Need help catering for a party

skintchick

It is my DD's third birthday in a couple of weeks. Previous years we've just had cake and drinks, but this year for various reasons the party is being held over lunchtime, which means I need to cater.

We are having it at home (please let it be dry!) and I'd rather do food prep the day before and just maybe heat a few things up on the day.

So far I know there will be 11 children, 8 babies and 33 adults and if everyone comes there could be 22 children, 13 babies and 50 adults. :eek:

I have NEVER catered for more than six adults and a few children before so I have no idea how much food I will need.

The party is 11-2. I was thinking along the lines of sandwiches, falafel, veggie sticks with dips, bread sticks, pizzas, chicken goujons, that kind of thing.

I can make potato salad but I have no idea how to make things like rice salad or couscous, so any recipe ideas would be great.

But mostly I'm concerned about how much food to allow. I know that toddlers notoriously don't eat much at parties but I imagine they will be hungry by 12.30 as even if they had a snack just before coming they will have been running around for 90 minutes by the time.

And how much will adults eat? It will be their lunch, so I'm assuming quite a lot? I'm not planning on cutting the cake till after lunch, mainly to make sure the children do actually eat something savoury.

If anyone can help with food ideas and quantities, especially with links to recipes for stuff I can prepare in advance, that would be great.

Thanks in advance.

PS - there is a loose mermaid theme as DD is obsessed with Ariel, if anyone has any mermaidy/sea ideas!

meritaten

first of all - is it buffet or sit down lunch? kids eat first?

skintchick

It's a buffet, everyone eat together. There's no room for them all to sit down at tables! We will be in the garden, under gazebos if it's raining. People can sit on the garden chairs or the lawn, of course.

meritaten

ok - a few thoughts
a buffet is much easier to do. just lay it all out and let people help themselves. Sit down means a lot more work.
you have some great ideas - just a few more to pad it out and you are set hun! esp for a buffet!
I would do some veg samosas, spring rolls etc (a couple of packs of those indian/chinese party snacks will take care of that).
yes, do some potato salad, rice salad and bean salad. its mostly the adults who will eat that - few children will.
you need some sweet things too. a fruit platter is one of my favourite things to do and this time of year you can do a nice one quite cheaply and kids absolutely love strawberries and grapes. scatter some other fruits like raspberries and blueberries and it would be appealing to them.
kids quite like cheesecake too so a couple of diff cheesecakes?
dont bother with cake - the birthday cake is the star so dont give it competition.
I find that filling in gaps with small bowls of salted nuts, little biscuits or crackers help if you have a huge table to fill!
as to quantities - the more people you have and the more different things - the less you need of each food.
allow at least two per person of the foods which you think will be most popular and one portion of everything else. sounds mean? not when you realise that faced with a large selection not everyone will have one of everything and some people will just pick at the nibbles.
make sure that there are vegetarian options and you will have catered for everyone.

adelight

I would cook stuff that you can freeze or will eat over the next few days if leftover so most things you're suggesting will be ideal. Having a freezer draw full of falafel, samosas, pizza slices etc ready for lunches can't be a bad thing, can it? Now I really fancy eating something along those lines- delicious
You can fit 4-5 pizzas in an oven at once and cook them the day before. I would be tempted to get some value frozen mini sausage rolls and mini sausages for back up if lots turn up and food is going fast. And keep a few bags of cous cous handy, it takes five minutes to cook it and add herbs and chick peas to make a quick salad. If you don't need it, don't cook it, it will keep for ages.

Archiebear

You could try adding a 'hot food' option - a big pan of chicken curry or chilli usually fills the adults up. Keep it warm in slow cooker if you have one
I've done this loads of times, it's very economical and it always goes down a treat!

skintchick

GReat ideas! Thanks.

Meriaten, thanks for those quantity ideas, that really helps. And your comments about veggies (only one but she is currently eating meat apparently) reminded me I have some coeliacs coming - anyone got any good gluten-free ideas? I know I can get special bread for sandwiches but anything else.

I love samosas so would happily havee loads of those, they are a great idea.

skintchick

Archiebear wrote: »

You could try adding a 'hot food' option - a big pan of chicken curry or chilli usually fills the adults up. Keep it warm in slow cooker if you have one
I've done this loads of times, it's very economical and it always goes down a treat!

Very good idea! I make a mean chilli, and do have a slow cooker. I like the idea of chilli, maybe some garlic bread as well...

daisy_darling

Rice salad;

Use wholegrain brown rice, cooked and cooled.

,Add chopped red onion, finely sliced celery, chopped dessert apple, soaked mixed fruit like sultana/apricot/raisin, toasted pine nuts.

Salad dressing; small jar of hellmans mayo, half a teaspoon each of ground white pepper, sugar, salt. A splash of good quality wine vinegar and one crushed clove of garlic. Shake well, taste, adjust seasoning to taste. Mix everything together, cover and leave to develop.

Bean salad. Use three tins good quality mixed beans. Add chopped red onion, chopped celery, a big bunch of chopped parsley.
Salad dressing; Use a good quality oil and red wine vinegar with salt and pepper to taste and with a heaped tablespoon of sugar [ sounds a lot, i know, but it lights up the beans ! ] Shake well and dress the salad, if poss leave to marinade for several hours.

meritaten

my favourite rice salad is very easy just cooked rice to which you add those tinned mandarin oranges (in juice if poss - if not the ones in syrup are acceptable drained and rinsed) just keep some back to decorate the top - my kids loved it.

another one the kids liked was rice with green beans (the french ones, cut into half inch peices and cooked al dente) with peas and sweetcorn. Seasoned with a little salt and ground black pepper.

jumblejack

skintchick wrote: »

Very good idea! I make a mean chilli, and do have a slow cooker. I like the idea of chilli, maybe some garlic bread as well...

When I have kids n parents over, I usually do a pizza feast for the kids (home made of course) with garlic bread and salad.

Grown ups help themselves to my spot the mince chilli (padded out with loads of grated carrots, lentils and value kidney beans!) and rice.

I think keep it simple is usually the best option.

Icecream with help yourself toppings in bowls (think m&m, smarties, etc) is a good un too. Keeps a pizza hut kinda theme