help me plan a menu please

[lillybloom]

My son makes his communion in May. The mass is at 10am so we should be home for 11.30am. I have 50 people coming to the house. Is it too early for a traditional buffet? What can I serve? There is a mix of kids and adults.
Please help.

50 people, good for you! I'd be tempted to make it as easy as possible and buy a lot of stuff in, having catered for family events before (not with that many people) the more stuff you can do ahead of time and just leave out on the day the better as YOU deserve to enjoy it too

would you consider buying the buffet/prepared foods from M&S or Waitrose etc and just add a few personal touches or are you up for the whole whammy challange?

Have you checked whether there will be a "celebration" for the children straight after mass? With our 3 they went back to the church hall for a First Communion Breakfast and then all had their photos taken individually and as a group by the official photographer so it was much later getting home
If that is the case, try to work it your advantage by getting some of the helpful relatives to go back to your house slightly early and put out the platters etc.

No breakfast at the church I'm afraid, JGB

Dizzy, I wouldn't mind buying in as I'm all for enjoying the day.My hair would frizz, if I were in the kitchen too long! I just have no idea what would be suitable at that time. If it was later on in the afternoon I'd do the usual lasagne and stuff but the time has really thrown me.

lillybloom in that case I'd go with an afternoon tea kind of thing rather than anything heavy - sandwiches/mini quiches/cup cakes etc etc lay it all out and let people help themselves rather than you having to serve it up and those expecting a meal can just pile their plates high

see here for ideas or here

I'm not saying you have to use either of these two, there is a lovely wee cafe near to us that does catering for not much money - I just feel (having done this myself several times) sometimes the least effort on your part affords you more time to relax and enjoy

having catered several of our events for DD3's christening all I did was the baking and stacked up towers of cakes stands etc and let someone else do the savouries - worked well and afforded me more time to enjoy the day

another one of my friends did her DS' christening by going to Costco and buying a very large quiche, a couple of very large cakes and some baguettes which she served up with a couple of roasted chickens, a bowl of salad and pots of hummous/dips etc - was all very low maintanance and very delicious too

Watching with interest as I have the same situation, although fewer folks coming back, and mass over by 10.30am.
I am planning on doing a brunch buffet, including:
bacon rolls (DS's favourite)
danish pastries, pain au chocolat, croissants, muffins etc
maybe a fresh fruit salad, yoghurt
juices
big pots of fresh coffee and tea

Chippy that sounds like a great idea, can't beat a bacon butty

when we had DD2 christened it was miserable weather in Dec so we had stovies and homemade soup - loved by all as they were all expecting finger foods on a winters day lol

Why not ask your son what he would like? It is his special day and will more than likely have an idea of what he would like. For DD's baptism we had chicken skewers,mini pizza bites (I made a huge pizza the day before and cut into little pieces) Waitrose and M&S do fantastic ranges of mini snacks/sarnies etc which we found were no more expensive than making some things ourselves. Order 10 days in advance then collect on the Saturday evening for Sunday

Would definately second the Waitrose Entertaining service, as they lend out glasses as well. My standard buffet is generally a ham and a joint of beef, ready sliced, plus a couple of their big bowls of coleslaw-type salads. Then add lettuce, cherry tomatoes, dressing, french bread, cheese platter and a few puddings.

Anyone know where I can buy mini danish pastries?

chippy - our tesco bakery has them

hi oops !

I would just assume you are providing lunch. DS did his communion last year, even without a breakfast after there was lots of mingling and taking photo's etc. When we got back to the house we did drinks and opening pressies, he had a cake which we cut then too. By then people were ready for food, I did a buffet which was a mixture of stuff from the local farm shop catering service, a salmon, some cold meats and salad and desserts I got from 'Cook'

I would be inclined to cook meat joint the day before and slice. (Gammon, beef etc) Then supply bread, butter and 'fillers' like coleslaw and chutney etc. With salads and perhaps pickles / olives etc people can construct their own sarnoes. Get slice your own type bread / baguettes rather than basics sliced white . Cake for sweet and perhaps a trifle type tingy of fruit salad (prepared the day before)

Didn't realise cake and pressies were on the agenda [clueless CofE mum of Catholic DC]. Should we be getting DS a present? What kind of thing?

Thanks for Tesco tip dizzy.

I would imagine it would be similar to a christening Chippy where there ARE presents although I have to admit we normally never open the presents till after the event so I can keep track of who to thank for what

Tesco do nice mini lattice pastries up here but I certainly wouldn't take my word for it as they don't have them at the one near to my Dad's

thanks everyone lots of great ideas

dizzy the links are brilliant

chippy I love the idea of bacon butties but the thought of standing frying up 50 of them puts me off.

oops- I have asked DS and he says hot dogs and nothing else. I will have hot dogs for the kids as they are so easy. I never realised that supermarkets did things like that.

chippy- you can get cakes for communions in mosts bakers. Present wise in our area most people give money and parents give something else equivalent to a birthday gift. I haven't thought of that yet.

Geoteach- I hadn't thought about the photos and mingling. Everyone will probably be ready for lunch right enough.