Ideas to feed a group of 15-20 with limited cooking capability UPDATE!!! What worked and what didn't

[ronandannette]

Because no matter how many times we remind them that they are working a 12 hour shift with no ability to leave the property to get food (and really nowhere close by even if they did), they always forget. Having done this event many many times, I know that hungry, cold, bored employees have a tendency to disappear at 2am.

In other words, I'm hoping that if I feed them I can then sleep a few hours without being woken up to take over an abandoned post.

Also, we have amazing employees who are working 12 hour shifts outside in whatever weather. The least we can do is feed them.

Wow - no advice on the meals but I'm intrigued by whatever it is you're doing here. Any chance you could let us in on the details? Dinner for 20 five nights running, single-handed, with inadequate resources and after working all day is a HUGE ask. I bow to you.

 

[RamblingMad]

Chili is my go to for large groups.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

My modified chicken tortilla soup - super easy to cook and pretty fast. My son's friends used to ask me when I'd host 'soup night' lol:

1 rotisseried chicken
large bottle of salsal (I like Victoria, sometimes get Pace - we like spicy, so we get hot, but you can get mild/medium)
bunch of vegetables: broccolli, zucchini, celery, shredded carrots, (a couple of) potatoes, onion, bell pepper, garlic (add cilantro if you like it and any other vegetables, like green beans, snow peas, peas, brussel sprouts, canned whole beans, small can of corn)
salt or Knolls dried chicken broth (has salt)
water
optional - chicken broth (carton)

toppings: shredded cheese, avocado slices, sour cream

chop the veggies
shred the chicken (we don't add the skin)
put it in a big pot
add plenty of water, broth, salsa seasoning
bring to boil and let simmer until the vegetables are cooked (half hour? since the chicken is already cooked)

Heat it at the site
top with shredded cheese and avocado (also sour cream, if you like)

Have tortilla chips - unsalted/plain for anyone that wants to crush them in their soup

Hot and filling - add rolls

I sometimes have cooked rice that we add in our bowls

You can prepare this in advance and heat at the site. Always tastes better the next day.

 

[HeatherC]

Sausage and peppers in a crockpot. Bring sub rolls and they can make sandwiches.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

How did you get roped into this? Why can’t they bring their own food?

I’m laughing because this is the kind of revelation I would have about halfway through. “Wait, why am I doing this?”

 

[daisy2013]

Order two six foot heroes for each night. Here they come with potato and macaroni salad. They pick it up on their way in. If they want something hot they can cook it and pack it in a thermos

 

[disykat]

There's a gal I watch on youtube sometimes whose recipes would be perfect for you. She does a lot of 5 ingredient casseroles, etc. Basic family friendly, no fancy recipes, cooking on a budget, crock pot recipes, etc. I watch her sometimes for ideas of easy things I might not have done in a while. Julie Pacheco is her name.

 

[monsterkitty]

For us nosey people, what exactly are the crews going to be doing? Will they have a campfire?

 

[TipsyTraveler]

For us nosey people, what exactly are the crews going to be doing? Will they have a campfire?

Or toilets? I’m curious how serious an issue spicy food might be.

 

[jo-jo]

For us nosey people, what exactly are the crews going to be doing? Will they have a campfire?

Yeah, are you all camping out for a week? And how far does this food have to travel once it's cooked.

What are they doing for the rest of the meals?

Just to repeat what most everyone said......with a few crock pots, stredded meat, sausage and peppers, beef stew.

I have no idea how big an oven is in a camper, but can you fit a few pans of lasagna in and be close by while it's cooking?

 

[TLSnell1981]

Sphagetti, chilli or pot roast with vegetables (i.e. potoates, carrots, greens beans) are an easy to fix, keep hot and very filling. There are also great recipes available for crock pot chicken pot pie.

It will be easy with a crockpot. I also have several crockpot casserole dishes….love, love love these. FWIW 15-20 doesn’t quite cover my kids and grandkids ….so not overwhelming IMO.

 

[Needsanap]

Chili dogs. Hot dogs in crock pot and chili in another.

 

[TLSnell1981]

…..

Chili is my go to for large groups.

Yep. I do one crock pot of chili, another with spaghetti for fall gatherings and s’mores for dessert. You can’t go wrong with that menu!

 

[Buzz Rules]

 

[Kjdisney]

Pot Roast

2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 pkg Lipton onion soup mix
1 cup water
4-5 lb beef, (chuck) trim fat, seared on all sides (1 minute each side, can be done in advance)
carrots peeled cut in large chunks
potatoes either red or gold (wash and leave skin on)

Mix first three in crock pot first, then beef (you can pre-cut portions), with carrot and potato on top. Liquid doesn’t have to cover everything.
Cook on low if cooking all day

serve with bread. should be tender enough that knife isn’t needed.

 

[RamblingMad]

…..

Yep. I do one crock pot of chili, another with spaghetti for fall gatherings and s’mores for dessert. You can’t go wrong with that menu!

I'll also make some corn bread too. But you'll need an oven or know how to do it on a stove. You can get camping ovens, but they're not cheap.

 

[jaybirdsmommy]

For us nosey people, what exactly are the crews going to be doing? Will they have a campfire?

Event staffing, they'll be manning access points, gates, etc at a large sporting event. No campfires (at least not intentional ones, anyway).

Or toilets? I’m curious how serious an issue spicy food might be.

That's why I'm leary of tacos/bbq, things like that. Porta potties all the way.......

Yeah, are you all camping out for a week? And how far does this food have to travel once it's cooked.

What are they doing for the rest of the meals?

Just to repeat what most everyone said......with a few crock pots, stredded meat, sausage and peppers, beef stew.

I have no idea how big an oven is in a camper, but can you fit a few pans of lasagna in and be close by while it's cooking?

Most of our guys are local so they'll eat at home for the other meals, but they are on post for 12 hr shifts. There won't be any food places open for the night crew so if they forget to bring something it's a long 12 hrs. DH and I live about 2 hrs away so we have a camper on site for ourselves and the couple of folks from here that are going.

I'm not so worried about the day crew, they're getting sandwiches and chips. There will be vendors open for them if they don't like what we are serving.


I wish there was an option to buy food somewhere, but the nearest fast food type places are around 15 miles away and will close by 8 or 9pm. When we've done that in the past the food is cold by the time we get it delivered.

 

[TLSnell1981]

I'll also make some corn bread too. But you'll need an oven or know how to do it on a stove. You can get camping ovens, but they're not cheap.

You can make the cornbread beforehand and warm it in the oven.

 

[VAfamily1998]

Meatball subs. I just buy a bag (with 15-20 you might need more than one bag) of frozen meatballs and a few jars of spaghetti sauce and let it simmer for several hours.
Have buns, shredded mozzarella or provolone and then some sides like chips, salad, dessert...

 

[DaisyDuck001]

Do you have an IKEA near you? You could buy a few bags of IKEA meatballs, put them in a crockpot with some marina, slap some cheese on top and do meatball subs with maybe a side salad.

Or if all the boats in that marina would be too crunchy for them, you could use marinara instead.

Some sort of pasta with meatballs. Place in the smaller tinfoil serving trays. You can always buy frozen lasagna at Costco and heat that when you get home.

have pizza delivered or deliver it yourself

sub sandwiches with a warm soup

mac and cheese

fajitas with no onions, just red and green bell peppers

This was my favorite post so far. Costco lasagna is great if you're near enough to a Costco. I was also thinking pizza for at least one of the nights, before you said the pizza places would be closed by then. Is there any way you could keep the pizzas warm, or reheat them?