Barbecue grills can hold a lot of food.
Hosting an event where many people attend often means providing a lot of food to eat. While it is a lot of work to prepare food for a crowd, ways exist to minimize the effort. Prepare some food ahead of time and enjoy yourself at the event. The choices are many for putting together a theme and dishes to feed a large crowd, but the primary concern should be serving easy-to-plate and -eat food, avoiding food like soup, which is easy to spill, or intricate food to prepare like souffl s.
Taco Bar
Mexican food is a good way to feed many people and is relatively easy to prepare and serve. Cooking the meat and freezing ahead of the gathering frees up time before the party for cleaning or running necessary errands. The meat for a taco bar can include finely-crumbled, seasoned ground beef, diced, cooked chicken or shredded pork shoulder. Vegetables like diced tomatoes, onions, scallions, black olives and lettuce are easy to prepare a day ahead of time. Shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, along with mild to hot salsas top the tacos, which can be flat in the form of tostada shells or folded as a bona fide taco shell.
Potato Bar
Almost everyone likes and can eat baked potatoes, which are easy to prepare in the oven. The potatoes can be baked shortly before the party or served as twice-baked potatoes, which can be prepared ahead of the event and frozen. Easy meat to serve with a potato bar could include bacon, ham, turkey, meatballs in gravy, or chicken. Vegetables to serve with a potato bar include corn off the cob, peas, cooked carrots and broccoli mixed with red peppers. Some people enjoy dinner rolls with a meat and potatoes meal; serving butter, jellies and jams may please your guests as well.
Sandwiches
Sometimes it's a good idea to let your guests choose what they want by providing the basic ingredients for them to create their own. A buffet loaded with sandwich makings including rolls or bread, cold cuts, cooked and shredded meats in barbecue sauces, and a variety of sliced cheese. Vegetables like lettuce, sliced tomatoes, onions, pickles and olives add to the diversity of food. Other condiments traditionally served with sandwiches include butter, mayonnaise and mustard. Fresh fruit salads, melon slices or bowls of berries make a light finish as dessert.
Barbecues
Barbecues are classic ways to serve a large crowd when the weather is warm and dry. Hot dogs, hamburgers, varieties of chips, pasta salads, buns for the meat and cheese slices are easy to put on the table. You can assign someone to the grill to prepare the meat. Prepare salads a day or two ahead of time and dish up the condiments like pickles, olives and onion slices. Baked beans are simple to prepare ahead of time, refrigerate and serve in a slow cooker or cold. Fruit is a good dessert for a barbecue, as are cakes and cookies.
One Dish Meals
Casseroles combine starches, protein and vegetables in one dish that is easy to serve. These dishes can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen for easy heating later. Lasagna is universally popular and, paired with garlic bread and salad, creates a filling meal. Scalloped potatoes and ham are also a kind of casserole that can include cheese and onions and, paired with salads, fills out the meal.
Tags: ahead time, easy prepare, before party, large crowd, many people