Basic budget buffet- any suggestions?

[sparkleandsleep]

I'm planning a party soon and there will be approx 50 adults attending; I need some tips to provide a budget buffet (if such a thing exists!).
It starts at 8pm so I'm assuming most people will have eaten beforehand so don't want to over-cater or over-complicate things.

I have plenty of freezer space but nowhere to prepare or store food at the venue and only a small fridge at home so I guess most of it will have to be done fairly close to the start time. I'm going to provide bowls of nibbles on the tables too.
Any suggestions much appreciated

I wouldn't assume anything - make really clear on the invite that you'll be providing light nibbles, then you won't get people turning up expecting something they can replace dinner with. I probably wouldn't eat before something describes as a buffet.

If what you basically want is snacks to go with drinks, I'd have tonnes of crisps, sausage rolls, quiche, and some kind of traybake deserty thing.

I haven't said anything about food, I probably should have! I assumed people would eat first so this is more of a small snack mid evening My only thought is to keep the selection small but have plenty of each rather than lots of little items but I hate this kind of thing.

What kind of budget are you thinking of?

Retro pate, cheese & loaves of bread / baguettes? Costco trip?

French bread, cheese, pate, crisps

How about just doing loads of bread rolls and crisps for when the booze kicks in and people want something to eat.

Yes, do the bread, butter and cheese... So easy.

I'm liking that idea... could do some pork ham and beef with cheese, crusty bread, salad and pickles etc. Chuck in some crisps and dips and sausage rolls and that might just do it!

My friend got several of those supermarkets tubs of mini muffins - chocolate chip, double chocolate and blueberry and presented them nicely on trays with little bunches of grapes around the edges. In Tesco it works out about £3 for 32 muffins. She also had slices of French baguette - some with cream cheese, some with guacamole and some with a kind of tomatoey herb spread (perhaps pesto?). I'm pretty sure some were spread with pate too. They were displayed on trays too, along with some carrot batons and slices of red pepper to add a bit of colour.

Ricekrispie that's exactly the type of top tips I need, thank you. We have most supermarkets nearby but no Costco sadly.

I would buy some boxes of the frozen snacks from Aldi like samosas and spring rolls.

Aldi sell them. Cheap as chips.

What about a big pot of soup? Is that too complicated?

I went to a party where lazy Susan's were loaded with grapes, celery, cheese, broken pieces of chocolate, nuts and beetroot hummus. And bread and biscuits.

Thanks everyone.
I'm trying to avoid using cutlery if possible as don't want to buy plastic so soup is probably out. I have a couple of lazy Susans though so that could work.

I think if it doesn’t start until 8 you could get away with cheese board and crackers with grapes, celery, chutney and pickles. The cheese will be the greatest cost but other than that the cost is low.

Plus crackers avoid problem of bread drying out

sparkleandsleep Tesco do pre baked baguettes that you just bung in the oven for a few mintues.they can be kept in the cupboard for weeks due to longer date then just open.cook.yum.if you wanted to add something else what about those ready rolled jus-rol pastry.add some pizza like topping and then cook and serve in slices.
even buy some pizzas.
will any of the shops still have some chrismtas stock like nibbles or tub s of sweets or chocolat.emight be worth having a look.

pudding.flapjacks.brownie.big traybake cake. choc dipped strawberries.frozen roulade or pavlova

serve everything in bowls.dont bother with plates.far to flimsy and bowl can hodl everything both main and dessert and so you can buy in cheap bulk.