Help! Feeding a large group of college students!

[Maddie2]

With the kids arriving 7-8pm, don't you think there is a chance they may arrive ravenously hungry? It is later than what most people would consider supper/dinner time, but with them traveling, they may hold off to eat the evening meal until they get to your house. Just a thought. Grab and go breakfast sounds perfect. Muffins would be easy to make ahead for this. If you do have a group coming sometime that needs a more substantial breakfast, baked french toast is another good option. Total carbs, so not served alone, but oh, so yummy and easy!

Our DS21 college boy and his roommates love it when I make casseroles for them to bake and eat. It sounds like there are usually neighbors invited over when there is home-cooked food too. I don't get the fun of serving everyone like you will, but it warms my heart when I hear about the meals and/or see photos. I guess they realize that if they praise the cook, she is more likely to do it again! Smart kids!

Have fun!!!

 

[QueenIsabella]

I'm still trying to get a "read" on their arrival time. One group said they were stopping briefly in NYC (they're driving from Boston). I suggested that, if possible, they stop on the return trip instead. Then, they'll only be ~4 hours out from Boston, and they'll sleep in their own beds when they get there. The GA group, specifically, has somewhere they have to be on Sunday (a tour or something). My concern is that the stop will end up adding 2 hours, minimum, to what is already a long trip.

They're supposed to be having a meeting tomorrow, and I should get more details then. I was figuring, if I make a big pot of soup, we can have burgers/rolls in the freezer. It would take very little time to cook up a bunch (or not).

Thanks for the pasta salad recipe. I'm still not sure how many vegetarians I'll have, though. One of the groups is working on "sustainability" for the week--I suspect a few of them won't eat meat.

 

[Soulsearching]

I'm still trying to get a "read" on their arrival time. One group said they were stopping briefly in NYC (they're driving from Boston). I suggested that, if possible, they stop on the return trip instead. Then, they'll only be ~4 hours out from Boston, and they'll sleep in their own beds when they get there. The GA group, specifically, has somewhere they have to be on Sunday (a tour or something). My concern is that the stop will end up adding 2 hours, minimum, to what is already a long trip.

They're supposed to be having a meeting tomorrow, and I should get more details then. I was figuring, if I make a big pot of soup, we can have burgers/rolls in the freezer. It would take very little time to cook up a bunch (or not).

Thanks for the pasta salad recipe. I'm still not sure how many vegetarians I'll have, though. One of the groups is working on "sustainability" for the week--I suspect a few of them won't eat meat.

I have fed many large groups and the cheapest and easiest way to feed them is with pasta. No need to make ahead. No need to make lasagna or baked ziti. Plain and simple just make a big or two big pots of pasta boiled, strain, add a little olive oil so it does not stick. Sauce on the side, meat balls on the side and butter and Parmesan on the side for your vegetarians. Pasta, salad, garlic bread, cupcakes and fruit for dessert. If needed gluten free pasta boiled for those that are gluten free. Usually a very small pot.

This covers, vegetarians, gluten free, and lactose problem diets.

Breakfast: Bagels, yogurt, fruit, cream cheese, butter and coffee to go. Covers all diets.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Okay, I texted with one of the groups' leaders yesterday, and here's how it will be going:

Group 1 has 9 kids, 3 vegetarians. They'll be stopping ~7PM on the way down, and leaving at midnight. 3 drivers, no stop on the way home.

Group 2 has 13 kids. 7-8pm arrival time, leaving at 5-6am the next day. This group will stop on the way home, as well.

I've decide I'll have a pot of minestrone and probably sandwich fixings for the first night. Other stuff, too, like brownies and chips, but that will be the main "meal". I'll probably go with baked ziti for the second stop.

I'm also planning on kicking my younger two kids out of their beds, and having them sleep in our room for the first night. Since Group 1 will only be here a few hours, I want their drivers, especially, to get a nice chunk of sleep if at all possible. By giving them the bedrooms, they can close the door and sleep in actual beds. Plus, the bedrooms are fairly remote from the playroom and outside areas where other kids are likely to congregate (like the pool and trampoline).

I'll have the drivers from Group 2 sleep on our pull-out couches, and everyone else will make do with air mattresses, the floor, regular couches, random cushions, and whatever else we can scrounge up.

 

[Maddie2]

Sounds like a good plan. I know the kids will appreciate your hospitality! You may have already said this, but I can't remember, will your daughter be in one of the groups? Have fun!

 

[QueenIsabella]

No, my DD will be on a different trip. She'll actually be a couple of hours from home, and I had hoped to visit her during the trip. However, I don't know if that will be possible, or if I'll be able to tear myself away from all the food prep. Last year, DD went to Detroit and helped in a LBGT shelter and found it very fulfilling. This year, she's a group leader, and visiting a rural middle school.

 

[Ashley Monroe]

This is SO awesome of you!

I would do what would be the freshest (hot if it's supposed to be hot, cold if intended-): so pancakes are probably out because who wants cold pancakes?

You COULD however, run a buffet-hotel style breakfast and have the granola, cereal (they're in college and eat anything LOL), fruit, and even a casserole so there's plenty to choose from and the cakes/bacon won't be cold.
Lunch/Dinner- I would definitely do pasta or pizza. Also with either leave out fresh veggies and give them the chips to take with them. They'll need the energy from the veggies/fruit. Give them PLENTY of them. Cooked/fresh whatever. The green stuff esp (celery, carrots, cukes, beans, etc w/ dipping sauces--ranch?)

Also, thanks again! What they're doing is amazing and so if your volunteering to help!

 

[QueenIsabella]

My problem with the breakfast is that one group is leaving ~midnight, and the other at 5-6am. So, I plan to have "grab and go" type food for both groups--fruit, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, etc. Maybe muffins if I get ambitious. With those departure times, I figure they'd rather eat on the road, and I do want them to have something reasonably healthy. I know when I'm driving, there's the urge to eat fast food--some won't kill them, for sure, but it would be nice to have something more nutritious in the car.

Now, if they were leaving later in the morning, I would have no problem letting my 12yo make them pancakes--she makes the best ones in the house, and she would be happy to do it. But, I'm not dragging her out of bed at 4am, just to make pancakes that the college kids probably wouldn't want to eat at that hour, anyway.

 

[teller80]

I realize I'm old and a worrier, but I wouldn't be thrilled with the idea of the kids driving all night with no sleep. I would seriously encourage the group who wants to leave at midnight to stay at least until 4 am.

 

[QueenIsabella]

I realize I'm old and a worrier, but I wouldn't be thrilled with the idea of the kids driving all night with no sleep. I would seriously encourage the group who wants to leave at midnight to stay at least until 4 am.

I'm with you on that, but there's not much I can do. They have to meet up with someone on Sunday. I did get them to put off their NYC stop until the trip home (which is why they aren't stopping on the way back--they'll stop in NYC instead). So, they'll be here earlier. I'm also planning on giving those drivers (there are three) actual beds in bedrooms--we have a spare bed due to my oldest being away, then my younger two kids will sleep up in our room for the night to free up their beds. That will hopefully give the drivers a decent chunk of sleep--the bedrooms are away from the social centers of the house, plus of course, they have doors, so they should be quiet.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Update: We survived Round One!

Both groups showed up ~10:30 last night. Due to the late hour, I didn't have so much food--"only" three pounds of pasta, sauce, sausages, salad, garlic bread, and three plates of cookies. The students were very nice, and appreciative of our hospitality. One group left at 1am, the other at 4am. I sent them off with muffins, hard-boiled eggs, yogurt, and fruit. They had juice donated from another source, and most didn't want coffee, since they'd be sleeping in the vans and stop for coffee later in the morning.

Their three favorite things were petting the dog, petting our cat, and the garlic bread! I was surprised how fast that went--I made the garlic butter from scratch (not that it's hard), and got many compliments. Good tip to know for feeding a large group!

This coming Sat., one group is stopping for the return trip (only 13 kids--we had 22 last night). I will be making two vegetarian soups, minestrone and white bean-rosemary, and have sandwich fixings, as well (or maybe more garlic bread).

 

[starry_solo]

Thanks OP for writing back with an update!

 

[Annadesu]

I work at a University... pizza. Lots of pizza. lol They will love you forever.

 

[Maddie2]

I've been away. How did the return trip go? My son just returned from a week in Florida where they drove straight through from the Midwest to Panama City Beach. Wish they could've had a home to stop by. On behalf of other parents, thanks for taking care of other people's children!

 

[QueenIsabella]

The return trip went well! The FL group ended up leaving FL early, driving through the night Friday into Sat., and they got to our house ~3;30pm. This worked out great, because they could enjoy our "amenities" in daylight. We had the kids' bedrooms set up for the drivers to sleep in, and we also had various kids sleeping on couches and in comfy chairs--I would have been willing to set up air mattresses, but the kids were so tired, they just slept anywhere. I was surprised at how quiet the house was, even with 13 extra college kids in it. Some kids walked to the school (a block or so away--my youngest walks to school), just to play on the playground. They also used the pool. A few kids found quiet corners and studied.

I also passed out sunscreen and sun butter--there were a lot of sunburns in the group.

I made them minestrone soup and a white bean and rosemary soup--both vegetarian. I made another batch of garlic bread, since my kids were miffed that they didn't get any. I offered sandwiches as well. We made chocolate chip brownies that morning, and white trash--both were devoured.

They left around midnight and arrived back in Boston ~4pm. My DD, returning from her trip, actually saw them on I-95 as she was heading back from the Raleigh area. I sent them along with snacks (fruit, granola bars, cheese cubes), and a bag of Easter treats for DD, which they passed along.

Honestly, you couldn't ask for a nicer group of kids. They were very polite and appreciative, and seemed to have fun. They were so kind to my younger kids--DD12 thought she was hot stuff, hanging out with the college kids. Many took selfies with our dog. They showed me pictures from their trip--mostly of gator encounters (!!!). They also collected some embarrassing photos of my oldest--I guess there was some kind of thing about getting photos of other leaders. I'm sure DD will thank me for that, ha ha.

Despite the work, I would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[Eastern]

Thanks for the updates, enjoyed reading them.

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

Nice