Make-Ahead and Freeze Buffet Ideas

lauracusack

It's only 10 1/2 weeks until my wedding. :eek: I'm doing all the food myself, which is looking like it mean a cold buffet. It's going to be entirely vegetarian, so I need ideas that the 'oldies' will still enjoy lol. I need ideas for things I can start making now (recipes would be great) and shove in the freezer. Advice on whether or not to cook before freezing and the best way to thaw foods would be appreciated, as I rarely use the freezer!

VfM4meplse

Good luck with your nuptials, I think you're right that with a bit of planning it will take a lot of the stress out of the day....just make sure you delegate the task to someone reliable on the day. There are loads of threads on catering for functions here, I'm sure Pink will be along soon to highlight them.

I would personally capitalise of the fact that it is Christmas, find a load of reduced party stuff and freeze, a la Gavin & Stacey (Nessa's wedding). I wouldn't touch that kind of food myself, but other people seem to like it. Don't forget the salad .

10.5 weeks - is it a Valentines wedding?

lauracusack

VfM4meplse wrote: »

Good luck with your nuptials, I think you're right that with a bit of planning it will take a lot of the stress out of the day....just make sure you delegate the task to someone reliable on the day. There are loads of threads on catering for functions here, I'm sure Pink will be along soon to highlight them.

I would personally capitalise of the fact that it is Christmas, find a load of reduced party stuff and freeze, a la Gavin & Stacey (Nessa's wedding). I wouldn't touch that kind of food myself, but other people seem to like it. Don't forget the salad .

10.5 weeks - is it a Valentines wedding?

No it's the 6th. We got engaged Valentine's this year and wanted to have it a year later, but there is a serious premium for that date! lol

I'm not sure about the typical 'party food' stuff. I've never served anything to my family that wasn't made from scratch

Pink.

Hi laura,

I listed these links in your previous thread, were they of any help?

Wedding buffet make-ahead dishes ideas please

Ideas for really cheap easy Buffet food please!!

Buffet Ideas

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

Need ms ideas for buffet for 50

buffet ideas for 100+ on a budget?

budget buffet help!!

help ideas for party food

party food for 80+ help!

Ideas for really cheap easy Buffet food please!!

Buffet Ideas

How to work out quantities for a buffet?

Need Vegetarian Buffet/Party Food

If you have a good read through them you'll find lots of advice and vegetarian recipes. I'll add this thread to your existing one later to keep the advice in one place.

Good luck with it, I still think you are very brave to be doing it yourself.

Pink

lauracusack

Pink-winged wrote: »

Hi laura,

I listed these links in your previous thread, were they of any help?

Wedding buffet make-ahead dishes ideas please

Ideas for really cheap easy Buffet food please!!

Buffet Ideas

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

Need ms ideas for buffet for 50

buffet ideas for 100+ on a budget?

budget buffet help!!

help ideas for party food

party food for 80+ help!

Ideas for really cheap easy Buffet food please!!

Buffet Ideas

How to work out quantities for a buffet?

Need Vegetarian Buffet/Party Food

If you have a good read through them you'll find lots of advice and vegetarian recipes. I'll add this thread to your existing one later to keep the advice in one place.

Good luck with it, I still think you are very brave to be doing it yourself.

Pink

Thanks again Pink my main problem with this is I don't know what I can freeze and how.
And either brave or stupid! :rotfl:

Pink.

lauracusack wrote: »

Thanks again Pink my main problem with this is I don't know what I can freeze and how.
And either brave or stupid! :rotfl:

Most things can be frozen. In my experience salads and mayonaise based dishes don't freeze well. There is more advice on this thread:

What foods can/can't you freeze?

Why don't you take another look through those threads, make a plan of your menu, then post into this thread and we can all give you advice on freezing and defrosting what you are planning to cook?

Pink

lauracusack

Ok, so here are my ideas so far:
Home-made Breads
Crudites
Cheeses
Crackers
Olives
Hummus
Baba Ganoush
Red Pepper and Olive Tepenade
Bulgur Wheat Salad
Dhal
Masala Dosa
Rosemary and Goat's Cheese Drop Scones
Falafel
Pizzas

If anyone knows which I could make now and how to freeze that would be much appreciated.

I'm also a bit stumped as to what to put on the menu for folks like my extremely old fashioned grandparents, who won't touch foreign food and have probably never eaten a vegetarian meal. I do not want to put meat on the menu.

117pauline

Hi

It might not be quite what you want to do but.......... have you asked them what sort of food they might like? If you don't want to ask them, how about your parents to get some ideas?

Perhaps you could also think along the lines of old fashioned afternoon tea - egg mayo sarnies, cheese and onion pasties, quiche etc

HTH - have a fantastic day
Pauline

VfM4meplse

lauracusack wrote: »

I do not want to put meat on the menu.

:T

I applaud your sentiment but would avoid masala dosa and falafel unless you can persuade someone to make these hot and fresh (the masala filling can be frozen though). I would suggest frying big golf-ball sized falafel and serving in round - not oval - pitta breads with plenty of salad and tahini. You of course would not be the one in charge of the frying pan on the day.

Am I mad thinking about food at this time of the night ?

lauracusack

VfM4meplse wrote: »

:T

I applaud your sentiment but would avoid masala dosa and falafel unless you can persuade someone to make these hot and fresh (the masala filling can be frozen though). I would suggest frying big golf-ball sized falafel and serving in round - not oval - pitta breads with plenty of salad and tahini. You of course would not be the one in charge of the frying pan on the day.

Am I mad thinking about food at this time of the night ?

Any time is a good time to think about food

I don't think we'll be able to serve anything hot on the day as there's no kitchen at the venue. Do you think I should leave out the dosa and falafel? I've used my usual masala in pasties as before, so maybe that would be ok cold? I really have no idea - I'm not exactly a fan of cold food and at most buffets I get stuck with salad and crisps.

lauracusack

117pauline wrote: »

Hi

It might not be quite what you want to do but.......... have you asked them what sort of food they might like? If you don't want to ask them, how about your parents to get some ideas?

Perhaps you could also think along the lines of old fashioned afternoon tea - egg mayo sarnies, cheese and onion pasties, quiche etc

HTH - have a fantastic day
Pauline

I was sort of keeping the fact that it was all veggie a secret so that everyone would just enjoy what's there and not be thinking "there's not going to be any meat!?", so its hard to ask them. I like the quiche, etc ideas. Do you know how to freeze quiche?