OT-food for party

[la79al]

I know this is not even close to Disney related but I am at a loss here. We are having our DDs first birthday party next weekend. And I have never actually hosted a party. We are having about 30 people, all adults except for DD and my stepkids. I was thinking about having hamburgers and hotdogs, baked beans, some kind of pasta or potato salad, fruit salad or tray, veggie tray, chips, and of course cake and ice cream. I'm not sure if this is too much or not enough food and I have no idea how much of each I need. Help????

 

[Blessed99]

Sounds like a great menu to me. Sounds like just enough. Now as for quantity, I never can judge that either on my own!

Have fun at the party!!

 

[CyndiLooWho]

sounds like a complete menu to me, a lot like what mom serves at big family gatherings.

I would figure one hamburger and one hot dog for each person, and maybe toss on a few extra hot dogs (cuz they're cheaper and you usually have several extras in the package anyway).

I would go with a large fruit tray OR a large watermelon full of fruit (cut off the top 1/3 of the watermelon [except for a handle] and then trim the edges in a saw pattern. Use a melon baller to romove the insides, also ball a canteloupe. Mix the melon balls with a large container of strawberries, hulled and halved, and a container of blueberries. This should be plenty of fruit).

A large veggie tray or 1 cauliflower, 1 broccoli, 1# baby carrots, 1 bunch celery (sliced into sticks) and one container of small tomatoes. Add a large container of dip in the middle of the presentation.

Not sure on the sizes for salads, sorry.

Don't forget to have sliced onion and tomatoes for the sandwiches, along with lettuce leaves.

 

[bgirl29]

Do you have a store near you that also sells to resturants? We have gordon food service that I know has lists that tell you the quantity of things to buy per person. When we have had large parties I will sometimes go there just so they can help me estimate how much I need. Maybe costco or sam's club would be able to help you estimate if you shop at either of those places.

 

[aidtrismommy]

I recently held my sons birthday party with about 25 people. I had hamburgs and hot dogs (I bought waaayy to many rolls, I don't know how that happened) I made a pasta salad, veggie platter(I bought everything separatly and put it together myself and bought dip from the deli counter at the grocery store), pretzels, chips, cheese and crackers, juice, soda, and cake (no ice cream) it was great. Try and keep it simple.

 

[tlh0726]

If you are doing the hamburg and hotdogs on the grill, I would recommend that you borrow a 2nd grill. Trying to cook enough to feed everyone at once will be difficult on just one. (been there, done that)

The following year, I switch to things that could be thrown in a crockpot and forgotten (BBQ and Hotdogs) Less work the day of the party, lets you enjoy all the festivities and your guests.

As far as quantities, having more than needed is better than not enough. Plus leftovers means another meal that you don't have to prepare.