Ideas for a simple tasty buffet for 70 guests including children.

[Imtoooldforallthis]

As title really, looking for affordable options.

I love a buffet thread!

Some questions:

Will the guests all be able to sit at tables?
If so, would you prefer a buffet using knife and fork, just a fork, or finger buffet?

If they will mainly be standing, do you want a fork or finger buffet?

Do you want hot or cold food or a mixture of both? Will there be cooking or heating facilities at the venue? (Obviously if at home you will have that!)

Are you aware if any dietary requirements?

Once we have the answer to those, we can offer more appropriate suggestions.

I would go safe and predictable with sausage rolls, French bread, hummus (make yourself), salsa, quiche, mushroom and lentil pate, curried nut loaf (Delia recipe), crisps/doritos, and bowls of mixed salad leaves. Brownies, jelly and ice cream.Lemon drizzle cake.

Recently attended a similar sized party.

cold salmon platters
potato salad
chicken Caesar salad
cous cous
cheese platters
antipasto platters
breads and rolls

Cold meats, salad, houmous, nice breads, cheeses, crackers, olives, crudites, falafels, cold salmon

Brownies, millionaire shortbread, rocky road and carrot cake, all served in small bites with ice cream and berries.

It depends when the buffet is as I wouldn’t serve a cold buffet in the winter months or a hot buffet in the summer months. There’s lots to take into consideration and as someone above said is it to eat standing or seated? More information is needed I think.

I learnt how to make smoked salmon pâté this year - was astonished how easy it is and it's tasty even made with the cheapest smoked salmon offcuts. I quite like that as a posh addition to a buffet but which isn't too expensive if you make it yourself.

Ingredients: smoked salmon, cream cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, black pepper. Optional dill or I think chives would work too.

We probably also need to know about fridge space and what level of preparation Vs purchasing you're looking for.

Pasta salad, new potatoes, pizza slices, pre made wraps, veg kebabs, coleslaw, cured meats, salads of different varieties, sandwiches, hot options- chicken kebabs etc... bread sticks, dips crisps, french stick etc.

Like PPs have said, we do need more info about your constraints, how much prep you are willing to do, season, no of kids plus adults & your budget

I have had several parties on a tight budget: mainly feeding people a lot of carbs (baguette & dips, potato wedges etc) helps, & cutting way back on the expensive stuff obviously

ALDI, Lidl & Iceland are definitely your friend if you’re planning to get prepared stuff in and try to get some help : a buffet for 70 is a lot. Even if you can get a couple of family members/v close friends to help prepare (or ideally bring) 1-2 items it would help a lot

For that number I would also strongly suggest you stick to cold food if you can

OK so it's at a working man's club in August so presume there will be seating. Not my do, but just debating whether to offer to do it. I'm a good cook but there will be a mix of tastes. Mine would be home cooked ham sandwiches, potato salad, coleslaw etc but a lot would prefer frozen party food. I'm thinking it needs to be simple, cheap and easy to transport.

Hi @Imtoooldforallthis : does the venue have a kitchen or will you try to prep it all at home & transport?

Frozen party food requires cooking there really…

If facilities allow I would do:

1 Meat (chicken thighs /drumsticks perhaps?)
2 other mains

• 1-2 ‘alternative mains’ - do you have vegetarians? Maybe veggie sausages as can be served cold


• your choice of main (eg the ham sandwiches) - as it’s your buffet

3 - pizza slices or similar
4- carbs : your potato salad plus French stick (sliced/poss buttered)
5 - salads/veg : probably a simple lettuce salad, then a bowl of Tom/cucumber/peppers/sweetcorn so if doesn’t all get soggy

• any other salads you fancy would be a bonus &’make the table look more of a spread

6- crisps (from ALDI or something).

People seem to eat a LOT of crisps.
Consider actually serving multipack bags as people are less likely to go nuts on them

If lots of small kids I’d also do bread & butter, some slices of ham, cheese, cut up carrot/cucumber/cherry tomatoes so they can have a simple sandwich & some veg on the side

Then if budget allows really nice extras would be :

• some hummus/dips with carrots, breadsticks etc (also gives anyone Gluten free something they could eat)


• sausage rolls


• any particular favourite party food of the person celebrating/that group


• fruit : grapes/strawberries etc


• some kind of dessert (I’d defrost something from Iceland on a budget personally but everyone has strong ideas about desserts) 😄


• For kids, maybe individually wrapped desserts would work (mini rolls, bag of party rings etc

For quantities: maybe consider a decent plate per adult/child and then add 20% extra on top

When I have a party I always hold back some of the food which can keep (crisps, crackers, cheeseboard etc) to make sure the persishable stuff gets eaten

Largest Ive ever done was a hot buffet for 50 - including pizzas etc : tbh it was a lot of work/not much fun and I wouldn’t do it again for that number in the summer as the effort/enjoyment is not worth it

Can you ask any of the others to sort desserts?

And do you have to do drinks?
For soft drinks places like B&M are v cheap for huge packs of cans and also bottled beer

This is definitely not a gourmet budget but I think it’s festive, budget conscious, caters for different ages/tastes/some dietary needs ..