As I shared on Friday, we currently have a house full of guests, meaning that there are 8 hungry bellies (7 adults, 1 pre-teen) to fill each night!
I Must Confess: at first I panicked! This is not as simple as working out what to cook for guests visiting for just one meal.
No, this is more about how to feed a crowd – on a budget – and keeping it fast and easy, so that I’m not a slave in the kitchen for the duration of their stay.
But when I did a bit of planning I realised there are several recipes in my repertoire which seem to go a long way, or can easily be expanded.
I thought I’d share my ideas with you, in case you also find that you have to feed a crowd!
Menu Ideas for Feeding a Crowd
Lasagne – I use 1 kilogram of mince to make one large and one small baking dish of lasagne even when there are only 3 of us in the house (lasagne is great for leftovers). Add a crunchy salad and some garlic bread and you’re guaranteed a meal to fill the hungriest of tummies!
Silverside – (or silverfish as Miss 19 used to call it when she was small!). If you have a big crockpot, pop the meat and the vegies (whole spuds, carrots, big chunks of sweet potato) in, and let it simmer all day. Then when it’s time for dinner, all you have to do is rustle up a quick cheese sauce (I do mine in the microwave). Alas, my crockpot isn’t a big one BUT I will still make this, and just steam the vegies.
Porcupine Meatballs – A firm favourite of mine since childhood! Again, I use 1kg mince to make the meatballs, roll them in rice (the “quills” of the porcupine), and simmer in a can of tomato soup mixed with a can of water (may need extra water during cooking). Serve with mashed potato and vegies.
Barbecue – Now this dinner idea will ensure that the men step up to the plate (pun intended!) when it comes to cooking. Open a tin of pineapple, one of corn, and add a salad – I find this brown rice salad recipe is a real crowd pleaser. Or add tomatoes, mushrooms and corn cobs to the grill.
Hot Dogs – Transform the humble snag by offering a gourmet selection of condiments – fried onions (of course!), tomato sauce, mustard, grated cheese, peanut butter, BBQ sauce. You *could* use bread rolls; or just wrap it in bread if you are slack a no-fuss cook like me 😉 .
Burritos – Use 1kg of mince in your favourite chilli con carne recipe, then lay out a dozen burritos, salad ingredients and sour cream and let the crowd feed themselves!
Honey Pork Wraps – Actually, grab another packet of burritos while you are at the supermarket, some pork rashers, and a bag of crunchy Asian salad (coleslaw, noodles and thousand island dressing if you want to make your own). Cut the pork up into strips and fry – when cooked add honey, continue cooking until honey caramelises and pork looks brown and crispy. Then everybody can make their own wraps.
Roast – You can’t go past a traditional roast dinner – whether your preferred meat is lamb, chicken, beef or pork. Buy two of whatever you would normally get. Then get the troops peeling and cutting up veges, bung ’em in the oven and an hour or so later all you have to do is whip up a jug of instant gravy.
Whew! I think I’ve come up with more than enough recipes for the next week – especially when I remember that we will probably head out for some meals – fish and chips by the seaside, takeaway pizza etc.
What are your “go to” recipes when feeding a crowd for dinner?!
Hey Janet! My go-to recipes are several of the above, plus spaghetti bolognaise or pasta bake. I find barbecues one of the easiest ways to feed a crowd, as sausages are relatively cheap and you can fill them up with some potato bake and a couple of lovely salads. Pizza is another good option for us, especially as our son works at a pizza shop near where we live. Enjoy your time with your visitors 🙂
Yes, we got pizza on Tuesday night 🙂
A beef or chicken curry with rice is also a good crowd pleaser. Just throw all the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it simmer all day. Otherwise lasagne or a BBQ are my go to “feed the visitors” dishes. I like the idea of the burritos however.
I don’t often eat curry, as it disagrees with me 🙁
This is my house every week. With 6 in the house (including 3 teens) I have to try and find cheap but healthy and substantial meals every night. Not as easy as it looks. Every meal you mentioned is on my 3 week roster cycle.
Wow, that’s a lot to cook for!
We had 6 adults and 5 kids for the Easter weekend this year so easy meals were definitely on the cards. We had a BBQ and roast to feed the masses. Our biggest struggle was fitting all of the food in the fridge!
I’m finding that too Tegan!
Great ideas! I often freak out at the idea of feeding a crowd. I like lots of finger food and varied nibbles, but it’s expensive. I worry that my cooking won’t seem up to scratch – I get embarrassed about revealing my week to week cooking adventures – like I feel exposed. I am SO WEIRD! Which is weird, because I’m not bad at cooking at all! I envy my brother who does it with ease (and enjoyment)!
I’m much more comfortable with ordering takeaway or a BBQ!! x
Kez, I get nervous when cooking for others too, which is weird because I’m actually a really great cook normally!
Where was this post last week when I needed it? 🙂
Oops sorry Pinky! 😉
Some great ideas there Janet.
I never have to feed a crowd. Ever. I don’t have a big family – brother, SIL and niece and my mum. If there are extended family ‘things’ I’m never the host as I’m so far from domesticated it’s ridiculous.
I love your suggestions though and will keep some of those in mind cos I think they’d work for smaller groups (and / or needing leftovers to heat up!).
Usually with large groups it’s easier to get takeaways but I figured with them being here for over a week, that would grow old REALLY fast …
Turkey burgers with pesto and feta cheese. Easy and everybody loves them. If it’s cold, beef stew and cornbread. Yum!
I forgot stew – another good one!
I love roasts. They require the least attention and always come off gourmet.
I think I’ll be doing a roast tomorrow night 🙂
The only things we can make that we know everyone will eat are tacos and spaghetti lol. I love lasagne and casserole, stirfries etc but Trent refuses to eat them. Drives me nuts.
Wow, so he will eat spaghetti but not lasagne? That’s weird! I went through a stage where I’d overdosed on spaghetti and couldn’t face it for years, but am over that now!
Mexican food! Tacos/burritos/fajitas – all excellent because people put it together themselves.
Yes! Which is why a couple of these made it to my list 🙂