Realistically, are you looking at planning a hundred baskets, or a thousand? I don't know how many people will attend.

You could do it by offering-

Basic- chips, cheese, jalapenos, and one topping
the works- choice of all or any (price as if they will all order everything).

chips, 1 pound per 6 servings=
nacho cheese, 5-6 #10 cans for 200
shredded cheese, skip. Slows things down a lot and you need a microwave or oven/broiler for them to be good
chili, taco meat, do only the hot dog chili here:
Classic Drive-in Hot Dog Chili for 100
Mild, slightly sweet, freezes well, cook a little longer if you want it thicker. Chill overnight if you want to skim fat. All chili is better the second day.

16 pounds ground beef (if you use ground turkey, add 1/4 cup oil)
5-1/2 cups beef broth
8 (10 ounce) cans tomato sauce (use part tomato paste for thicker chili)
8 cups ketchup
3/4 cup and 2 tablespoons chili powder
1-2 tablespoons salt
3 tablespoons ground black pepper
3 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons onion powder
2-3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
OPTIONS:
add up to 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1-2 tablespoons mustard, 1-2 tablespoons cumin, garlic powder or crushed garlic to taste, 1-2 tablespoons cayenne

Place ground beef in a large saucepan with broth and mash the beef with a potato masher to break apart. Stir in tomato sauce, ketchup, chili powder, salt, black pepper, sugar, onion powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, turn to simmer and cook over medium heat until the chili has thickened slightly and the beef is fully cooked, at least 30 minutes.

One is probably enough, it is OK to run out

refried beans, good, but you need to heat serving size 1/3 cup, do 2-2 1/2 gallons. Could also do unsmashed beans, which are easier to spread around the serving

lettuce, tomatoes, onion, SKIP offer a chunky salsa or piquante sauce instead. serving size 3 tablespoons. 1 1/2 gallon

jalapenos- 2 gallons for 200- serving size is 3 tablespoons level
sour cream- 12-14 pounds, serving 2-3 tablespoons

Several bottles of shake on hot sauce for the burnt-mouth enthusiasts.

If you were to do nachos and tacos or walking tacos, I would strongly recommend combining all in one as discussed in this thread and on the taco bar for 100 page (you would do 1 1/2 times the amounts for 100.

With nachos, whole beans rather than refried are the best choice.

If you do nachos, your fiesta meal could enchiladas, rice, beans, salad and colorful fruit trays.

enchiladas, 12 per each 5 people, 2/3 meat, 1/3 cheese
1 pint sour cream per each 15 people
rice, 18 pounds dry, which is about 130 cups, several mexican and spanish rice recipes on this site.
beans, 5 gallons (6 #10 cans or 12 pounds dry)
salad, use the plan for 100 page
I suggest 3-4 gallons of corn or mango salsa
colorful fruit trays, use the fruit tray page, the deluxe fruit tray for 100 would be about right. A fruit tray with plenty of melons and pineapple makes a great side for this.

www.ellenskitchen.com/forum/messages/43504.html

You have a good plan for types of appetizer foods.

Also there is a menu challenge. If this is at a meal time, Andrea, it is not enough food. A typical Tex Mex wedding dinner would add at least rice and enchiladas, and most would have fajita style meat (sliced grilled beef/chicken), not just hamburger.

If it is a 2 hour afternoon reception, the nacho bar as you discussed is workable.

Also we as a committee are planning on cooking / preparing it all ourselves. How much does something like this cost?

Also, look at the "out of the trash bag walking taco salad" recipe for some additional hints. If it is primarily a lady group, you need somewhat different amounts than men or mixed adults or teens.

You will need at least 4 serving line for this many people, 6 would be better; 15-20 volunteers to set up, serve and clean up, and 4-5 people in the kitchen day of.

You will have to figure your costs locally, there is way too much regional variation. Also, choices matter; for example, boneless chicken thigh meat can be bought for $1 a pound on sale and at restaurant supplies and makes much better and cheaper shredded meat than ground beef. Some kind of whole beans or refried cuts down on the meat and gives any vegetarians a filler for their nachos.

How much do i need each for 900 people?

Chips-
Sour cream-
Nacho Cheese-
Salsa-
Refried Beans-
Jalapenos-

For safety sake, a pot of hot food can only be out 2 hours before discard, and you can't put new cheese or beans on top of old. Recruit a LOT of crock pots; for 600 people you are looking at at least 15-18 #10 cans of nacho cheese topping, 12- 15 #10 can beans or refried beans, and the largest crock pots only hold about 1 1/2 cans.

Chips, at least 1 pound per 8, per 6 is more likely for do it yourself plates. Consider adding shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes for the many guests who will be limiting carbs; it creates the option for "taco salad".

Most dried beans slightly more than double in both volume and weight once cooked. Exceptions are garbanzos, black beans and black-eyed peas. A pound of dried chickpeas or black beans more than triples in weight, and goes from a little under 3 cups dried to 7 cups once cooked. One pound dried black-eyed peas becomes 2 pounds 13 ounces once cooked and drained, but the volume only doubles.

Use the taco/potato bar for the nacho toppings, instead of the taco shells, at least 10 pounds chips per 100- but you might consider dong it as a taco bar, it will seem more luxurious at similar cost.

A refried bean dip would be a good addition- based on 1 #10 can per 100

Use a water bath on the chafing dishes that hold the cheese- you need at least 2 set ups

I am hosting a Welcome Party and having drinks and a Nacho Bar for about 75-100 adults from 7PM to 10PM. I am having Chips (regular and blue), Salsa (medium and would like to add maybe a mango and corn salsa), Guacamole, Queso, Cowboy Caviar, canned sliced jalapeños. We are not having any meats. The only warm dish we are having is the queso.

We will also have cookies - chocolate chips (I have about 140), Black and whites (need to order not sure of amount yet), and Rainbow Cookies (need to order not sure how many yet).

Can you tell me
how many Chips,
how much Queso and Guacamole,
and Cowboy Caviar to have on hand?

Thank you so much!