Keep Ellen Cooking!
Support New Pages!

Cook Talk

Wedding Reception for 160 people
Lisa 10/20/15	Hi Ellen, I am buying the food for my daughter's wedding reception and having a friend cook it. Our menu is staying simple. ham - wanted to do the pre cooked and slice them and use pineapples whole corn green beans whole new potatoes - season with butter/parsley rolls dessert is the wedding cakes and some candy on the popcorn bar sw and uswet tea, coffee, water punch can you tell me if I am calculating my food purchase correctly? plans are to buy: 40LB of boneless ham 7-#10 cans of whole kernel corn 8-#10 cans of green beans 80#10 cans of whole new potatoes 14 doz of rolls about 4 gallons of punch about 5 gallons of tea making coffee as needed but beginning with 2 -3 gallons I appreciate your help and look forward to hearing back from you very soon. Not much time left. I only have 3 weeks left to plan. thanks much!! Lisa
ellen 10/20/15	Lisa, this is less food than I would buy for a buffet service for this many people, especially if it is self serve. 40LB of boneless ham- 60 7-#10 cans of whole kernel corn- 8 8-#10 cans of green beans-8 80#10 cans of whole new potatoes-10 14 doz of rolls-at least 20 pounds, or 1 1/2 per person- get good ones, not squishy need 5 pounds of butter about 4 gallons of punch- at least 8 about 5 gallons of tea- at least 10, 12 would not be a bad idea, 1/4 unsweetened with no cal sweeteners available, 30-40 lemons in wedges Why Wedding Dinners Need an Appetizer Table A self-catered buffet is a real challenge to the organizers, and things don't always come together as smoothly as hoped. By planning and setting up an appetizer area or "nibble table" which is ready when the guests begin to arrive, the cooks and servers have time to complete the arrangement of the dinner buffet. This is especially critical if there are children among the guests, or there is a wait before dinner, as at a wedding reception. This does not have to be complicated. Three items, plus a punch, or two if one is alcoholic, are sufficient. Typically, include a fruit tray, a cheese tray and an attractive dip or spread; or you can go with a dinner theme such as TexMex with chips, salsas, Texas caviar and guacamole; Italian with bruschetta or antipasto; maybe shrimps or other cold seafood, if budget permits. One appetizer service area serves about 100 guests. You would do well with 2 service areas. I hope this helps. If I have saved you time, trouble, or money, please make a donation, a nickel or dime per guest, to support this site. Thank you.