Budget BBQ menu help needed....again!

[we3travellers]

Well, it has been almost exactly one year since I asked for your help and I need it once again! I manage my DS's rep lacrosse team and have to give a blow out party! It is held at our coaches home (nice big backyard) and will have about 46 people, half kids, half adults. Last year I used several of your suggestions including cooler corn, pulled pork and baked beans. It was a hit! We added BBQ hot dogs and hamburgers (paid by a sponsor) and a few salads. I made cake, cupcakes, and 2 trays of apple crumble. My budget was very limited.

This year I have more! I can spend about $200 (I think last year was $100) but am looking for something a little different. My Greek husband is saying "Go Greek!", which is a possibility. Others will bring sides, although I do not want to ask for it and would like to have a fairly complete menu. Drinks are taken care of by another sponsor and I am not sure if the same sponsor will offer up burgers and dogs again. FYI kids on the team are 7 and 8 and most have very young siblings. We're not talking teens here! Any ideas? TIA

 

[ajwolfe]

Does anyone in the group have a smoker? Thinking you could smoke a couple pork loins or a turkey - we do that a lot when we are having big group and both can go a long way.

Anyone fish? Perhaps a fish fry and if someone catches the fish it would be super cheap.

Does it have to be BBQ? Maybe you could go with pasta dishes or meatball subs (thinking cheap and filling here).

Or go with a carnival type theme: Nachos and the fixin's, chili cheese dogs/corn dogs, etc.

 

[we3travellers]

Thank you for those ideas! It does not have to be a BBQ, and I actually like to keep with somewhat of a theme. I was thinking about meatball subs as I can make a huge pot of sauce for about $2 and add a big box of frozen meatballs for about $10. Then keep a bit of an Italian theme of BBQ sausage, pasta, Caesar salad, antipasti platter etc. Now I'm excited! Have to go put numbers down on paper for this!

 

[usnuzuloose]

If you can look at your supermarket under clearance for any meats. I usually find excellent deals right after the holidays. You could start now and stock up the meat for a decent price.