Need help urgently please guys

the_cat

Sorry for your loss.

I agree with all of the above. However as you will I assume be going to the ceremony it will be an awful rush for you to prepare everything around this.

What my mum's friend did in this situation was to organise a couple of good friends of her own who weren't going to the ceremony to get everything out and organised while the family were at the ceremony and to help with the tea making/clearing up in the background once everyone arrived. This means that the family (including you!) could see and chat to everyone and not add too much stress from entertaining to what will obviously be a difficult day for you all. If at all possible I would try to do something like that

SmileyS_2

Sorry to hear about your loss :-(

I would get a couple of large slow cookers and do a big curry and/or chilli and/or corned beef hash or stick a couple of large hot pots in the oven and serve with red cabbage!

anguk

the_cat wrote: »

Sorry for your loss.

I agree with all of the above. However as you will I assume be going to the ceremony it will be an awful rush for you to prepare everything around this.

What my mum's friend did in this situation was to organise a couple of good friends of her own who weren't going to the ceremony to get everything out and organised while the family were at the ceremony and to help with the tea making/clearing up in the background once everyone arrived. This means that the family (including you!) could see and chat to everyone and not add too much stress from entertaining to what will obviously be a difficult day for you all. If at all possible I would try to do something like that

This is what we did when my MIL died. I had a buffet all prepared the day before apart from sandwiches then when we were at the actual funeral a good friend of ours made the sandwiches and set the table. When we all got back she made the tea (lots of it) and made sure everything ran smoothly then helped to tidy up when everyone had gone home. Her help made it so much easier as it was a difficult day without adding the extra stress of entertaining.

chunky79

First of all big hugs for your loss hun, in all honesty i don't envy you its hard blooming work. I did it myself and to be honest i don't think i will again. Someone advised you to delegate. Definately do. I didn't, being the martyr that i was/am and its was sheer graft. I was up from 5am preparing and cooking it was an all day job and at 10pm my ankles like balloons i fell asleep on the sofa and could not be woken...


the buffet i did was for budgeted for around 150. The items i bought were.

100 Sausage rolls, cut in half
50 Pork pies cut into 3
10 packets of Mini scotch eggs
3 Large joints of gammon, cooked them and sliced.
Chicken drumsticks about 100 ish

I also made a fresh homemade tomato soup and used slow cookers, which i borrowed, to keep the soup warm during the wake..... with the soup i provided over 100 crusty rolls again it all went. (i used soup as it was this time of year and quite cold i thought it would be a good way to warm people through) it went down a storm.....

For the sandwiches I made

Tuna mayonaise
Cheese and tomato
Cheese and onion
Roast beef and onion
Egg Mayonaise
Salmon and cucumber

I plated up the gammon with the bread at the side for them to make there own sandwiches.

Dips and breadsticks

4 large gateaux's and 3 cheesecakes.

a platter of prawns and crabsticks.

3 large quiches, cheese and onion, mediterranean and cheese and bacon.

a selection of indian food, onion bhajis, satays etc....

I also made jackets potatoes as they only needed to be warmed through, again this was a choice made due to the fact that alot of the people had travelled a very long way and it was an all day job.

For the fillings i did grated cheese, beans, a homemade chilli, and a homemade bolognese.

I didn't actuall do enough of of these and if i really had to do this kind of buffet again i would sway more towards the soup and jacket potato side of things and make much more, it would be much easier and alot less messing. Everything is also prepared well in advance. It would probably work out alot more cost effective.

I did go to a funeral a month back and they served up pie and peas....so there another idea again that could be quite cost effective too.

gilly1964

Thank you all for the suggestions. I now have loads to think about and we reckon about 20 people at the house.

Sandwiches, quiche, chicken, some bagged salad leaves and cherry toms.
Plenty of teabags, coffee, milk, sugar
Soft drinks
Throw away plates and serviettes
And possibly a big spag bol for the family much later on

Thanks again
Gilly