Graduation Party for 100

[legalsec]

I am hosting a college graduation party for my daughter in two months. Although I have the menu figured out, I have no idea of how much of everything to prepare. That's where I need expert help, please.

This is going to a cold, fork buffet (pretty much). The menu is:

Sliced eye roast with horseradish mayo

Sliced turkey breast with cranberry mayo

Sliced ham with some sort of mustard concoction

All above served with petite dinner rolls

Roasted shrimp and orzo salad (Ina's recipe)

Chicken salad veronique (also Ina's)

Caponata

Tortellini salad with pesto, artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes and olives

Asparagus with some sort of orange dressing

Grape tomato and mozarella salad

Deviled eggs (maybe)

Fruit salad

Mini cannolis and pastries (which I'm buying)

So that's it. But how in the world do I figure out how much of everything to prepare? Any and all help, comments, critiques or general offerings will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much,

Kathy

[baroness]

How many people are you inviting/expecting?

Day of the week? Time frame?

[Jaymes]

Just as baroness suggests, much depends upon the time of day. Primarily, is this going to be a full meal at lunchtime or dinnertime? That's where you start to figure out how many pieces per person.

And since it's a college graduation party, will there be lots of college-age men? Because they really eat a lot.

[legalsec]

100 people....saturday afternoon, 2 pm...will have some outdoor tables/seating for those who want, but mostly people just stand around to eat. Everything has to be cold or room temp.

There will be some college aged kids (maybe 30) but otherwise your normal middle aged person and about 15 younger kids

Thanks for any help

Edited April 10, 2009 by legalsec (log)

[Badiane]

Wecome to Egullet

Your menu looks beautiful. Have you done a lot of these type of parties? I've done quite a few, and since you asked, I do have some suggestions for you.

Keep all the meat and bun things - they are so popular and they sound great!

I would eliminate the shrimp in favour of just a plain orzo salad - or a cold rice or other grain salad. I would eliminate the chicken salad and add in some very elegant veggie trays with maybe a Green Goddess dip...not a supermarket tray, but something really Martha-like, with blanched beans and baby romaine leaves and the suchlike. I get where you are headed with the shrimp and chicken, but with the meat you already have, it may be a bit too much. And too hard to temperature regulate.

I would also dump the Caponata. Does anyone really even know what that is? Sure, we like it, but unless your crowd is familiar with it, it probably won't sell.

Go with the devilled eggs, asparagus and pasta salad - those always work well.

If you go with the shrimp salad, it has all that feta, so I would eliminate the tomato and mozzerella in favour of something without cheese. But I don't live in the cheese belt and maybe you do :-)

I would also set up a separate buffet table for the younger kids and have some familiar chips and dip type items, some refreshments on ice that they can help themselves to, that kind of thing. Kids like to help themselves, and adults don't really want to be dishing up from a bowl a kid has been digging through to get to the good bits, if you know what I mean

Again, I think your menu is beautiful, so please know that this is just one woman's opinion on what sells and what doesn't.

[baroness]

I would eliminate the shrimp in favour of just a plain orzo salad - or a cold rice or other grain salad.  I would eliminate the chicken salad and add in some very elegant veggie trays with maybe a Green Goddess dip...not a supermarket tray, but something really Martha-like, with blanched beans and baby romaine leaves and the suchlike.  I get where you are headed with the shrimp and chicken, but with the meat you already have, it may be a bit too much. 

If you go with the shrimp salad, it has all that feta, so I would eliminate the tomato and mozzerella in favour of something without cheese.  But I don't live in the cheese belt and maybe you do :-)

I would also set up a separate buffet table for the younger kids and have some familiar chips and dip type items, some refreshments on ice that they can help themselves to, that kind of thing.  Kids like to help themselves, and adults don't really want to be dishing up from a bowl a kid has been digging through to get to the good bits, if you know what I mean 

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I disagree *strongly* with eliminating the shrimp and chicken salads. Many people are eating less - or NO - red meat these days. And they tend to be younger, demographically. This event is in June, so the warmer weather will make salads even more appealing! Vegetable trays are a good idea to add color and lighten things up a bit, but do offer more than one dip choice.

Keep the tomato and mozzarella salad, IF you can get good tomatoes. It offers a different flavor profile for those who find feta too assertive, and adds another vegetable (which is one category I find a bit thin in this menu).

I do like the idea of a little buffet for the children...but how will the kids feel about it? I always hated being stuck @ the kid's table when I was one--and I would want the 'adult' food. Conversely, some of the non-adventurous adults might eat all the 'safe' food meant for the kids.

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As far as estimating quantities is concerned, there are charts for 'quantity cooking' in some cookbooks and probably online as well.

[legalsec]

Thank you for your most gracious and helpful comments and suggestions. I will definitely heed them. I have searched the web for 'quantity cooking" and really haven't found anything helpful. I suppose what I'm looking for is the quantity for items which are served "as part of a buffet". If I was making pasta salad as a main course for 100, I could estimate. But as one part of the overall buffet the amount is not as clear.

Thanks again for your responses and your welcoming words.

Kathy

[gfron1]

Near the end of THIS THREAD about my recent 100 person cater you'll find some discussion about estimated quantity.

[jackal10]

For quantities think of it in terms of hamburger or steak:

You need to reckon about 6oz of protein per person and the same of everything else. Thats about 40lbs for 100 people

Sliced eye roast with horseradish mayo 10lbs beef

Sliced turkey breast with cranberry mayo 10lbs turkey

Sliced ham with some sort of mustard concoction 10lbs ham

All above served with petite dinner rolls 300 rolls

Roasted shrimp and orzo salad (Ina's recipe) 10lbs shrimp

Chicken salad veronique (also Ina's) 10lbs chicken

Caponata 10lbs

Tortellini salad with pesto, artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes and olives 10lbs

Asparagus with some sort of orange dressing 10lbs - mayo easier

Grape tomato and mozarella salad 10lbs

Deviled eggs (maybe) 200 halves- always popular

Might want to add a green salad as well

[KarenDW]

Hi Kathy

Welcome to the Cooking forum. I cook for 100 people regularly, usually a hot dinner.

If you know the crowd well, you will have an understanding of how many are meat eaters and whether or not shrimp would be a good choice. If there are any people who are following Kosher or Halal food habits, then shrimp and ham would be avoided.

Since your event is mid-day, and not at a typical meal-time, you may be able to get away with much less protein than a dinner-event. I would estimate 4 oz per person, or around 25-30 lbs total; especially if the meats are sliced thinly (which is easier to eat, anyways).

In terms of quantities of each item "as part of a buffet", I generally estimate for 50-60 servings of each item. Some people will want to taste everything, and others will only eat the pasta You can google-search "growlies for groups" for some other quantity-cooking at home suggestions.

The rest of my suggestions are more around presentation than about quantity. Please consider that this is only one person's opinion, and that the ambient temperature in your region may affect how anything or everything is plated.

* It's easier to keep the food at safe serving temperatures if you divide into smaller platters. Put out one at a time, keeping the others in the fridge. Ditto for bowls of salad. Using smaller platters/bowls will also help to mitigate the issues of kids picking through the platters...

* With the salads, a plastic zipper bag takes much less room in the fridge, rather than storing in the serving bowl.

* If you keep the cranberry and mayo separate, there is "something" for people who don't eat mayo.

* a small plastic bowl, half-filled with water & frozen, can serve as an ice-block/cooler in the bottom of a salad bowl.

Do you entertain for large groups often? You may want to consider hiring one or two helpers to keep platters refreshed, and other things generally tidy.

Have fun!

Karen

[legalsec]

What great suggestions from everyone...particularly freezing the water and storing in plastic bags. That one I never would have thought of and storage has always been one of the problems.

Although I don't do this often, I have entertained this was about ten times (usually milestones like graduations and such). Each time it seems to get harder and I start panicking earlier and earlier wondering what I have gotten myself into. I always try to serve things that I can make 2 - 3 days in advance since I don't have any help. The deviled eggs, though, will be a first and they have me stumped. Can I make them ahead and how in the world do I store 200 deviled egg halves? Ah, what's a mother to do?????

Thank you all, again, for your invaluable help.

Kathy

[baroness]

For the eggs, you could make the filling and store it in a zipper-close bag. Snip off the corner of the bag to pipe the filling into the egg white halves as you make the trays. IMO, 200 eggs, with all the other choices, seems too high. I'd make 96 (4 dozen).

If you are a member of a warehouse club, check out their pastry trays. I've found very decent baklava assortments which are wildly popular. And if you overbuy, any sealed packages could be returned.

[PopsicleToze]

Thank you for your most gracious and helpful comments and suggestions.  I will definitely heed them.  I have searched the web for 'quantity cooking" and really haven't found anything helpful.  I suppose what I'm looking for is the quantity for items which are served "as part of a buffet".  If I was making pasta salad as a main course for 100, I could estimate.  But as one part of the overall buffet the amount is not as clear.

Thanks again for your responses and your welcoming words.

Kathy

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Google "cooking for a crowd"

No really

You'll find some tips/quantities

Your menu sounds delightful

[EllenC]

I do these types of parties a few times a year and I think your menu looks good. I agree with all of Jackal's suggestions.

You can buy the eggs at Costco (96 eggs is 192 halves - I doubt Jackal will mind that you are 8 halves short). I would boil the eggs and make the filling in a zipper bag as suggested. If you put two halves of egg white back together you can store them in a container and just put paper towells between the layers of hollow eggs. Then fill from the bag just before serving.

I also suggest some sort of crudites and dip. But with as much as you are doing, feel free to buy them at Costco and rearrange them on another platter.

Have fun!

[legalsec]

I do these types of parties a few times a year and I think your menu looks good.  I agree with all of Jackal's suggestions. 

You can buy the eggs at Costco (96 eggs is 192 halves - I doubt Jackal will mind that you are 8 halves short).  I would boil the eggs and make the filling in a zipper bag as suggested.  If you put two halves of egg white back together you can store them in a container and just put paper towells between the layers of hollow eggs.  Then fill from the bag just before serving. 

I also suggest some sort of crudites and dip.  But with as much as you are doing, feel free to buy them at Costco and rearrange them on another platter.

Have fun!

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Again, a great, great suggestion. Thank you, thank you, thank you all!!

[kbjesq]

I love your menu and ideas but at 2 pm in the afternoon, I think you are going to have a lot of leftovers if you think that every one of the teens is going to eat 3 or 4 oz of protein and a few rolls plus all the other sides, and dessert.

I think you need to scale back. I do a lot of cooking for between 50 and 250 high school kids (special events, at least 5 or 6 per year) and I would suggest no more than 2 oz of protein per person and 4 oz. of sides, plus bread and dessert, especially at this time of day.

There are a lot of high school kids who for whatever reason won't eat in front of each other, or will only nibble. Except for dessert. They usually gobble that up in quantity. At 2 in the afternoon, many will have eaten lunch already or assume that this is just going to be nibbles.

Just my .02. But I love your menu and kudos to you for doing this for your kid!

[baroness]

I love your menu and ideas but at 2 pm in the afternoon, I think you are going to have a lot of leftovers if you think that every one of the teens is going to eat 3 or 4 oz of protein and a few rolls plus all the other sides, and dessert.

This depends on how the invitations are worded; 2 PM IS Lunchtime for some of us. If it's meant to be lunch, maybe 1.5 rolls per person rather than 3.

I think you need to scale back.  I do a lot of cooking for between 50 and 250 high school kids (special events, at least 5 or 6 per year) and I would suggest no more than 2 oz of protein per person and 4 oz. of sides, plus bread and dessert, especially at this time of day.

Though some scaling back is advisible, I wouldn't go this far. The boys' appetities will make up for the girls who will barely eat in public!

There are a lot of high school kids who for whatever reason won't eat in front of each other, or will only nibble.  Except for dessert.  They usually gobble that up in quantity.  At 2 in the afternoon, many will have eaten lunch already or assume that this is just going to be nibbles. 

Just my .02.  But I love your menu and kudos to you for doing this for your kid! 

Amen! I hope she appreciates all this thought and effort!

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