How much food for ice cream social

[tcufrog]

This Sunday, we're hosting a back-to-school party and ice cream social for my son's 6th-grade class. I thought about getting people to sign up to bring stuff but the last time I did that it was more work than just picking up the stuff myself during a regular grocery trip. I'm having trouble figuring out how much to buy though. So far, we definitely have 22 adults and 21 mostly 6th graders coming. This includes us. There are 4 adult and 4 kid maybes and 2 families we haven't heard from.

I was planning to provide: bottled water, chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream; chopped strawberries, sliced bananas, whipped cream, cherries, and chocolate syrup. I already have plenty of napkins, bowls, and spoons. There's one kid on a restricted diet so I've asked her to bring an option for him. I added the sliced fruit as a safe topping option for him. Is there anything I'm missing? How much should I buy of each?

 

[Schneewittchen37]

Chopped peanuts and sprinkles/jimmies.
Strawberry syrup and caramel too.

 

[Southernmiss]

https://onepotdishrecipe.com/how-much-ice-cream-per-person/

They have it all figured out on this site!

Have fun!

 

[tcufrog]

Those suggestions are great but peanuts are a no go due students' peanut allergies.

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

Sprinkles for sure. Caramel or butterscotch if you feel like it.

 

[kymom99]

Chopped peanuts and sprinkles/jimmies.
Strawberry syrup and caramel too.

No peanuts

 

[bcla]

How do you plan on keeping it cold? If you get ordinary ice cream that has a lot of air, that's going to melt a lot faster. The usual thing is to have dry ice, but then that makes it hard as a rock unless you let it sit a bit.

I'd suggest having some cones too since some prefer that.

 

[TwoMisfits]

So, kids going through puberty.

If it were me, I'd plan 1 cup of ice cream per kid and 1/2 cup per adult (b/c they probably will think smaller and some may skip).

And I'd have enough for all yeses, maybes, and not responded, so it sounds like 30 adults and 30 kids possible for 45 cups (which in the 1.5 qt sized ice creams is 8 containers).

I would NOT bother with strawberry ice cream - I'd just stick to vanilla and chocolate - 4 each or 8 that are 1/2 and 1/2.

BUT, for allergies, I would stop by Aldi's or somewhere and pick up a box of popsicles or 2 pints of sorbet you like (strawberry here would work), so you can offer it to allergy folks 1st and then anyone as 2nds...

As for toppings, bananas, strawberries, jimmies, syrup, and whipped cream are fine. Anything more and the price keeps going up.

If you were going for more, I'd say to pick mini m&ms as a shaken on topping...

 

[NotUrsula]

As for keeping the ice cream cold, what I would suggest if you can is buying the large tubs that can be found at places like Costco; not only are they less expensive, but with anything frozen, the larger the block, the longer it takes to thaw. If you have a chest freezer at home, put the ice cream down at the bottom until you are ready to take it to school, then when you are ready, put it in a pre-cooled ice chest wrapped in towels, with a bag of ice at the bottom of the chest. I don't recommend burying the cartons in ice, but if you wrap it up well in insulation (especially under the lid of the chest), it should not do more than soften in an hour or so if kept out of the sun. If you don't have a way to keep it hard-frozen until time to take it to the party (or if you can't use the school freezers to store it day-of), then I'd wait and buy it on the way.

Def. add mini M&Ms to the list; kids love those, and also Nerds, and be sure to get a large lipped tray to set the sprinkle dishes in, so the spillage lands inside the tray more often. Kids are less likely to go for syrups than candy add-ons/sprinkles, but get more whipped cream than you think you will need, or have the adults parcel it out -- kids that age way overdo the whipped cream because they like playing with the cans.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

How nice of you and your family to host this fun get together, Tcufrog ITA with the person who suggested you might also have popsicles on hand. I well remember how church kids loved their otter pops, especially, lol, the blue ones. Have fun and be safe.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

What!! No strawberry?? This is an outrage!

 

[prairie_girl]

Does everyone have to bring their own bowls?

 

[tcufrog]

Does everyone have to bring their own bowls?

I mentioned that we have plenty of bowls and spoons already.

 

[scrapquitler]

This Sunday, we're hosting a back-to-school party and ice cream social for my son's 6th-grade class. I thought about getting people to sign up to bring stuff but the last time I did that it was more work than just picking up the stuff myself during a regular grocery trip. I'm having trouble figuring out how much to buy though. So far, we definitely have 22 adults and 21 mostly 6th graders coming. This includes us. There are 4 adult and 4 kid maybes and 2 families we haven't heard from.

I was planning to provide: bottled water, chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream; chopped strawberries, sliced bananas, whipped cream, cherries, and chocolate syrup. I already have plenty of napkins, bowls, and spoons. There's one kid on a restricted diet so I've asked her to bring an option for him. I added the sliced fruit as a safe topping option for him. Is there anything I'm missing? How much should I buy of each?

I'd include sprinkles (jimmies/shots depending on where you are), too.

 

[bcla]

So no mudslides for the grownups?

https://www.kahlua.com/en-us/drinks/frozen-mudslide/

 

[jo-jo]

How about a can of non dairy reddi whip for those that can't eat ice cream , can still eat the fruit with toppings and whip "cream".

 

[PollyannaMom]

Does everyone have to bring their own bowls?

I mentioned that we have plenty of bowls and spoons already.

I think that was a reference to another recent thread (about an unusual wedding celebration).


I agree with adding sprinkles to the shopping list, but I would skip the mini M&Ms unless you can check with the allergy parent. I think even plain ones have a peanut warning.

 

[TwoMisfits]

One caveat to my ice cream amount - the size of the bowls.

If you got 8oz bowls or less, my amount is fine. If you got 12 or 16oz bowls, you'll want to increase your amounts accordingly b/c people, especially teens, fill bowls to the top...I see it in my own house. The teens get a bowl, they put the food inside to fit the entire space!

 

[mrodgers]

How about a can of non dairy reddi whip for those that can't eat ice cream , can still eat the fruit with toppings and whip "cream".

I was like, what? Who the heck eats just redi wh.... oh, top it on the fruit. LOL

And just to mention again, skip out on the peanuts. It probably wouldn't have crossed my mind planning it myself, but seeing it in the OP text I noticed and then saw the others mention it.

 

[mrodgers]

The teens get a bowl, they put the food inside to fit the entire space!

Wrong. They will pile it up after the space is filled so that it's dripping all over