Working out how much filling per sandwich?

MandM90

Hi lovely OSers,

In need of a bit of help. My mum's 60th is this Saturday and I agreed to do the buffet. Party starts at around 8pm, so I assume most people will have eaten by then, and she expects around 90 to attend.


She's not after anything fancy and has given me this list to work with as a starting point (but is happy for me to deviate).


150 rolls with say 10 fillings = 15 x each filling:
- cheese (maybe 15 with pickle, 15 plain)
- chicken (maybe 15 chicken salad, 15 coronation chicken
- tuna (maybe 15 tuna and sweetcorn, 15 tuna salad)
- humous (maybe 15 humous and roasted veg, 15 humous and red pepper)
- egg (maybe 15 egg/mayo, 15 egg and tomato)

8 x budget priced packs of dips (4 x cheese variety + 4 x TexMex)
12 large packs tortilla chips

9 large packs crisps - 3 x plain, 3 x cheese and onion, 3 x salt and vinegar

200 x cocktail sausages

200 x mini sausage rolls

200 x mini cheese and onion rolls

10 x budget quiches (5 x two varieties, e.g. cheese/onion, quiche lorraine) cut into 8 sections

50 x mini pork pies (cut in half)

100 x mini savoury eggs

4 large packs of cherry tomatoes


I must admit I've been mad busy at work and haven't looked at it yet and now need to order the food, but I have no idea how to calculate how much cheese/tuna/chicken etc. Neither myself not my mum eats dairy/meat so anything leftover would have to be given away and so I'd rather keep waste to a minimum.

Any advice as to how I can work out how much filling for each sandwich, or any suggestions to replace any of the above with to make it a bit more exciting. I know 90% of it is stuff I wouldn't touch but I'm probably in the minority?

There's no oven in the venue unfortunately, and everything will be made that morning.

TIA!

suki1964

How many people are actually coming ? And what time of day?

MandM90

suki1964 wrote: »

How many people are actually coming ? And what time of day?

Evening. Think it starts at 8pm. About 90 or so have RSVPed Yes so she was figuring on catering for 75.

Seems like a lot of food for 75, to me, but I know some people eat a lot when they start drinking so I suppose she wants to be safe! She's not providing booze but it's at a members club so alcohol is cheap for the area and our family do like a drink.

missbiggles1

Are you sure most people will have eaten before the party starts? Given that it starts at 8 and there's food provided, I'd think most of them won't, or at least not more than a light snack.

MandM90

missbiggles1 wrote: »

Are you sure most people will have eaten before the party starts? Given that it starts at 8 and there's food provided, I'd think most of them won't, or at least not more than a light snack.

They don't know that it's "catered" as far as I know, these are just meant to be nibbles. I'm hoping that two rolls, a slice of quiche, 2.2 cocktail sausages, 2.2 mini sausage rolls, 2.2 cheese and onion rolls, handful of crisps, half a pork pie, a mini savory egg, cherry tomatoes, a few carrot sticks and celery sticks (I've added these to the basket) and a slice of birthday cake should be enough. Seems like a lot to me :eek:

Quite happy to add more though, if it will be eaten? I just don't know how to work it out and I'd feel guilty binning a load of fresh food.

Nomoonatall

MandM90, Okay the party is for your Mother...but it looks like she'll only be having a hummus roll and some crisps.

Would adding baked spuds (wrapped in foil) be any good....or pizza bites...everyone eats cold pizza, no matter what they say! Maybe some salad, to make the rolls go further. Fruit?

I'm probably being no help. Sorry! x

missbiggles1

MandM90 wrote: »

They don't know that it's "catered" as far as I know, these are just meant to be nibbles. I'm hoping that two rolls, a slice of quiche, 2.2 cocktail sausages, 2.2 mini sausage rolls, 2.2 cheese and onion rolls, handful of crisps, half a pork pie, a mini savory egg, cherry tomatoes, a few carrot sticks and celery sticks (I've added these to the basket) and a slice of birthday cake should be enough. Seems like a lot to me :eek:

Quite happy to add more though, if it will be eaten? I just don't know how to work it out and I'd feel guilty binning a load of fresh food.

Didn't it say on the invitations?

Anyway, that sounds enough to feed most people, even if they haven't eaten beforehand so I wouldn't worry.

Nomoonatall

MandM90 wrote: »

They don't know that it's "catered" as far as I know, these are just meant to be nibbles. I'm hoping that two rolls, a slice of quiche, 2.2 cocktail sausages, 2.2 mini sausage rolls, 2.2 cheese and onion rolls, handful of crisps, half a pork pie, a mini savory egg, cherry tomatoes, a few carrot sticks and celery sticks (I've added these to the basket) and a slice of birthday cake should be enough. Seems like a lot to me :eek:

Quite happy to add more though, if it will be eaten? I just don't know how to work it out and I'd feel guilty binning a load of fresh food.

Ignore my not helpful post...you didn't mention cake previously...or maybe you did.

I'd just get loads of cakes in, forget the rest of the stuff!

Pollycat

I thought it sounded quite a lot of food.
We crazily over-catered for my sister's wedding (evening do) but that was almost 20 years ago & I can't remember what we did but I might have a record somewhere, I'll have a look tomorrow.
I'm not sure hummus sandwiches sound good, might just be me though, I love it as a dip.

Are you doing open rolls or 'proper' sandwiches?

Are you cooking the sausage/veg rolls & cocktail sausages or buying them ready done?
If the latter, don't underestimate the amount of cooking you've taken on.

Are you sticking to a finger buffet?
If not, bowls of pasta is a good idea.

suki1964

My experience is that mostly people don't eat a pile of buffet food at a drinks do.

It's also my experience, people tend not to go up and load a plate, but hover and pop bite sized food in their mouths

It's also my experience that it's the sandwiches that always get left. 1, because two many are made, and 2, they dry out quickly and people tend to pick through them

And believe me I've catered a hell of a lot of buffets for pubs


So sandwiches. I would scrap the cheese. It's dry and will dry further.

Chicken ones, roast two chickens, chop it up tiny and make your mixes and use until gone

Same with the the tuna, buy perhaps 8 tins, use 6 to start , see how you go. You can give a wee pulse in a food processor to make it smoother before adding sweet corn and mayo. Goes further and helps keep the sandwich together

Eggs are great, egg mayo, curry mayo, cheese and egg mayo. I'd start with two dozen

Say maybe 3 tubs of hoummous


Cheese spread and cucumber is also nice

I know you have said rolls and I'm saying sandwiches. Two reasons. Two slices of bread makes four triangles, most cater for 3 triangles per person 7 loaves will make around 280 triangles, plenty for 75 people If I was to do rolls, I'd be using those tiny little dinner rolls you get from marks, expensive but once again , pop in the mouth size

If there's toddlers and younger kids going, they will demolish the sausages and crisps

Nomoonatall

I agree with Suki...sarnies. Cheaper and easier. Although I'd keep cheese in! It'll be fine with pickle or lettuce or something! Maybe a mix of brown and white bread for the sarnies, always makes the platter look lovely!