Feeding 50 for Graduation Party...need Help

[GeorgiaPeach]

This Saturday my daughter graduates and I've got about 50 people coming for lunch! Anyone with catering experience that can help me decide how much food I need to buy?

She wants ham and turkey sandwiches, veggie tray, sliced fresh fruit (layered in the trifle bowl like in the catalog).

How do I figure out how many pounds of sliced ham and turkey to buy?

How many carrots, cauliflower, etc for veggie tray?

How many cantaloupes, honey dew, pineapple?

I really wish I had enough money to just walk in to Kroger and buy a bunch of trays but that is not an option. I can figure out the chips, cupcakes (she wants these instead of a big cake), drinks, etc. It's the above 3 things that have me stumped! :cry:

 

[pamperedlinda]

Ask the deli and produce managers how much you need - they will help you out.

 

[hollye44]

It's been a long time since I've done any of this. I found a website that offers some help. Here are some pages that may help you:

Vegetable and Appetizer Trays
Preparing salad and vegetable appetizer trays-- Big pots-- Ellen's Kitchen

Fruit Platters
Fruit platters, Fruit salads and Watermelon boats-- Ellen's Kitchen

Go to the "Budgeting and Planning for Large Groups and Events" section at the end of the Large size recipes and tips for quantity cooking-- Ellen's Kitchen-- Big Pots page for more.

Congratulations to your daughter on her graduation. Good luck with the party!!

 

[janetupnorth]

For my wedding, we figured 1/2 lb. per meat per person.

 

[Ginger428]

For my wedding, we figured 1/2 lb. per meat per person.

That is usually the rule of thumb 8oz per person. Instead of just having the three items you mentioned, I would like to suggest some fillers & those would be inexpensive but go a long way. A few BIG bowls of simple pasta salad ie...chopped onions,olives,peppers etc...Also a few bols of Potato,Macaroni,Egg Salads etc...This way you wont need as much Deli Meat which even If you are doing it yourself will still be pricey. Tons of rolls from Costco/Sams/BJs etc...HTH :chef:

 

[Teresa Lynn]

Can we swap kids??? I wish mine wanted sandwiches
We are doing BBQ for 130 and all the extras like salad, queso chips etc. thankfully, I saved the menu and amounts for our oldest son so it will be easy to recreate.
my inlaws want it to be Sat at noon (so its convenient for their daughter who wants to attend a concert in austin that night 3 hours from here)
Uhhm yea, I'd love to get home at midnight from graduation and stay up all night smoking briskets and have it all ready by noon.

 

[GeorgiaPeach]

That is usually the rule of thumb 8oz per person. Instead of just having the three items you mentioned, I would like to suggest some fillers & those would be inexpensive but go a long way. A few BIG bowls of simple pasta salad ie...chopped onions,olives,peppers etc...Also a few bols of Potato,Macaroni,Egg Salads etc...This way you wont need as much Deli Meat which even If you are doing it yourself will still be pricey. Tons of rolls from Costco/Sams/BJs etc...HTH :chef:

We will have other fillers, I left them off cause I'm not as worried about them as the amount of meat to get One of my close friends is driving down from Kentucky with her family. She makes the absolute BEST potato salad in the world :love: I'm having her make me a BIG bowl....I am still considering whether I'll share it or not!

Thanks for all the input everyone! We just spent over an hour driving around looking for Georgia Tech cupcake liners. No luck. We did decide on two "cupcake trees" for each end of the table. I couldn't figure out how to display the cupcakes without squishing them all together in a pan. Kyla LOVES them.

Teresa...her first choice was pulled pork sandwiches. We just moved into this house a week ago so she decided to pick a "don't stress mom out anymore than she already is" menu.

 

[crystalscookingnow]

Another thing that you might do is get those dollar rolls for the sandwiches instead of bread. People won't be as greedy with the meat! It's not as easy to go piling on those dollar rolls as bread. I find it easier to control waste, too. We've done lots of these for family birthdays & stuff. The first time we did this, we did bread. I cringed everytime I saw people's plates going in the trash with 3/4 of a sandwich! After that, I switched to dollar rolls! I'm cheap that way!!

 

[janetupnorth]

For my HS graduation we got a couple of large 6' subs and let people cut off the size of sandwich they wanted.For college, I don't recall what I did...I think just kringle and coffee and such...For my wedding we did small finger sandwiches, potato salad, fruit salad, punch and a few other little tiny things. No one left hungry, it was nice and simple and I had an afternoon wedding so they'd eat before they came and we'd be done before dinner so they weren't expecting much!We fed 500 easily without much stress...

 

[GeorgiaPeach]

Another thing that you might do is get those dollar rolls for the sandwiches instead of bread. People won't be as greedy with the meat! It's not as easy to go piling on those dollar rolls as bread. I find it easier to control waste, too. We've done lots of these for family birthdays & stuff. The first time we did this, we did bread. I cringed everytime I saw people's plates going in the trash with 3/4 of a sandwich! After that, I switched to dollar rolls! I'm cheap that way!!

What's a "dollar" roll?

 

[janetupnorth]

What's a "dollar" roll?

I think it's the smaller buns you can get...the first definition that came to my mind was a cigarette made with a dollar bill...not that I've EVER smoked anything!

(Not counting burning buildings...)

 

[GeorgiaPeach]

I think it's the smaller buns you can get...the first definition that came to my mind was a cigarette made with a dollar bill...not that I've EVER smoked anything!

(Not counting burning buildings...)

Janet...I am SHOCKED!!!

 

[janetupnorth]

Janet...I am SHOCKED!!!

Innocent does not mean ignorant!

I never hung with the wrong crowd or ever tried any of the stuff, but with little kids and working at a camp you HAVE to know what is out there to keep the kids away from!

 

[crystalscookingnow]

The dollar rolls are about 2/3 the size of a regular hamburger bun, but a little taller. They look alot like a dinner roll. Sam's Club usually carries them. Typically, they come uncut & then you just slice them when you're ready to use them.