Suggestions for money saving o/s buffet for 10 please?

downshifter

I've been unexpectedly thrown into having to provide a lunch buffet for 10 (Incl children) this weekend. I'm on a serious economy-drive this month, just trying to recoup a bit, and had even budgeted down to the petrol money to go to town (nearest is 8 miles away) However I'm going to have to make that trip now and my overdraft will be off the scoreboard.

My mind is completely blank about what to provide and I left all my cookbooks with my husband when we split. Could I have some ideas please? Of course the other thing is that I don't have masses of time as I have a lot on at work and have to clean the house from top to bottom, as you do. But I'm prepared to stay up all night if need be to do some good food. I don't even know whether to do salady things or maybe a couple of big pots of stuff to have with rice as although the weather forecast is warm, this is a very cold area, freezing today with a strong wind, so chilli might be best.

Help please, I have no ideas at all!

Thanks

redruby

Why not go for a big pot of chilli, with a veggie option if you need to, with jacket spuds, very easy to prep and quite cheap. If the children dont like chilli, you could do a 'cowboys' stew, (beans and sausages ).


Ice cream for pud, the children could have theirs in a cornet, with a few sweets to decotate it, and for the adults you could make it a bit more fancy with some meringue's crushed, and some crushed raspberries (from a tin, cheaper )

hth

allydowd

A big pot of boiled rice with peas, onion and sweetcorn in.
A small saucepan of curry.
A small saucepan of chilli.
A small sacepan of chinese chicken.
Poppadoms.

or

A big saucepan of casserole/stew with lots of potatoes in.
Crusty bread and butter.
Home-made crutons.

Pink.

Hi downshifter,

For that number of people I'd do a bolognese base sauce (quick, easy and cheap). Don't forget you can pad the mince out with lentils etc to make it go further. Use the some of the sauce to make a lasagne then add some chilli and kidney beans to the remainder of the sauce to make a chilli. That way you'll cater for people who like spicy food as well as those who don't. Serve with rice and/or baked potatoes, a green salad and homemade garlic bread.

These earlier threads might give you some more ideas:

Buffet style party for 15 people on a budget!

Cold pasta dishes for a buffet - ideas please!

Finger food/buffet help please HELP : )

budget buffet help!!

help ideas for party food

Ideas for really cheap easy Buffet food please!!

Buffet Ideas

Help ! Planning small buffet birthday party for 17, NEVER done anything like this ? !


Pink

downshifter

Lots of excellent ideas there, thanks. My mind is no longer empty even if my purse is.

DS

homeaway

I would just make a pasta salad which is really cheap to do. I cook pasta and drain it ,mix tuna with mayonaise and add to pasta and then add a can of sweetcorn. You could make a quiche the day before, and maybe a green salad, and some little sausages. You could also do some bread and cheese. For pudding Aldi here do small icecreams either lolipop sticks or mini cornets that are ideal for the kids. Remember the more people there are the less they seem to eat.