I need some input.
My husband helps coach the women’s soccer team for our local college. The players arrived last week to start practices and training. The dorms don’t open for another week and the cafeteria is charging a hefty amount to feed the teams. To help save the soccer budget some money we (coaches and spouses) decided to serve dinner to the girls in others ways.
Long story short…I offered to cook dinner for 21-31 people each evening next week, Sunday through Friday.
If you know me very well, you know these two things: 1) I’m a little bit crazy and 2) I love to feed people.
I’m pretty excited about the opportunity and will really enjoy this. I think it will be fun to treat the girls to a great meal after they’ve been working hard for hours. They are all super sweet and this will give me a chance to get to know them a little bit better.
SO…here’s where you come in. I am working hard on the menu planning and food prep this weekend. I have a few ideas of meals that will work well to feed a large group, but we’re talking about SIX meals here and I’d love a few of your meal suggestions.
Here are a few details:
- Some of the meals will be at a park…some will be in my home…and some will be in the church fellowship hall.
- The girls are going to be having THREE practices a day this week. They’ll need nourishment and a lot of it!
- On the flip side of that…a couple hours after dinner the team will have a big run. I don’t want the meals to be incredibly bulky if I can help it.
- I want the meals to be simple to prepare in large quantities, yet I really want to “treat” the girls to some good eatin’. I’d love for them to feel like I really cared enough to feed them well.
So, bring on the meal ideas. What do you like to feed to large crowds? Feel free to give me recipes and links if you’ve got ’em.
You’ll see my choices on Sunday afternoon when I post my menu plan. THANK YOU in advance for your input. You have no idea how helpful this will be for me.
Also, if you could come wash a few dishes while I cook, that would be great.
Saralyn says
Our family standby is sloppy joes. I remember my mom making it in huge stockpots for our junior sailing camp meals when I was a kid. A little goes a long way on a roll with a sprinkling of cheddar cheese and a couple pickle slices.
Hezzielee says
If the weather is cooperating and not too hot, Chili and cornbread is an easy one to feed a large group. Cheddar cheese, sour cream and green onion to top it off!
Tracy DeLuca says
A really good, hearty soup. Chicken, noodles, veggies, barley, etc. Served with some great homemade bread, rolls or even cornbread. Not so great for the heat but yummy.
OR, a pasta primavera type thing. Fresh veggies, a tangy sauce and lots of great pasta. Can be served hot or cold. Serve that cold with burgers and they should love it. There is a great recipe here: http://faeriecastle.blogspot.com/2009/08/menu-plan-and-weigh-in.html
Homemade chicken pot pie. Served with a salad?
Red beans and rice to get those complex carbs. Serve with corn bread and maybe have some sausage in it as well.
Hope some of those help! If I think of anything else I will comment again.
Kacie says
I’m convinced that a taco bar would be a huge hit, and easy to do. Cook massive amounts of taco meat (easy to do in advance, and then reheat if needed), some beans, shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream, and maybe some tortilla chips. Etc.
Oh, and tortillas, of course! Maybe some spanish rice would also be good. Gotta get those carbs!
For dessert, you could do an ice cream sundae station. Do vanilla, chocolate and maybe one other flavor, and get sprinkles, syrups, cherries, nuts, crushed candies, etc.
Another day: Lasagna, side salad, bread. Dessert: Sheet cake.
For the day at the park, if you have the resources (grills) you could do hamburgers and hotdogs. Get the lean kinds of both, of course! Everyone loves a good cookout. Round it out with fresh fixin’s for the sandwiches, fresh fruit salad, and some pasta salad. Again — carbs are important!
I’m a former competitive runner, and man-oh-man, protein and carbs were my friend.
I’ll come back if I can think of any more. Let us know how it goes! I’ve never cooked for that many, but would like to some day!
Jennifer says
We make BBQ pork in the crock pot. Put a pork roast in, dump in a bottle of BBQ sauce, and cook on low overnight. Shred in the morning. It’s ready for sandwiches! You might also put in a bit of orange juice to make it a little bit tangy. It’s delicious!
Tracy DeLuca says
Can’t believe I did not think of this one! Taco Pie with fixins on the side. These are easy to make and so so good. I love a little lettuce, fresh tomato, cheese, sour cream and black olive on mine… http://faeriecastle.blogspot.com/2009/05/tonights-dinner.html
tyler says
Laura, whatever you do, I’m helping you. I will wash, make sides, do whatever. You just tell me. If you don’t…I’ll just show up at your house. :)
nancy says
In order to stretch the meat in our Sloppy Joes, we add black beans. It is really good!
BBQ Chicken would be good as well.
judy kay says
I have a yummy recipe for black beans and rice. It makes a ton and would double or triple really well. Add some guacamole, cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, onions… yummy. We’ve used them for burritos too and they’re delicious.
Laura V. says
Tammy has a wonderful recipe for a cold chicken pasta salad that is very easily adjusted to make more servings and is very quick and easy to prepare!! http://tammysrecipes.com/chicken_pasta_salad
I also have a standby for larger crowds – chicken enchiladas. They can be made ahead and reheated as needed. I mix shredded chicken with refried beans (to make them more filling), add some cheese and red sauce and roll it all inside tortillas, line them up in baking dishes, top with remaining red sauce, bake until heated thru and then add shredded cheese to top and put it back in oven to melt cheese. Serve with a side salad, salsa and tortilla chips.
Lori says
My standby is taco bar, which someone already mentioned. Assign the various parts of the meal to each cook, it’s easy to set out, doesn’t go bad if outdoors in some heat.
Our church has a campout in Michigan each year in July (total with adults and kids is about 180-200 people), and we do a community dinner each evening. Arrival night is hot dogs; next night is usually Mexican Fiesta (taco bar, and some are assigned to make/bring a Mexican bean side), next is “Crock Pot Smorgasbord” (the cook gets to make whatever she likes in the crockpot, but no sloppy joes or BBQ beef allowed due to the last group meal, which is the “Sandwich Parade”…any hot sandwich filling (BBQ beef/chicken/pork, sloppy joe, etc.)
Most of us make the meals at home, then ziplock them and freeze them. They pack in the coolers, then, for the trip to Michigan (we’re from IL). By the time the meal comes around, they’re thawed but still perfectly fresh, and can be:
A. Heated in a pot on the gas stove or over the campfire
B. Warmed/finished in the crockpot (this campground has an electric post at each campsite…it’s nice!)
Perhaps one of these could spark some ideas.
btw, obviously, some of us are assigned “Main Dish” while others are assigned to bring fresh fruit, salad, cookies/candy. We just have big dispensers of H20 for beverages.
Have fun!
Lori
Sharon says
How about designating a theme to each night? Then, just pick something yummy and easy for that night?
Mexican- Tacos, Enchiladas,Burritos etc..;
Italian–Lasagna, Spaghetti, etc…; American–Grill hot dogs and hamburgers;
Soup & Salad–Couple of different soups and salads;
Baked Potato Bar–It’s all about the toppings on this night!
Sandwich Night–Egg Salad, Chicken Salad served with veggie tray, fruit salad, and chips.
I can’t wait to read about what you came up with.
Kika says
Last night I went to a BBQ at the home of a young friend who joyfully fed over 20 people. I cannot even imagine feeding large groups like this with ease or grace! I stress out when I have a couple people over. I admire you!
Dionne says
If the church as several ovens you could make
pizza. The toppings and dough could be prepared
ahead of time.
How about “chicken spagetti”? It’s basiclly a white sauce with mushroom and shredded chicken. :)
Amber says
How about some homemade pizza. You could make up a bunch of crust ahead of time and then just put them together when the time came. Everyone loves pizza!
We’ve also done a sloppy joe pie where you use biscuits as a crust dipped in milk and then cornmeal and then put the meat mixture in the middle, top with cheese and bake. We do it in a pie dish, but we’ve also done individual ones in muffin tins. Hope this is helpful! Good luck!
Becky says
PASTA!!! Always a staple for me when training for sports. I make my sauce with carrots, sweet potato, cauliflower, zucchini, onion, garlic and of course tomatos. Its loaded with veggies so you don’t need sides, just serve with whole wheat noodles and some cheese.
Let me know if you would like the recipe.
I’ve been a lurker for a while. I found this site about 3 month ago and I have enjoyed your recipes very much! Thank you for sharing your wisdom.
Lorrie says
I noticed someone mentioned a taco bar. You could also do the same thing with a baked potato bar.
I had a large group over last night for dinner. I put 3 roasts in 2 crock pots for about 24 hours. I served BBQ beef sandwiches. You could easily add some fresh fruits and veggies to this.
Danielle says
I was going to say salad myself! You want to make something not heavy, since they will be practicing later. So stay away from breads, rice, starchy foods, anything dense etc.
Bring on the carbs and protein! Carbs will give them energy, and fuel they will need.
So, spaghetti, pasta salad, salad, w/ chicken etc.
Amy says
I am looking forward to seeing what you menu is for this. My suggestion for one of the really hot days is deli sandwiches. I planned something similar to this and I prepared deli trays with various types of good meat (turkey, ham, roast beef, chicken), cheeses, breads and fixins’. Then did pasta and broccoli salad and some chips with homemade cookies for dessert. It was a big hit. Good luck!
Misty says
Totally agree on the taco bar…it’s so easy and they can ultimately fix their own however they like them – just put all the options together. Sandwiches are good…again you can do basics or they can prepare their own. Potato salad or pasta salad or even a green salad would go good with these. Well, that’s all I’ve got!
Melissa Slayton says
Crockpots! I make beef tips in mushroom gravy (aka beef stroganoff) and serve over egg noodles (carbs and protein). I make BBQ pulled pork (or chicken) and serve with potato salad/chips/coleslaw/pickles.
Along the Italian theme, cheese stuffed shells are great! They are easier/faster than lasagna. You can make them up to 24 hours ahead or even freeze them! Add a salad, and you’re good to go!
A chuck roast in the crockpot (or 4!) (with potatoes, carrots, and onions) easily feeds a crowd. Add some rolls and dessert . . . voila!
Make-your-own subs is another easy idea. You don’t even have to assemble them! Add some salad/chips/coleslaw. Great for the park!
How about meatballs? Lots of options — BBQ, meatball subs, sweet and sour, etc.
Lots of dessert options — cherry dump cake, chocolate elcair torte (so easy), ice cream sundaes, bars, cookies, etc. And of course I’m sure these lucky girls will get to taste your brownies!
Email me if you want recipes! Hope this helps!
Audra says
A couple ideas for you! I am a huge fan of Cincinnati chili and have made it for large groups. It is loaded with carbs and protein and is super yummy – more of a cinnamon flavor than normal chili flavor. I make the meat ahead in a huge crock pot and spaghetti at the last minute. Here’s a recipe:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Beef/CincinnatiChili.htm
Also, you could make individual calzones and fill them with yummy goodness. All you would need is pizza dough and fillings. You could make them ahead and just reheat when needed.
I had a rock band and tons of friends (around 20) over for dinner (actually staying with us for a couple days). I roasted a huge turkey and made some mashed potatoes and salad. It was great!
lcg says
Cool things would taste good after all the hot training they’ll be doing.
I suggest lots of salads. Big fruit bowls. I make Mississippi caviar a lot and people like it. Google for a recipe. I usually use lots of different beans–white beans, kidney, pinto, black. 6-7 ears of corn (cut off the cob obviously). Lots of diced peppers. You can really just throw everything in there. Serve with lots of tortilla chips.
Big bowl of tuna salad with some yummy rolls. Big platter of sliced tomatoes with mozarella cheese, italian dressing and basil sprinkled on top. Ice cream floats for a dessert.
Pasta salad–again, easy prep with lots of different ingredients.
There’s that recipe for a broccoli salad out there–raw broccoli, sunflowers seeds, bacon, dried cherries or raisins. It’s wonderful.
There’s a terrific cookbook I always use–called What Can I Bring–that’s ideal for transportable and for a crowd eats.
lcg
lcg says
Here’s a great link that’s a huge rabbit hole of fun…
http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/
randombitsofknowledge says
I don’t know if this has been mentioned… BUT how about a cold noodle salad… Like tuna salad with mayo, sourcream, peas, tuna, cheese chunks! COLD for those hot park days!!!! Or you can use ham… and some cucs, peppers, etc… just use your imagination!
Hope says
I have posted the link to my blog with my upside down pizza recipe. It’s easy & the kids LOVE it!!! It is also pretty inexpensive to make! I hope this helps!
Mia says
A taco bar or Backed potato bar were gonna be my suggestions too. Also you could do Frito Pie, those are fairly easy and you only need the pot for the chili beans plus the toppings. Can’t wait to see your menu for feeding the masses!!
tarena says
How fun!
This week I made dinner for my family and a family of 10 at our church that is unemployed, it was so much fun and such a time of fellowship!
I served pasta (as it is easy to keep warm and can be made in batches…use olive oil to keep it separated before you put the sauce on!) and made up my own “sauce”
I used tons of chopped tomatoes, tons of green onions, tons of extra virgin olive oil, tons of cream, salt, pepper, fresh basil and I added a natural chicken sausage that has garlic, onions and herbs already in it (it is precooked too). The sausage was in links, so I cut them each length wise and then into small chunks to help them go further.
It is one of our favorite summer pastas and it was delicous! The only thing I would have changed was to make the sauce have more liquid than usual…it sat for awhile on the pasta and most of the liquid was absorbed…I did have extra EVOO to drizzle on top, which helped! PTL!
I also served it with a side of fresh french bread that we bought at the store. I made a dipping sauce made of EVOO, balsalmic vinegar and some chopped garlic that was heated in the EVOO.
Of course I made some seperate food with rice noodles for myself to make it gluten free.
I hope this helps, even if you don’t use this recipe, but do a pasta-MAKE IT WITH LOTS OF SAUCE!!
I’ll definatly keep you in my prayers!
Have a blast and take pics if you get a chance!
Steph @ Problem Solvin Mom says
This pulled pork is super easy to make for a big crowd, and it’s a slow cooker recipe so it frees up the rest of your kitchen for whatever else you might be making! I can’t wait to see your menu plan, best of luck, I’m sure it will be a great experience!
Steph @ Problem Solvin Mom says
I suppose that link might help, huh? {{blushing}}
http://problemsolvinmom.blogspot.com/2008/09/slow-cooker-pulled-pork.html
Donna says
1st- Are you outta your mind?
;-)
Just kiddin’! It’ll be a fun challenge!
-make a huge pot of meatballs and several loaves of french bread; make them as long as you can, cut them in portion sizes and serve meatball subs- with a salad
-taco salad bar- blue tortilla chips, lettuce, tomato, sliced black olives, green or regular chopped onions, salsa, refried beans, taco meat, cheese, and maybe some ranch dressing -pretty and filling
-baked spaghetti with breadsticks You can make it in advance and just toss in the oven with some cheese over the top
-pita bread with different stuffins; beans and cheese and salsa, tuna salad, i made some teriyaki beef strips last week for stuffing, egg salad, taco meat shredded lettuce and cheese, endless possibilities!
-your homemade mac and cheese with salad and fruit and/or other veggie sticks and dip
-finger food nite! ‘angeled eggs’, cole slaw, fruit salad, veggie tray, corn dog muffins, etc
-you could cook several roasts, slice it, make gravy and serve with mashed potatoes and salad
-baked tilapia, with side salad, and cold (wheat) pasta salad, and cookies
I can hardly wait to see what you pull together! Be sure one of your boys has the camera, just for us! :-) I’ll say a few prayers for you this week!
Deja says
Javanese Dinner
(serves 40)
Serve buffet style in order given…people can stack up all ingredients, and skip things they don’t like. Great if you have other people offering help – they can each bring an ingredient or 2. Seems like the ingredients don’t work together…but major yum factor! Great with iced tea, and fresh fruit or sherbet for dessert.
steamed rice (enough for a crowd)
5 stewed shredded chickens
1 gallon chow mein noodles
3 cups finely chopped green onions
3 cups finely chopped celery
5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
5 cups shredded coconut
5 cups crushed pineapple
5 cups toasted almond slices
1/2 gallon chicken gravy
Ezzy says
The only things that I can think of are hot dogs and hamburgers.
I would offer to help with dishes one day but I think I live in the wrong state.
lele says
I am our church cook and even with a restaurant grade kitchen the easiest thing is to have one hot item and fill out the rest with easy fillers.
chips, pickles,jello, watermelon sliced in small pieces, if bread isn’t involved bread, muffins or a biscuit to fill in. Goes with hot dogs, BBQ sandwiches or a hot potato bar.
Heather says
I’m guessing I may repeat a few, but I’m too tired to read all the comments (12 month old + only 2 hours of sleep = very tired mommy!).
Make your own tacos is an easy way to feed a crowd with out a lot of heat. That a big batch of spanish or red rice, some refried beans, chips and you are all set to go.
Make your own pizzas is also an awesome thing to do if you don’t mind heating up the house. Have the balls of dough ready to be rolled and the toppings in bowls and everyone can make their own pizza. Serve with a big lettuce salad and drinks and you are all set.
A huge dish of a cold pasta salad with chicken, veggies and ranch style dressing and a fruit plate make an easy simple not terribly heavy meal.
Pulled pork with chips and a veggie tray is another good don’t heat up the house too much thing. I’ve got an amazing recipe for root beer pork in the crock pot if you’d like it. Seriously, it is awesome and no one guesses it has root beer in it, but they love it when I tell them what it is!
I used to feed hungry collage students myself :) Not 30 at once, but I feel your pain. And nothing says yummy summer like a gallon or two of ice cream and some cones or a sundae bar. Not the healthiest, but might be a nice treat at the end of the week if they’ve been working hard in the heat.
Good luck!
Heather
Cheryl H says
Don’t forget about Chinese Cabbage Salad–chopped cabbage, green onions, crunchy ramen noodles, can’t think of the dressing right off hand (but a combo of vinegar, sng. from the ramen noodle packets, sugar), you could add diced chicken, and silvered almonds (carrots too). Sooo yummy! I could make a meal out of it on its own, but it would be a great side with the bbq pork/beef sandwiches or hot dogs/burgers and maybe potato wedges or something like that. Have fun! :)
Also–have you heard of the Duggar Family of 20 in Arkansas (they have a TLC show)? On their website, they list family favorite recipes. Here’s one I’ve tried
SLOW COOKER LASAGNA
4 pounds ground chuck
4 (28oz.) jar spaghetti sauce
32 lasagna noodles
3 (15oz.) cottage cheese
4 t. dried Italian seasoning
11/3 cups water
4 (4oz.) cans of mushrooms
6 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Cook beef and Italian seasoning in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until beef crumbles; drain. Combine spaghetti sauce, mushrooms, seasoned meat and water in bowl. Layer thinly in bottom of lightly greased 5-quart electric slow cooker: 4 uncooked lasagna noodles, sauce mixture, cottage cheese & mozzarella cheese. Repeat for each layer (approx 8 total layers). Cover & cook on high setting for 1 hour; reduce heat & cook on low setting for 5 hours. Can do ahead and store in fridge!! Yields 16 Servings (one FULL 5 quart Crock Pot!!!)
Here’s the link to see more http://duggarfamily.com/recipes.html
Vikki says
My stand by for large groups is always spaghetti, easy to make and easy to keep warm.
But stuffed peppers would work well too. Of course hot dog and burger would be great for park nights if you have a grill. Jazz them up by adding the cheese and bacon right in with the meat, through in some bean salad, coleslaw, potato salad or any other cold salad and you have a serve yourself buffet where everyone can eat as much or little as they need.
I make a cowboy stew that’s very frugal.I soak and cook my own assortment of beans. The brown the meat with onion, garlic and green peppers. Add tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin and beans and let simmer until everything combined well. Add in macaroni and corn just before taking off the heat. They only need a minute or two to make sure they are hot.
Serve with sour cream, cheese, jalapenos and a fresh salad and tortilla chips. It’s not chili by any means but its thrifty and very tasty.
Have the girls make homemade ice cream if you have a large freezer or two, bake up some fresh sugar or oatmeal cookies and stretch the ice cream by making ice cream sandwiches.
A big bot of chili beans with a little ground meat and some cornbread will fit the bill too. Great protein, filling cheap and plenty of carbs too. I like plenty of jalapenos in my chili beans.
Staci says
I agree with lasagna/salad or the taco/burrito bar.
Spaghetti with homemade sauce is quick and good as well.
Turkey sandwiches…cook a whole turkey breast or 2 and slice up.
I used to cook lunch by myself for our class of 20-30 people every Sunday for quite a while and these always went over well. Lots of work, but it was fun because I love to feed people as well. :)
toni says
Hi Laura!!
We have family gatherings alot and this recipe feeds a crowd and the way I make it leaves minimal clean up.
Baked Ziti:
cook 2 pounds of ziti in a very large stock pot.Drain in sink.While pasta is stii in strainer use the same pot to mix a 3 pound container of ricotta cheese,2 eggs,1/2 cup grated parm,salt,pepper,parsley,1 pound of shredded mozzerella.Mix well.Add cooked pasta and two jars of sauce.Mix well. Pour into a big foil pan.Top with more sauce and cheese.Bake @ 350 until bubbly and hot.Oh yeah, cover with foil for first 30 minutes to prevent cheese from burning.
You can serve this with a huge salad and buy that fresh baked Italian bread from Walmart and slice it opened,then spread it with a stick of softened butter with a few cloves of garlic minced into it.Bake until crispy and yummy!
Here`s another recipe for Wendy`s chlil in you`r crockpot:
2 pounds of ground beef,browned
1 29 ounce can tomato sauce
2 15 ounce cans red kidney beans
2 15 ounce cans pinto beans
1 large chopped onoin
1 chopped pepper
1 celery stalk,chopped
3 large tomatoes chopped
1 can green chilis,chopped
a finley chopped jalapeno or habenro( very finley chopped)
2 tsp. cumin
3 Tbs.chlil powder
1-1/2 tsp.black pepper
1 tsp. salt
garlic powder
onion powder
2 cups of water
Measurements for spices are to taste.Add everything to crockpot include liquid with the beans and cook all night.Serve with homemade cornbread!!
I hope you enjoy these recipes!!By the way, don`t be alarmed if you make this and your crockpot looks really full.Just put a bath towel under it.Or,you can cook it on the stove for a few hours instead!!
Pam says
A chicken and rice casserole would be easy to make ahead of time and heat up. I cook the brown rice and make a white sauce, then layer the rice, frozen chicken breasts, frozen broccoli and pour the white sauce over it all. Heat before serving. Quick and easy.
Kelly says
I don’t know if anyone has mentioned Tater Tot Casserole or not. I got the recipe from the Duggar Family website (they feed 20 people 3 meals a day every day of their lives!). It’s maybe not the healthiest recipe in the world, but it is pretty hearty and the boys in my family love it. There are a few other recipes on their website, as well.
And, our family standby is baked mostaccioli. It’s just the cooked pasta, some spaghetti sauce (canned or homemade) and some mozzarella cheese. You can practically make it in a trough!
Jennifer says
Well I think everyone covered my ideas! I was going to suggest a cold pasta salad with veggies, cheese, and italian dressing. Sloppy joes and chili are great for big crowds. And, the chinese cabbage salad is wonderful!
Lindsey @ The Herbangardener says
My solution to feeding a crowd at this time of the year when zucchinis are coming fast and furious is my ZUCCHINI PARMESAN. It’s quick, easy, hearty-but-light, and uses a lot of zucchini. Recipe link is below:
http://herbangardener.com/2009/08/12/eat-well-for-pennies-zucchini-parmesan/
Most importantly, GOOD LUCK!
Lindsey @ The Herbangardener
http://www.herbangardener.com