Feeding the masses - 30 teens

[2TxAgs]

Help! My high school kids' soccer teams are coming for a team dinner the day before their playoff game. What to serve? One family is donating a pan of tortellini, another is bringing some brownies for dessert. Help me with a budget friendly menu to feed 30 boys and girls.

I'm thinking: meatball subs/tortellini/either mac and cheese or pasta salad
Salad
Garlic Bread
Brownies and dump cake

Given that the tortellini has already been offered, I'm trying to build upon that item.

Thanks!

 

[iheartpeterpan]

We always pot luck these things. If you have to provide the food yourself (feeding 30 athletic teenagers is no small undertaking) then I always find Mexican food to be the most cost-effective.

Can you ask the other families to send pasta-type stuff?

 

[Gr8t Fan]

Spaghetti with meat sauce is pretty easy to make without too much fuss.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Pizza & burgers/brats/hot dogs.

 

[kirstenb1]

I'd either do make your own nachos, with meat cheese beans lettuce and tomatoes, or a big pan of BBQ, rolls and cole slaw.

 

[NVDisMom]

Pasta Bar! Building on the tortellini...Make or purchase various sauces (ie marinara, pesto, alfredo), lay out cooked veggies, sliced chicken, crumbled ground beef, shredded cheeses and boiled, various shaped pasta. Offer a big salad with ranch or vinaigrette and garlic bread. Add a couple of big buckets of ice cream to the brownies and Hershey's sauce. You have a meal fit for any and all teens!

A quick trip to Costco will have you covered in no time flat.

 

[MSSANDRA]

I agree to stick with what you have donated and build on that. I would do spaghetti noodles and a meatless sauce and them have those meat ball as an option and offer hoggie rolls as a choice too. I would have the garlic bread but I have found that teens really waste salad. Baby carrots and ranch dressing will be cheaper and go over better.

I would add another "finger" dessert to the brownie rather than a sit down to eat cake. Cookies or just more brownies would work fine.

Plenty of drinks and LOTS of the food and the will be happy!

 

[Weluvdisny]

I've had many dinners for my boys' soccer team and they ask for the same thing every year. Pepperoni bread, chicken wing dip and brownie sundaes for dessert. Some chips, veggies and dip as fillers.

And don't forget to take pictures and enjoy it!!

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

A couple other thoughts...

Don't be afraid to ask other parents to pitch in! My DD's cross country team has several team dinners, they're generally pasta-based. Each grade brings bread/salad/drinks/dessert. Makes it easier for the host family--there were 41 girls on the team last year, and they all eat like lumberjacks.

I like the idea of the pasta bar--something for everyone. Maybe sliced sausage in addition to the meatballs? And meat, marinara, and cheese sauces.

You might want to consider making a big batch of baked beans, too--yeah, it's not on the pasta theme, but it's inexpensive protein, and could work for the vegetarians, if you have any. Obviously, if there aren't any vegetarians, you could do the typical bacon/salt pork flavoring.

Whatever you make, it's probably going to get vacuumed up!