Great 'Summer Party' Hunt. Tips & hints on cheap booze, food & garden gear

diggerjb · 3 June 2009 at 6:12PM

we recently did a pre exam party for our teenage daughter and friends. It was a 'Pimms and strawberries' party which included buffet lunch. Huge success and didn't cost a fortune. We bought the 'Pimms' from Aldi ie their mock Pimms and frankly with fruit and lemonade we couldn't tell the difference! It cost a fraction of the price and we were controlling the strength of each jug as we made each one, so no danger of them overdoing it.

Aldi also do a low alcohol lager with lime in it - also very cheap and the age group we were dealing with were happy.

jiblets1 · 3 June 2009 at 8:55PM

Amongst my friends everyone ALWAYS brings their own booze (then usually shares) and we usually ask everyone to bring some food. We let them suggest what they want to bring, but we let them know if someone else is already bringing the same food incase they want to swap. Not only does it work out a lot cheaper (we just supply buns, mixers and one lot of meat), but it's much more sociable.

This especially works well, as other friends of ours haven't quite got room for so many guests, so the parties are often at ours! It's never a problem because everyone "pays their way" and everyone helps wash up. It also means hubby and I get to party without having to organise transport. Bonus!

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fimalula · 4 June 2009 at 11:06AM

I find that the value ranges in any of the supermarkets are not too bad for bbq's. Tesco have packs of 12 sausages (6 bbq, 6 piri piri) for £2. Packs of belly pork slices dont run to much more than about £1.50 (cover with your own tasty marinade) Asda have the 3 for £10 packs of meat that include pork chops, Most of the supermarkets do there own bbq range that only cost about £2 each for kebabs etc, alternatively buy some veg and fruit and make your own kebabs keeping some that are solely veg and adding chicken or prawns etc to others.

I normally spend about £50 on mixture of food and drink for about 10 people. I find that most people will bring some drink with them and i make it clear that "some" beer will be supplied ( I always take my own spirits if going to a party (cheaper brand only) and also ice cubes dont go amiss, if asked by younger guests or somebody not in good financial situation i usually say to bring soft drinks and ice cubes and some bread rolls as they are the staples, that makes the guest feel good and doesnt drain them.

One tip i have found is that i never cook all one thing at the same time ie all sausages, all kebabs etc, i mix them so that the food keeps flowing and doesnt get boring. I find that not everyone likes the bread side of bbq's especially dieters, so jacket potatoes cooked in oven wrapped in foil keep getting put onto the warming rack of bbq and salads on tables.

:beer:

I love reading the tips they're normally tried and tested.

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hellokitty08 · 4 June 2009 at 1:06PM

I agree, as the host have plenty of bread, sauces, etc, but I have even done away with the salad as I find it never really gets eaten, just go for the meat (or vegi burger). Never had any problems with people bringing their own. I know some people who think its odd, but i dont mind, either they bring their own and we have a party, or they dont and stay at home! hehehehe

troubrs · 4 June 2009 at 1:34PM

If you're into Pimms & Lemonade, try Aldi's Austin's summer drink, I just can't tell the difference, yet it's a fraction of the price of the real thing.

I always make my own burgers using breadcrumbs from leftover bread I blitz then freeze.

z4harry · 4 June 2009 at 2:17PM

I topped up my freezer in lieu of the BBQ season a few weeks ago at Lidl.

They have loads of meat packs starting at £1.50. I've never shopped there before but saw the advert outside and thought I'd give it a try. I went back and filled the freezer (especially as the store were giving away £10 off a £50 spend vouchers)

Don't ever buy flavoured meat. A marinade sauce takes just a few minutes to apply, put back into the fridge for a hour before grilling. Much cheaper.

My children love putting the kebabs together (just watch they wash their hands before and after).

An absolute sensation at a childrens BBQ I had recently was fruit kebabs (no cooking necessary). Just skewer lots of different fruits on a stick, give to kids, watch disappear. Simple!

We also did loads of non-alcholic cocktails. Tesco do a superb range of fruit juices in addition to the usual Orange apple and Pineapple you can also get Peach, Coconut and Pineapple and Pear, etc. Just consult any cocktail book and adapt recipes. Paper umbrellas and fancy straws are available at most discount stores (B&M, Instore Etc)

The golden rule to any BBQ is:

NEVER GO EMPTY HANDED

StAPaul · 5 June 2009 at 12:11PM

How about challenging guests to make burgers or use their secret marinade on some chicken and bring it along to take part in a cook off. Keep it fun, and it should increase the quality of the food that everyone is bringing?

It is very commonplace in North America. 'Pot luck parties' - everyone brings a dish that they have prepared. I agree that it is fine to ask people to contribute, and not just to BBQs. New Years, Christmas, Halloween. Anytime there are a lot of people who want food with their drink.

Nusso1435 · 10 June 2009 at 4:39PM

I have recently come back to live at home in the UK from Australia. Over in Australia it is quite the norm to ask guests to bring their own meat and booze, and the host supplies the sundries i.e: plates, cutlery, salads, rolls, sauces and a dessert!
:j

jools0001 · 10 June 2009 at 10:26PM

A few years back when I was out of work I catered a party at my place for about £10 with frozen potato wedges, home-made dip, and some cheap salad. Cooking potato wedges in the oven might not be so appealing for summer, but the dip usually goes down pretty well at barbecues and picnics.

I got this recipe reading a magazine over a friend's shoulder - I didn't even pay for the magazine so how's that for cheap! It's so easy I managed to remember it from just that one reading, so you'll never need to write a shopping list for this one, and it's as good as anything in the shops...

Ingredients:

1 'normal' size tub of Philadelphia-style soft cheese. (I find the full fat one a bit stiff to work with, so I usually go for the 'lighter' version. All the supermarket brands taste the same to me.)

A few tablespoons of mayonnaise. (I think the cheap stuff works best because it usually tastes a bit stronger.)

1 small tub of sour cream - and if you can't get that, don't worry too much, just use more mayo.

Whatever you want for flavour - I usually start with 2-3 spring onions and take it from there with whatever's in the cupboard depending on what variety of dip I'm aiming for (herbs and garlic, curry powder, honey and mustard, leftover mexican seasoning from fajita night with a little tomato puree... whatever).

Method:

Mash the cheese with a fork, and blend in the other ingredients.

Umm... that's it. If you make it ahead, bear in mind it will get thicker after a while in the fridge, so make it a bit thinner than you need. If you make it the night before, it will get stronger so go easy on the garlic!

Actually that's not *quite* the end of the method, but the next bit takes longer and is more difficult to plan. What you do is teach the recipe to a few friends, and they come up with their own variations which they tell you next time you're at theirs. Then, years down the line, you throw a party and you find that every time the dip runs out it gets magically replaced by a new batch someone just knocked together in your kitchen while you were out of the room - cool!

I have a friend who always makes this at five minutes notice, so never uses sour cream always just mayo. She adds grated mature cheddar, garlic and onion, and it's great. Another friend did a variation with loads of basil that goes really well with carrot sticks. My favourite is dill and lemon which goes great with some smoked salmon and a baked potato.

I think I remember from the magazine where I saw it that you can even do a sweet version: instead of mayo use single cream, and add a little caster sugar and some vanilla for the base, and take it from there. (Am I right in thinking that's more or less just a runny cheesecake mix? Anyway I've never tried that one, so if you do, let me know!)

Oh, and it has about a million calories per serving so don't even try to count.

Enjoy! :rolleyes:

adelabusybee · 11 June 2009 at 1:30AM

When we have a family getother everyone brings a savoury and a sweet this way the Kids can join in by making fairy cakes. We supply the drinks ETC. If it's someones Birthday My Daughter makes a Special Surprise Cake. We all have lots of fun and the Kids love doing their Bit too.

Great 'Summer Party' Hunt. Tips & hints on cheap booze, food & garden gear

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