Feeding 35 at a BBQ for $100

[we3travellers]

Looking for some budget ideas from the DIS! I am arranging the team party for my son's lacrosse team (I am the manager) and we only have $105 left in our budget. Coach has a great backyard and endless gas for the BBQ. I want to make it a little more than hot dogs and hamburgers. All drinks are taken care of (sponsor) so I only need food. I am a pastry chef so desserts and a cake are no problem and I certainly don't mind paying that OOP if I go over. 13 kids 7-8 years old on the team, but some siblings will come. I am guessing on the number, but 35 total should be pretty close. People have offered to bring stuff, but I'd like it to be no work for the guests. We have already done a "bring your own BBQ" party at his house, so this should be a little more special. There will be a couple of presentations (I bought medals out of the budget previously) and I am working on getting some items for a draw, hopefully comp. Coaches gifts already paid for. Ideas?

 

[eeyoreandtink]

If you go bare bones, store brand everything you might be able to do hamburgers, hot dogs, and condiments for 35 for $100. I don't know if you can stretch it much further.

 

[we3travellers]

One of my own ideas was to do a pulled pork. A 5lb pork roast will do 20 sandwiches and cost about $10 plus buns. I can make it the day before, put it in a large foil pan and set it on the BBQ to heat. Kids of course will eat hot dogs. Another mother suggested the same idea with meatballs. Make a ton in sauce, put it in a foil pan, heat on the BBQ, serve on sub rolls. 5 lbs of beef about $12, my homemade sauce $2. I don't mind doing the work, it's just what can I do with the budget.

 

[olwyngdh]

With kids that age, hamburgers hot dogs are probably your best bet!! If you have a local meat store, see if they will give you a discount because you are a not-for-profit.

Hit your local Sam's Club, BJs, Cosco, whatever you have for stuff for a fruit salad and a veggie tray. Check the prices at a farmers market too--sometimes you can do better there, but they are often more expensive. Pick up generic ranch dressing for veggie dip and generic cool whip for the fruit, or make your own whipped cream--better, tastier, and possibly cheaper than cool whip.

Potato Salad doesn't have to be expensive to make, and will go further than chips.

Homemade baked beans are cheaper than canned, especially if you start with dried beans.

If he has a fire pit as well as the BBQ, let the kids cook their own hotdogs and have s'mores for dessert.

 

[DisneyEater]

If your local grocer sells just chicken legs, they are usually pretty cheap. Just season with salt and pepper and then baste with some good bbq sauce the last 5 minutes or so of grilling.

 

[Judique]

One of my own ideas was to do a pulled pork. A 5lb pork roast will do 20 sandwiches and cost about $10 plus buns. I can make it the day before, put it in a large foil pan and set it on the BBQ to heat. Kids of course will eat hot dogs. Another mother suggested the same idea with meatballs. Make a ton in sauce, put it in a foil pan, heat on the BBQ, serve on sub rolls. 5 lbs of beef about $12, my homemade sauce $2. I don't mind doing the work, it's just what can I do with the budget.

I think you've answered your own questions! Sounds like you are doing well with your bare bones budget. And if people are offering to bring stuff, let them. Sometimes people want to pitch in and be appreciated.

Thanks to you for all the work you are doing for the kids.

 

[Malibustyle23]

Personally as a parent I would rather the club take the help offered than try to make it by on bare bones. Do you already have paper plates, utensils, cups, napkins, condiments and ice covered? That can eat a chunk out of your budget right there. Supply what you can with your budget but welcome others to bring a dish if they choose to. Watermelon, cantaloupe, corn on the cob, baked beans, chips, etc are all very cheap this season but it adds up very quickly. Personally I would prefer to have a large variety of choices supplied by everyone than to have the head person stress over getting enough and then to pay oop for anything. Take the help where offered!

 

[plummer925]

Talk to your local grocery stores - they may give free hotdogs and rolls and paper products. The ones around here do for non profits!

McDonalds rents those large drink coolers really cheap and provide their Hi-C orange drink for them.

 

[scrapshappen]

One of my own ideas was to do a pulled pork. A 5lb pork roast will do 20 sandwiches and cost about $10 plus buns. I can make it the day before, put it in a large foil pan and set it on the BBQ to heat. Kids of course will eat hot dogs. Another mother suggested the same idea with meatballs. Make a ton in sauce, put it in a foil pan, heat on the BBQ, serve on sub rolls. 5 lbs of beef about $12, my homemade sauce $2. I don't mind doing the work, it's just what can I do with the budget.

I was going to suggest the same thing with the Pulled Pork sandwiches. It's really the cheapest way to feed a crowd. To make it go further, get small rolls to serve it on. Some people will eat more than one, but some will be satisfied with a small sandwich. Costco rolls are perfect for sliders.

 

[mom2alix]

Agree with everyone on the pulled pork. For a side, corn on the cob is cheap right now. Here a link for instruction on how to cook it in a cooler to make a bunch for a crowd. I know corn is always a hit with my kids.

http://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitc...-corn-on-the-cob-for-a-crowd-it-s-cooler-corn

Baked beans would be another economical side dish that can feed a crowd. My other cheap go-to is macaroni salad. I make it with pickles, red onion, and hard-boiled eggs. Easy and cheap.

 

[stsomewhere]

Personally as a parent I would rather the club take the help offered than try to make it by on bare bones. Do you already have paper plates, utensils, cups, napkins, condiments and ice covered? That can eat a chunk out of your budget right there. Supply what you can with your budget but welcome others to bring a dish if they choose to. Watermelon, cantaloupe, corn on the cob, baked beans, chips, etc are all very cheap this season but it adds up very quickly. Personally I would prefer to have a large variety of choices supplied by everyone than to have the head person stress over getting enough and then to pay oop for anything. Take the help where offered!

This!

My daughter's team supply the meat. All parents bring a dish or twio.

 

[njmom47]

I agree with these:

1. Pulled pork goes a long way.
2. Let parents bring stuff (even if it's just drinks, dessert, rolls).
3. Ask you local supermarket if they can donate (ours does).

 

[Julia M]

I am confident you can keep your budget at $100 with pulled pork, beans, potato salad, chips and watermelon.

Do you have a Costco nearby? Their rolls are small and run about $3.99 a bag for 36 rolls. A watermelon around here runs about $3.99.

I buy a large can of ranch beans at Smart and Final which totally fills my crock pot, with some extra. (My crock pot isn't huge, though) I sauté an chopped onion and sometimes add chopped bacon to it, to give a "homemade" taste.

Same with potato salad. Put in your own dish, sprinkle with a little paprika, slice a hard boiled egg with an egg slicer and fan across.

At our Costco, you can get a huge bag of tortilla chips for about $4 or $5-its probably the equivalent of 10 regular sized bags of tortilla chips. Buy a large container of salsa.

The cheapest meals to host are when you serve items that don't need a lot of "extras" (ketchup, mustard, mayo, pickles, etc)

Have a great party!

 

[3boymthr]

If someone in your group is a gardener ask them for vegetables. Esp. the kind you can grill. Onioins, peppers, cabbage, eggplant, zucchini, summer squash (really any kind of squash that's already at the point it's ready to eat). DH loves grilled cabbage and one head cored and sectioned into wedges will feed 8 people. (top with butter, onion salt, paprika and pepper.) ETA - I forgot tomatoes. Gardeners always have too many tomatoes. Simply brush with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with dried basil. (a couple of tablespoons of oil will do a ton of veggies)

Grilled potatoes are also really easy and eliminate the worry a lot of people have about mayo sitting out on a super hot day. 10lbs would feed that crowd and then some. Simply wash, score with slices that are half an inch apart to half way through, wrap in foil and cook on the grill until done. You can speed the process by microwaving part way. Put out butter, salt pepper, grated cheddar, bacon bits and sour cream to top.

 

[pixiewings71]

We had a party for DD's Graduation, one of the things we did to stretch the potato salad was to take a store bought tub (we used Reser's brand) and add bacon, onion and Ranch dressing to it. Worked great, was inexpensive and people loved it, they thought it was homemade.
I'd definitely let the parents help if they want to, personally I feel better donating something, otherwise I eat less because I feel like I'm being cheap for not bringing anything. lol Others have had great suggestions, I just wanted to chime in on those two things.

 

[stinkrbell]

I would buy a couple of whole boneless pork loins. They usually go on sale for 1.99lb and weigh around 10-12lbs. Slice them about a half inch thick(most stores do this for free) and grill, baste with bbq sauce at the end and serve on hamburger buns. We do it all the time. It's delicious and a little different. I always have pickles and white onion to put on them. Serve with chips and bake beans. Good luck

 

[chloelovesdisney]

I'd just do BBQ hamburgers and hot dogs, the kids will like those. Add some corn on the cob and potato salad.

 

[Ilovemyprincesses]

I would worry about the meat and paper products. Since you have drinks and desserts covered I would tell the parents to bring sides. Most kids won't eat beans or potato salad so that would be a waste of money.

I would do pulled pork and hot dogs.

 

[nunzia]

I haven't read the whole thread, but my church has dinners where the church provides the meat and congregation brings the sides according to the letter their last name starts with. So you could really do it up with the meat..pulled pork and maybe brisket and buns so folks can make their own and then families can bring the chips, melon, corn, salads or whatever.

 

[eangel12]

Hamburgers, hot dogs and chips! You can easily feed 35 people for $100! We have an inground pool and host lots and lots of parties. We get the box of burgers from SAMs club, big package of hot dogs from SAMs club and rolls from SAMs club.

Burgers-40 count for $25.00, ball park franks-24 count is $7.00 and between hot dog and hamburger rolls you'll end up spending maybe $10.00. I would ask parents to bring chips, condiments, etc.

I always find that people want to contribute something!!