Critique my BBQ menu (especially quantities!)

[BBQthisweekend]

ARGHHHH I'm so excited! Is it a bit sad I've been dreaming of making this thread (and hosting the first of many BBQs) since before I even bought my house last year? I'm normally the one salivating at the MN BBQ threads and wishing for my own garden big enough to host. Well, now I have one.

So I mentioned to a few people earlier in the week it would be nice to have an impromptu BBQ this weekend and take advantage of the weather, and before I knew it (hehe) I am now hosting approx 40 (30 adults/teens, plus 10 under 10s) on Saturday. I'm very new to grilling, and only have 1 BBQ, but 3 friends are happily bringing another 2 and manning them all - the biggest for meat, and then one for vegan stuff/vegetables (we have a few strict vegans - no other allergies I think), and one for the halloumi and desserts. I am well aware I'm probably going overboard, but also want to make sure there will be enough food which I'm struggling to judge. Also looking for other unmissables that I may have forgotten.

I've asked people to bring something to drink, so I'm hoping the drinks I sort are just a starting point and we don't use all of. TBH I'm happy to over-cater on most fronts, and freeze/store whatever we don't use - I just don't want ridiculous amounts of sausages sat round forever more! I do have a chest freezer, and everything is getting delivered/I'm collecting from butchers/bakery in the morning so I'll use cool boxes with lots of ice to make sure storage stretches.

BBQ:
40x Burgers
60x Sausages
40x Chicken Thighs (marinated in Nando's sauce)
30x Vegan Sausages
10x Halloumi packs (sliced)
20x Large Flat mushrooms
40x Corn on the cob
20x Red Pepper (halved)
3x Pineapples (sliced)

Salads:
Huge ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ chopped salad (4x bags salad leaves, 2x cucumber, 4x avocado, 4x packs cherry tomatoes, grated carrot, 2x grilled sweetcorn, 2x grilled courgette)
Caprese Salad (Friend bringing!)
Watermelon, Feta, Cucumber and Mint Salad (2x watermelon, 2x blocks feta, 2x cucumber, 1x pack mint)
Potato Salad (3kg baby potatoes, dill, greek yoghurt, mayo, 3x bunch spring onions)
Slaw (Friend bringing!)
Crudite platter (edamame, mini corn, cucumber, tomato, carrot sticks) mainly for the kids!

Sides:
Stuffed Potato Skins (40 halves)
Veggie sausage rolls (40, small)
Pitta chips/Crisps (8 bags)
Dip pots (hummus, salsa, sour cream and chive)

Breads:
80x Hot dog rolls
30x crusty burger buns
30x brioche burger buns
4x Focassia (small squares)
4x Sourdough baguettes (sliced and buttered)

Condiments:
70x Cheese Slices (some plasticy American, some emmental)
Caramelised onions (in slow cooker, then kept warm)
2x jars Gherkins
Ketchup
BBQ
Mustard
Mayo
Nandos Mayo
Sweet chilli jam
French dressing
Pickle

Desserts:
Caramelised bananas (in foil with chocolate chips, marshmallows and crushed cookie)
Cookies (from bakery, but warmed briefly on the grill) with scoops of vanilla ice cream
Grilled Peaches with mascapone/ice cream
Magnums (and vegan magnums!)

Drinks:
24x Fruit shoots
24x Cans of mocktails
48x Cans of Soft Drinks (coke/Diet Coke/7up/Fanta)
48x Cans of pre-mixed cocktails
48x Bottles of beer (various)
4x bottles each : red/white/rose

Great effort. I also think it’s too much food, and not enough booze. I’d get some more white wine and sparkling water, increase the halloumi (that’s basically one slide per person?) and decrease the burgers and sausages. Agree that corn on the cob is horrible to eat in polite company, so could easily be skipped.

How are you keeping the beer cold enough?

Sounds gorgeous, the only thing I really like at a BBQ is hot dogs. I know you have sausages but I would eat a ton of hot dogs.

I was at a BBQ yesterday, I don't really like going as the food is always rubbish and little amounts. I think 2 BBQs were decent. Yesterday the burgers were black charcoal and no amount of sauce took that burnt taste away, dh took 2 sausages and was told one per person, everyone wanted more than one, I had asked sil to keep me 3 hotdogs and she kindly did and loaded them up with ketchup, mustard, coleslaw, lettuce, and big chunky onions 🤮 they were disgusting. I really for some reason dislike when I can't put my own food together. I was starving and ended up just eating sweets my kids had brought.

One of the things I one of the kids do at mine that everyone likes is I heat buns, rolls in microwave, cover in tin foil bring outside and they're so much nicer with burgers, sausages etc instead of hard buns. If anyone likes their's toasted then I stick on BBQ .

Hope it goes well, the first is such fun planning and prepping and arranging, if you can afford extras do it, everyone likes different food so there's something for everyone and people won't be starving.

Also I would massively reduce the corn cobs, if you do some, do them as nibbleable slices. They are a pain to eat.

Vegan sausages 🤢. The mushrooms are great as a burger substitute and some veggie kebabs of pepper, onion, tomatoes can also work.

It sounds great, but I think there is too much variety and is going to involve a lot of preparation and cooking

You don't really need that many salads or sides (apart from the crisps and dips).

Ditto too many types of bread products - hot dog rolls, basic burger buns, and maybe baguettes, will be fine

Magnums are fine as a dessert

Have you got enough skewers, paper plates, napkins etc?

IME people talk a lot about avoiding UPFs but are prepared to completely overlook this for a meal out or BBQ. I went to one a couple of weeks ago, mixed adults in their 40s/50s and teens and everyone was tucking into the sausages and burgers.

Why are burgers upf? It's just minced beef with seasonings.

Menu sounds delicious! I'm an overcaterer and I think you could cut down in some areas but if you're not bothered about leftovers that's fine. I'd recommend corn ribs if you can be bothered to cut them (quarter lengthwise then lightly season/spice - lots of recipes online). They're a bit easier to handle and people don't have to commit to a whole cob. They make good quick to cook starters too.

Quantities seem about right to me. I’ve sometimes made a large 5 been chilli alongside the grilled foods as my recipe is vegan and gluten free, not to mention very cheap and easy to make.

looks amazing and plenty of food, only thing is that you’ll have to cook the vegan sausages on a seperate bbq.. or probably easier to stick them under the grilling the kitchen.

Sounds amazing, I'll be there about 3 ish if that's okay? Will bring a bottle of fizz x

Ice in quantity and more soft drinks.
ice lollies
a bin, wasp ease, plasters, paracetamol
large plastic tub under a table for dirty plates/glasses
somewhere to wash your hands outside near bbq
tupperware for leftovers. Drop everything in the freezer that you can afterwards.

I'm so practical, I immediately think if there are enough loos. And loo roll!

It all sounds fabulous!

I’d reduce the amount of bread, a lot of people won’t want a bun with a burger and a sausage. I always end up freezing the bread rolls that have been left over (& I find few freeze well). I love a garlic bread or similar, thinly sliced, but again don’t eat a lot of it.
The chicken I would make less spicy so more people likely to eat it.
I’d ditch the corn on the cob, a faff to eat
I would do more halloumi
I would reduce slightly the amount of sausages, but not by too many as people like to pick at them later.
I would increase drinks. People drink more when sitting eating and chatting, plus it’s going to be warm. Maybe do a couple of jugs of Pimm’s for guests when they arrive?

I rarely offer loads of dessert options at a bbq. Usually do a big bowl of strawberries, mini meringues, fresh cream and people can make their own Eton Mess or just have strawberries or ice cream.

It all does sound lovely what you have planned, hope you enjoy your BBQ, OP

edited to add. Use strong paper plates, plastic cutlery and plastic glasses. Buy bin bags and bribe the children with ice cream to get rid of all the rubbish into the bags for you. 😆
Don’t forget Napkins

More sausages. Less burgers. What’s the pineapple for?

Looks great. I might dump one the breads for (the sourdough) for a nice flavoured rice with veggies in it because I love chicken and rice!

If you’ve veggies coming up the halloumi and mushrooms. Meat eaters will eat them

looks amazing. Where’s my invite

Just a suggestion: would you consider making your "very thing but the kitchen sink" salad as separate bowls - then the fussy people van pick what they like without everything being contaminated by avocado.

How many people are likely to be driving? Might need to up the soft drinks.

I think you'll have quite a bit left over, unless you stray into evening snacking duration of the event.

I’d keep a lot of the meat uncooked in the fridge and just cook more as supplies start to drop. Otherwise you’ll have a lot of waste. I’d double the mushrooms and peppers so meat eaters get lots if they want them - they also are one of the few options that won’t spoil fast. And I’d do the math on halloumi to check the meat eaters and veggies can both have it

Don't listen to anyone saying less burgers, I love BBQ burgers and would easily eat 2! I've seen men and teenagers put away a lot more as well. Always better to have too much and send people home with leftovers. I think it sounds amazing, wish I could come 😅

It sounds absolutely fabulous. I don't think there is too much food if you have 10 teens, I have often seen them put away multiple burgers and sausages each, DH does too.

Qs if I am being fussy:

• what are you doing with the pineapple?
• I would scrap the veggie sausage rolls, not needed with hot sausages around
• I would reduce the dessert offerings to 2 and simpler ones that need nothing doing, like your cookies.
• are the chicken thighs boneless? I prefer to BBQ breast chunks as they're easier to ensure cooked through
• don't forget loads of napkins

Thanks all! Taken all this feedback on board and adjusted orders accordingly 😅 A few of the mums of teens were bragging the other day about how much their kids ate, so between that and wanting to make sure we have enough, it’s definitely too much! I’ll keep some back and just use it if needed, if not will pop in the freezer. And will be upping the drinks numbers and variety too!

Vegan Mayo ;)

Ooh it sounds delicious! A tip we were recently given that we love… if you BBQ the halloumi as a whole block and then slice it after, it doesn’t fall through the BBQ cracks! And still tastes great.

It's fine. I think the minute you cut back on the food you start to fret that there won't be enough!

Definitely increase the vino though😊. I think white is more popular than red in warm weather, but anyhow I'd make it six or eight of red, rose, and white. So what if there's some left over and you can afford it.... the Summer's coming and it will be used sooner or later.

Sounds like a fabulous gathering and I hope you all have a ball.