Feeding people after a family event - help!

[TheHeartyJadeHiker]

This is probably me overthinking but I am truly stuck!
sons confirmation in a few weeks on a Tues night - doesn’t finish in church till about 8/8:30pm. Have 11 family members travelling to be there for it and then need to feed them afterwards. Have room at our house for all of them but not for a sit down meal. Can’t afford to take them all out and feel weird to book a meal and not pay for everyone.
am at work until 30 mins before confirmation begins so no prep time for food.
what do I feed people? It’ll be late when we’re back to our house so can’t cook much but have no time to prepare food in advance either.
they’re all fairly picky too with a few dietary requirements chucked in
any ideas that I’m missing?!

I think you're gonna have to book that day off to prep for the confirmation and your guests to be honest.

Or it's a takeaway.

I think need something that can be made in advance and reheated quickly when you get home eg some sort of pasta bake / shepherds pie OR something where you can leave the main bit in the slow cooker and pre prepare the side bits eg chilli. Not that easy to eat standing up but could be “fork food”

unless youd be happy with a cold buffet?

Order in pizzas to arrive at a certain time. Get chips, garlic bread and salad to have on the side. You can usually get online deals on pizzas so half price etc.

Slow cooker pulled pork with buns and salad sides?

Coukd you prep the night before or early that morning?

Easy prep ahead or quick serves;
Pot of chilli, micro rice and tortilla chips
Lasagna and salad
Cheese board, antipasto and breads
Chicken and chickpea curry with flatbreads

Alternately I would prep a few salads and pre order pizza to be delivered when you get home. Paper plates all the way!

Ie put the pulled pork in the slow cooker in the morning before work

I don’t the food is the problem- it would be easy to make a big one pot dish on Sunday before. The problem is that you have no time to heat up, etc.

ordering take away can be a faff too - everyone will want something different and it will also be expensive.

Buy some nice supermarket pizzas - Waitrose do nice ones - pop them in the oven as soon as you get in. Serve with drinks and green salad.

Will they want fed that late? I mean we eat then but my parents would have had tea hours before.

I would go for picky stuff. Homemade sausage rolls, quiche, salad. Crusty bread. Cheese. Fruit.

Order some pizzas including gf, dairy free, vegetarian etc. as required. Is there a confirmation cake? If not buy a cake, and get some drinks and crisps and olives in advance. You can lay the table and set up everything in the morning before work and put the drinks in the fridge.

Get some posher pizzas you can shove in the oven.

Do you have Costco nearby. They’re good for catering size lasagnes and other meals.

Order food in from Sainsbury or Marks - platters of sandwiches, wraps etc.

https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/groceries/occasions-by-sainsburys/party-food/c:1046177

Does your oven have a slow cooker setting? I can get several big casseroles in mine.
If not, could you borrow slow cookers off friends? Would probably need 2 or 3 for that number.
Do all the prep the day before then leave in the slow cooker all day.

Otherwise, a buffet of cold pre-prepared food, like quiche, ham, new potato salad etc. Would just need setting out.

Or order in takeaway as others have suggested.

How far are they travelling from? Would they have had an evening meal before the event?

What are the picky issues and dietary requirements?

I too would get take away pizza because you don't need to sit at a table with knife/folk to eat it.

Otherwise, something I'd prepped a day or so ahead and re-heated.

Thanks all. Days off aren’t an option as I’m a teacher.
hadn’t even thought about a cake! But definitely need a cake
it is late to eat - but won’t be able to eat beforehand and as they’re all travelling I think food will be expected or at least the offer of something with a drink.
posh pizzas and paper plates might be the sensible way forward, they cook fairly quickly at least. I had debated a takeaway but it’s complicated isn’t it.

What are the dietary requirements?

Would say a beef chilli and a vegetarian chilli in the slow cooker served with nachos is easy in a bowl on a plate with a spoon is easy stand up food.
As long as you use gf stock you will be fine on that side.
Can prep the pots the night before then just put on in the morning on low and they stay warm.

Vegetarians, one that can’t eat pulses, a child that is very picky and one that cant eat onions/garlic
i could pre cook chillis or similar on the weekend - that’s quite a good plan too. If I could get round the pulses and onion 😂

How about jacket potatoes?. You could put them in the oven just before you leave for the confirmation and prepare lots of fillings the evening before. Then lay them all out and people choose what they want with their potatoes.

I'd get fish and chips for people if you absolutely have to feed them.

Not sure I'd have booked a Tuesday night (as a fellow teacher) as it doesn't give you much wriggle room!

What time does the service start? I think if you are clear you are inviting people home for tea and cake, then do that in this situation. They can then make sure they feed themselves before the service then? Could that be an option?

Jacket potato bar does sound good. Put them all on the oven beforehand. Big pile of cheese. Butter Baked beans. Tuna mayo. Chili. Sausages. Salad. Veggie versions of chili and sausages.

Unfortunately parents don't get to choose when a confirmation is held. The church does.

OP, I'd do a bit of cold buffet/salads and shove a couple of pizzas in when you get home.

I’d just do a cold buffet and have a fabulous cake.

Is there anyone who would go to your house, heat through something like a chilli and put it in a slow cooker for you to keep warm til you’re back? Then you just need to do rice and/or garlic bread when back.
i’d also do a cheeseboard as some people might have already eaten but be ready for a little something. It’s also a filler for anyone needing more after the chilli.

A cold buffet mentioned by PP if carefully planned can work but I aways find buffets more work and more time even just to put stuff out than a one pot and sides.

no choice over when it is - it’s down to the Bishops diary I think.
no one could come and start food either. Maybe I should ask them all if they’re planning on eating first. It starts at 6:30 so they may well do.

are the children going to need a meal at 9pm - I'm thinking the parents will have had to feed them earlier anyways. You could buy in some m&s sandwich trays and Crisps and nibbles - so party food. It feel like it's past a big meal time. Even if travelling people will eat enroute.

I wouldn't assume you would feed me, I'd be eating on the way, so maybe check.