Lunch for 8 when you don't have time to be in the kitchen

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We have family that we haven't seen since the pandemic started coming on Saturday and I don't want to be stuck in the kitchen!!

We'll be 8 adults and 2 kids so what can I do that doesn't require much of an effort on the day? No diatery requirements.

I'm contemplating either taking everyone to the pub, ordering pizza or having something ready from the day before (which obviously is the nicest option as people are traveling to see us). Thanks all x

Something like lasagne or pie or pasta bake that can be cooked before hand then just stick it in the oven for a bit beforehand?

Quiche (either made the day before or bought), new potatoes boiled and covered in butter and herbs, nice cheeses, ham, baguette etc, crisps and dips!

Roast chicken (could cook the night before), quiche, new potatoes and part baked bread rolls along with coleslaw, some cheeses etc is always my go to when there are more than 6 of us for lunch.

Something buildable around a meat dish that you can have sitting in the oven, like pulled pork or chilli burritos, everyone can make their own as they like it and you can prep all the accompaniments and have them in the fridge the day before

My go to for stuff like this is either a cold roasted chicken with green salad (leaves, cucumber, avocado), new potatoes, pasta salad, nice crusty bread, mozzarella and tomato salad, and any other nice picky things (crisps and the like if you need to fill up small people with minimal fuss). Maybe cooled honey roasted sausages or a charcuterie plate?

No bake chocolate cheesecake for dessert. Do everything the day before or the morning of and whack it on the table when it’s time to feed people.

Jacket potatoes with a help yourself toppings that are easy to heat/make eg cheese,beans,tuna mayo,coleslaw,chilli bar and a big bowl of colourful salad.

Buy pre made made coleslaw/mixed salad/tinned chilli con carne to save time and hassle

Make lasagne day before and serve with a green salad and garlic bread. Fruit salad, ice cream and cream for pud plus cheese and biscuits option.

I'd go to the chippy - or have it delivered.

If everybody's OK with spice, make a big pot of chilli the day before. Flavour improves with keeping, so that's win win. People vary in what they like to eat with chilli, but all the options I can think of are very quick and easy to make/assemble at the last minute.

Pudding: something really straightforward. Cheesecake would fit the bill. Perfectly OK to buy one. If you choose to make one, again it's better done in advance as it will then have time to chill thoroughly. Or a fruit crumble made the day before (maybe keep the topping separate until baking so it's not soggy), which you would just have to stick in the oven and serve with custard/cream/ice cream.

Some form of stew* that can be made the day before and served with either rice, noodles or mashed potatoes, plus simple steamed vegetables such as broccoli, peas and/or cauliflower.

• such as boeuf bourgignon, chilli con carne, or a curry (Madhur Jaffrey's lemony chicken with fresh coriander always goes down well).

Chocolate cake plus vanilla ice cream for dessert. Or turn into a black forest gateau if you can be bothered

Yummy

Make a nice platter of chopped fruit, cheese and charcuterie and sausage rolls. Buy some treats from a local bakery shop like gingerbread mince pies or biscuits for dessert. Chocolate cake is good for a dessert.