Cold lunch buffet - need some inspiration!

[alicet]

Have just posted about needing something to make for brunch for 18 - the day before we are having a family party at ours and need to make an informal lunch buffet for 18 with 6 children.

Not struggling so much with this but would love to hear any interesting ideas as mine have all been hauled out on loads of occasions and it would be nice to make something a bit more interesting!

All need to be cold / easy to keep warm on hob as people will be arriving at different times and don't want stuff to spoil if some arrive a bit later.

As before keeping the cost down is a definate bonus...

How about a chilli?

Or if you're doing cold things you could have maybe a whole salmon and then a selection of salads and homemade quice (something different like crab and watercress)

Also have some cheeses and cold meats.

we have a couple of rice cookers so I often do chilli and a chicken and brocolli bake thingy

otherwise baked pototoes are great as you can have easy kids fillings (cheese/tuna/beans/coleslaw) as well as something nicer like coronation chicken or (again) chilli

or you could make big lagasgnes in advance and serve with crusty bread and salad

or soup?

All great ideas!

Should have mentioned that we have a couple of veggies to include plus having chilli for dinner the night before (not everyone but about half the people who are coming for lunch!)

All great ideas!

Should have mentioned that we have a couple of veggies to include plus having chilli for dinner the night before (not everyone but about half the people who are coming for lunch!)

oops didn't ean to say that twice!

devilled eggs(sp?)

quiches

pasta & rice salads

mini pasties.

What are devilled eggs? Have heard of them but no idea what they are!!!

I did a lunch buffet at the weekend and some of the stuff I made was:

mini cheese n onion pies - made them in muffin tins and froze ahead of time so just needed to be popped in oven last minute (cheap and veggie)

Beef n mustard mini sausage roll bites - again, made ahead and frozen on a tray ready to bake

Southern Fried chicken wraps - crispy chicken gougons (really easy), rolled in deli wraps with lettuce, mayo, roasted peppers & basil leaves, cut on the diagonal and arranged on a mahoosive platter for ponce value (these were the most popular actually)

Prawn cocktail crusty rolls

Potato Wedges with sour cream and chive

Family favourites tarted up a bit really, but very popular