[pip]

We might be having an open house for about 50 people and I need ideas for some good and easy large amount recipes. I'm thinking of BBQ meatballs, baked beans, and an oriental cabbage salad (that uses cole slaw mix). We'll also have some jello salads, rolls, chips/salsa,cake and bars/cookies. Punch, coffee, water. I haven't prepared for this many people before and don't really have a clue as to how much food to buy/make. Any ideas would be so appreciated! :yoyo:

 

[Ceashels]

When I cook for large parties, I pull out my steamer trays to keep foods warm (my party is in October).

I usually offer:

a baked mac and cheese or baked penne/ziti with tomato sauce
a crock pot of meatballs either in tomato sauce or a sweet and sour sauce
a crock pot of soup or stew
hot dogs can be cooked slow and put in a crock or steamer... we do drunken dogs most often as a finger food
a crock of mashed potatoes with a bunch of fixin's

In warm weather days I go for a salad buffet with tuna and chicken salads, pasta salads (variety), potato salad, etc. Which is nice because most things can be done ahead of time. Then have rolls and crackers on the side. Or you could premake sub sandwiches/hoagies or if it is in your budget, get one from subway. They always seem to go well.

Good luck and have fun, it is always nicer to have added stress the day of the party.

 

[Edelweiss]

We just had a party for about 60, and we bought WAAAAY too much of everything. What we learned was that people will eat a lot more of the entree (we did kabobs, but whatever) than the sides. I had tons of macaroni salad, potato salad and cole slaw left over...I'd say one pan (the large aluminum ones you can get at the grocery store) of each side dish would have been more than enough. As for dessert, we did a chocolate fountain, which went over great, but we had a lot of leftover fruit and stuff. I think I bought 6 pints of strawberries, and half that would have been plenty.

 

[pip]

Thanks for the ideas. I thought maybe about 200 meatballs, not large ones.
Would two of those really large cans of beans (I think industrial size) be about right? As for the cabbage salad, one site on the internet suggested using 5 bags of cole slaw mix with 5 pkgs ramen noodles, etc. What do you think? I will have lots of cookies, chips, and bars available, too.
Anybody have any easy punch recipes that they love?

 

[Darlene]

Hey Sandy, you have your party yet? How'd it go if you did?

 

[frugalwanttobe]

How about ziti noodles, hamburg and sauce? I always see this served at buffet functions I have gone to.

 

[AmyMCGS]

Here's the punch recipe we make at every family function-- I posted it on RecipeZaar: http://www.recipezaar.com/148404

 

[Libby]

Thanks for the ideas. I thought maybe about 200 meatballs, not large ones.
Would two of those really large cans of beans (I think industrial size) be about right? As for the cabbage salad, one site on the internet suggested using 5 bags of cole slaw mix with 5 pkgs ramen noodles, etc. What do you think? I will have lots of cookies, chips, and bars available, too.
Anybody have any easy punch recipes that they love?

If you're going with 'Costco' 'Food Service' size can of anything - just get one of the beans and maybe one of the fruit salad? That way if there's leftover you wont get stuck eating WAY too much of it. IF you run out - oh well, there will be other things to eat right?

Im not sure of the reason or theme of the 'open house' - to show your house? Just to have people over etc...but if you're serving canned beans I think finger samiches are alright. Buy a few loaves of white bread and make a bunch of egg salad samiches, tuna samiches, cucumber and cream cheese samiches.

You said you're doing buns and other munchies - maybe a simple veggie platter of celery sticks, carrot sticks and cherry tomatoes (if its in the budget) and you can make your own onion dip. Buy a tub of plain sour cream and mix in Knorr veggie soup mix or Liptons Onion soup mix - voila!

Another easy hot entree finger food - buy a few frozen plain cheese pizza's and add a few toppings to make a bit of each - one with peppers, one with pepperoni, plain cheese etc...you control the toppings.

I think you'll have more then enough if you do the meatballs, samiches, pizza, beans, veggies n dip, salads (pasta? jello? cesar?) plus the munchies and drinks. Remember they're coming to 'visit' not for 'dinner'. Im not sure if you have a bakery in your grocery store that would sell this but we have a few that will sell a gigantic slab black forest cake for under $20. Buy one of those and cut it up into smaller squares then they hint at - people can help themselves to dessert!

Dont get too overwhelmed - do a lil bit of everything and it will turn out alright. I hope you have (or had?) fun at this party!

 

[Holly]

pasta salad or ziti is what I do for most reunions etc.

 

[nancycg56]

We entertain pretty regularly and are having a good-bye party for our DD next weekend with about 50 people or so.

I am making 4 or 5 entrees, 6 or 7 sides, 4 or 5 appetizers, 1 big cake for dessert. It should be plenty with some leftovers

 

[Odilia]

I have a huge extended family that gets together every other year with smaller gatherings going on all the time. We put together a family cookbook, and some of my aunts put together a list of food amounts for 50, 100, and 250 people.

For example, 13lbs hotdogs or 18lbs of hamburger, 2.25 gallons of potato salad and 1.25 gallons of baked beans, 1lb of ground coffee to make 3 gallons of coffee, 75lbs of watermelon, etc... for 50 people.

 

[pip]

Thanks for all of the replies. We had an open house for my son's high school graduation. It wasn't huge, about 50 showed. I made WAY too much beans and bbq meatballs, but was able to freeze them in smaller bags so we've been eating it up gradually. I also made the punch with rainbow sherbet and lemonlime soda and it was wonderful! So pretty and good, too.