Graduation Party/Food Quantity/Budget??

[ugadog99]

I posted this on the Community board, but I thought I'd ask over here, too. Y'all are the best at budget suggestions!

I'm in the midst of planning my daughter's high school graduation party. There will be about 40 people including high school students and adults. The timing of this is right after the students have graduation practice that morning. I'm thinking the kids should arrive between 11:30 and noon-ish. Our buffet will include:

chicken fingers/nuggets/pieces (whatever is the best $$$)
macaroni salad
ramen noodle salad
pasta salad
mixed green salad with toppings and dressings on the side
fruit plate
yeast rolls
petit fours
variety of cookies
canned drinks/bottled water

So, how much food do I need to prepare or purchase? I'm never good at estimating food quantities. I always end up with way too much food. Also, I thought about adding cheese with the fruit plate. Is that necessary?

 

[sb4k]

I just had a First communion with about the same amount of people. I had 2 pork loins I turned into pulled pork sandwiches, a ham, a 9 X 13 pan of potatoes, a smaller pan of green bean casserole, a spinach salad 2 jello salads, pretzels, veggies to dip and 3 cakes. We ran out of the meat, potatoes, green bean and spinach salad. I probably should have doubled the cheesy potatoes. Those are super easy and always a hit. The jello recipes I got off of here somewhere coca cola jello salad. Oh and I had about 1/2 a cake left. Hope that helps.

Hash Brown Au Gratin
2lbs. hash browns
1t salt
1/4 t pepper
2/3c chopped onions
2c shredded cheese
3/4c melted butter
2c sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
2c crushed corn flakes

Thaw potatoes; Add salt and pepper,onions, cheese. In another bowl combine 1/2c butter, sour cream, and soup. Pour over potato mixture and combine. Mix 1/4c butter and cornflakes. Sprinkle over potatoes. Bake 350 for 40-50 minutes.

 

[ugadog99]

Thanks...sounds good. Any other ideas?

 

[Tiggerish]

My bag of frozen chicken nuggets says a serving size is 6 pieces. But I am sure that when I feed them to my nieces and nephews, that they each eat 6 to 10 pieces but the adults will eat 3 or 4. So if you figured 6 per person you would need 240 pieces. I would look at the side of the bags or boxes to see how many pieces or serving in the container and then get enough for 40 servings.

Your teens will being treating your food as their lunch so you might keep that in mind. If it was me, I would lose the yeast rolls, the lettuce salad and one of the pasta salads and substitute crackers and cheese and the chessy potato baked casserole. That way you have two hot dishes and something for kids (or adults) who do not eat meat.

Congradulations on having a graduate to celebrate.