still do that but as a pp said any leftovers good for the freezer.

Loving the pork idea Spring. However I live in the Middle East and whilst we can get pork quite easily Im not sure it would really be the done thing to eat outside. I might save that for a winter party. My friends would be ok but I wouldn't want to offend my neighbours, British, Russian, Indian, Brazilian, French, Iranian, Filipino and Sri Lankan ;-) amongst others.

Salads,breads, bits and pieces and if all else fails, phone for pizza. Thanks everyone.

Ps dh very contrite, he has already been to the 'pop shop' to get 'those drinks you know you like' as the radio ad puts it. Beer is always mentioned "hop based beverages". Personally I think it's great that we get the opportunity to buy pork and drink. And he's been to the supermarket for all the other stuff that can be bought in advance. He's working well. Mwah haha.

Definitely not Pork then!

I was just remembering going to a party in Abidjan where the host hired a street vendor to serve his guests kebabs. It was super, and no doubt easy for the host.

A huge Chilli with tacos !!!