If you had to make 40 filled rolls.

[Namechangeforthis88]

I need to feed some volunteers, grab and go style. I'm thinking rolls, crisps, fruit and baking. I'm thinking average two rolls each. Let's say 40 to be on the safe side.

Don't want to spend an excessive amount, but do want it to be decent. Also don't want to get bogged down in faffy fillings.

What tips do you have?

What fillings and in what proportions?

Definitely vegetarians in attendance, possibly vegans. I'm not going to start taking orders.

Keep the vegan sandwiches separate, otherwise they won't have anything.

Grating carrot is very easy with a food processor. And safe!

And for the vegans ?

And for the vegans ?
Suggest making it all veggi
Morrisons do excellent and reasonably priced sandwich platters.

Some of these are hilarious. Grab and go style French dip!

Grated cheese sandwiches are a nightmare; grated anything in a sandwich, especially something OP has to make abd transport then be grab and go for a volunteer activity, is a bad idea.

Shame about all the fusspots preventing chutney with cheese, etc – surely if you’re that fussy you’d bring your own lunch or you can pick out the things you like?

How long will the sandwiches sit around for? You need butter to stop the bread going soggy, but make it margarine for economy. Again, ignore the fusspots: you’re making a batch of 40, not catering to individual whims.

Flapjacks sliced into squares will probably go further than loaf cake.

30 sausage
10 veggie sausage

Bring a bottle of sauce with.

Some of these suggestions are 'interesting'.

In my opinion you might as well vomit in the sandwich as put margarine (or butter) on them. Just avoid tomato to avoid soggy - and possibly cucumber if making hours in advance.

These things ate stressful aren't they trying to cover all bases!! Apparently chicken sandwich is the most popular in the UK (where I'm presuming you are) and egg sandwiches are up there too.

However egg mayo is a right faff if making yourself - peeling all those eggs!

How about:

chicken and mayo - mix up a bowl and add a bit of black pepper or if you're feeling wild mix up chicken and stuffing with mayo. Put into sliced bread (cut into triangles as I'm also making the assumption you're not a monster).

Cheese and lettuce in white rolls (to prepare use iceberg lettuce - cut large leaves up have ready to go. Maybe get grated cheese mix up bowl with a bit of mayo and add in some spring onion if you think people are adventurous). If large baps cut into half once made.

Tuna mayo in brown baps. Make a large bowls of it using cheapest tin of tuna - cheaper than buying prepared tuna mayo

Hummus and falafel wraps - to prepare cut falafel half - spread thin layers hummus over all of a wrap (to edges as it helps hold wrap together), 2.5 falafel, lettuce leaf, roll, press and cut in half.) Replace the falafel with grated carrot if you prefer.

Ham in white rolls for the traditionalists

10 cheese savory
10 hummus, carrot and raisins
10 egg, cress and mayo
10 ham

I would also put mayo, mustard, pickles, tomato and cucumber out in bowls next to them so people can tailor their sandwiches to their needs.

I'm a meat eater i would devour the meat/fish first.

You need meat/fish ones!

Cheese salad
Vegan cheese salad

Job done ✅

Whatever you do please don't add mayo/chutney/pickle etc. to every roll.

Many of us hate this. Could you not leave condiments etc. on the side?

So sick of trying to buy prepacked sandwiches and every bloody one has something gross - imo admittedly - inside.

@lljkk thank you for bringing bread into the chat! I like this idea of keeping the rolls together.

I have to say I didn't realise what a controversial topic this would turn out to be. There are no easy answers and I'm not convinced I've reached any conclusions.

I will share a bit more detail as some people have asked. I'll try not to out be too outing.

It's an outdoor sports club and we're involved in a community event where members of the public can try our sport. Facilities are very basic so food will not be refrigerated. It will be in boxes or cool bags at best, on a bench in a shed. I'll encourage people to scoff before we get started but expect them to also grab a quick bite as and when they get a break. Not a laid out buffet, nobody is serving and I can't see anyone getting into adding lettuce and tomato or suchlike.

Youngest possible 14/15. A whole clutch of them about 17. Then a bunch of adults. They are not typically a fussy crowd. I've done food for smaller groups in colder weather, one option, vegan, add cheese if you like, and on both occasions it vanished and everyone said thanks very much. An element of roughing it a bit probably goes along with the sport.

I was going to assume that anyone who requires gluten free would either tell me or bring their own, but it wouldn't be too difficult to take cheese and crackers, so I might do that.

I'll get what I spend back on expenses but don't want to rinse the club coffers.

Vegan mozzarella (ready grated, Asda) and vegan pesto (quick spread on the bottom (10)
cheese (10)
chicken salad (10)
ham (10)

If no religious restrictions on food I'd plug in two slow cookers - pulled pork in one and pulled jackfruit in the other. Leave on low. Massive stack of buns and separate butter on the side.

I'd do half hummus and roasted veg and half cheese savoury (grated cheese, mayo, grated carrot, little bit of finely sliced red onion, little bit of chopped up pickles)
I wouldn't bother with a meat option.

Nobody is diving in for a hummus sandwich when they can just have cheese. It's a sports club open day with a cool box of sandwiches.

Chopped up little pickles? French dip? Gravy in a thermos?!!!

Fuck me OP, cheese and vegan cheese is fine!

If catering for vegans, dont forget to check the ingredients of the rolls ( most are vegan but some have milk in). I'd go for houmous and falafel or vegan sausages for vegans.

15 grated cheese and tomato
15 ham
10 humous and grated carrot / falafel

I think that’s quite simple and covers all bases.

In our school fairs, ham is most popular and humous always leftover!

I wouldn’t add mayo as lots of people don’t like it.

Those suggesting vegan cheese - have you tried it??? Even my vegan friends say it's vile.
Go for vegan sausages - at least they won't need to be kept cold.

Is always choose hummous over cheese in a sand which. I'm veggie not vegan. And I love cheese!

Just shows how variable people's tastes are.

@Namechangeforthis88, your just keeping people from not getting hungry at a have-a-go day. You don't need anything elaborate. Egg/cheese/ham/hummus. Rolls stay together better than bread. Have a few bits on hand to make GF sandwiches as required, or make a few ahead, but not many (beware of breadcrumbs on ham).

You're not a fancy deli!!

Carrot peelings are much better than grated carrot in sandwiches, but add a bit of crunch and texture to hummus.

I’d abandon the sandwiches idea altogether and plug in a portable hob for an omelette station:
provide bowls of chopped fillings – cheese, mushrooms, peppers and so on – for these to be tailored to preference. Assuming a double socket is available plug into the other side a large fish tank filled with live crustaceans for volunteers to select lobster or crab – you can have a pot of boiling water on the go on the omelette station hob. Along with brioche rolls – you’ll need to spread with melted butter and fry but it doesn’t take long – homemade mayonnaise and some shredded iceberg, a lobster roll is really very simple. I assume someone is on hand to forage for fresh mushrooms for a vegan option – have you access to a truffle-finding pig and a forest? For fruit, strawberries are in season so three bowls: one plain, one macerated in balsamic vinegar, black pepper and shredded basil, and one with sugar. Bowls of whipped cream and vegan gloop on the side. Just keep things simple and exactly to my tastes and preferences!

You need to take a portable generator, OP, so you can have a camping fridge with ice cream in it. Also, get there early to dig a firepit. There should be time to roast a suckling pig before the event starts, and it will draw in a crowd to your stall!

If you are using mayo or margarine, do check the ingredients. Same issue as the rolls. You can easily end up with dairy in them and then you’ve excluded people with milk allergies as well as vegans. I’ve often had two apples and an emergency flapjack from my bag for lunch because of that.

Those suggesting vegan cheese - have you tried it??? Even my vegan friends say it's vile.

Cathedral City Plant based cheese is nice. I don’t like any others.