Timing of food and what to serve for communion

I know it is early but I am trying to plan out as much as I can for DS's communion in April. I am having it at home with family, but just my family is about 40 adults and then a whole bunch of kids.

The ceremony is at 10am and while the church is only 3 miles from my house. The traffic getting out of the parking lot can take up about 15 minutes to get home. The ceremony is an hour.

On the invite I am just going to put "lunch to follow at Sxxxx residence". I thought about doing a time, like noon, but then I don't want people to feel like they can come back to the house if they come at 10. All my family is coming from Queens and LI and I am in Central Jersey.

Now this is what I came up. I am hiring a waitress, maybe 2 and I will have her come early, around 9 because I have to at the church at 9:30. She can set everything else that I didn't already do.
I was thinking of serving brunch type of food instead of appetizers. Things like:
-bagels with cream cheese, lox, pickled onions, butter
-spinach quiche
-another quiche with potatoes and something else (need to find recipe)
-home made muffins, probably GF banana but and then a carrot, raisin and walnut, blueberry
-cured meats platter and some cheese
Have coffee made.
-fruit platter
So guest would arrive and all that would be waiting for them.

Then I have lunch. I am going get a hero or 2 and I may cater 3 hot dishes or make them. I am still undecided. I was thinking about serving that around 2. Do you think that works out? I feel like it gives people enough time between food.

Is that too much?I know if I tell my DH my idea he is going to tell me I am nuts so I'm not telling him, lol.

I have a lot of kosher bagel places by me, do they make platters? What would I ask for? Should I just stick to plain mini bagels to make my life easier?

Re: Timing of food and what to serve for communion

I wouldn't serve brunch foods and then lunch foods later-

I would just do a brunch - beef up what you have already with some "lunchier" items. In addition to what you have, which all sounds good - I might add a potato dish, a ham or a turkey, add more cold cuts to the cured meats platter, and I might do 1 pasta.

I would be super full after eating brunch and wouldn't want to have another full meal a couple hours later. I would just do a fuller brunch and then a nice dessert spread.

Message edited 1/15/2015 2:59:26 PM.

Re: Timing of food and what to serve for communion

Timing of food and what to serve for communion

I say 4 o'clock is perfect.

Timing of food and what to serve for communion

that is a lot of food, I would do one or the other. I would brunch with a cold cut platter.

I have been thinking along those lines as well. I am pregnant with #3 and started thinking about the Christening. Most likely, I will have the party at our house. the mass is at 1030 and is about an hour/hour and half.
So, I am thinking of having some dips and apps and serve either brunchy foods like quiche, bagels, cold cut platter or just making two trays of baked ziti, a salad, and something else. I haven't decided.

I am kind of torn. I know if I went to a party and food was out for 12pm, and there were a choice of bagels or hero, I would probably eat the hero rather than the bagel. so I might just cut out bagels.

btw, I just read your other comment about your parties lasting all day. then I would do a small brunch with quiche, bagels, and muffins.
and bring out the hot dishes like the pasta/beef etc later around 4pm.

Timing of food and what to serve for communion

I would probably do either a light brunch and early dinner or apps when they get there and a big lunch.

Re: Timing of food and what to serve for communion

Since I have experience with your type parties I definitely know you have to do to a few meals for the family. LOL!

We have done platters at Wegmans for Yom Kippur, but it's a fish platter so not sure how much your family would like. We do lox, white fish, cream cheese, egg salad, etc. My mom is picky so she goes to J & H for the salad platters like tuna, egg, etc. Get sliced tomatoes too. We love Yorktown or Bagel W.
Up to you if you want to do the quiches, but you've also just done pizza then dinner shortly after with lots to nosh on so I really don't think you need to go nuts with that. Maybe cheese and fruit.

Congrats and if you need any help or fridge space I'm here.

Re: Timing of food and what to serve for communion

Your family sounds like mine. I would plan for a big brunch when you first arrive home from church, and a smaller "linner" type lunch/dinner combo for those who linger.

Timing of food and what to serve for communion

We did this for DD's baptism. I just had snacks out on all the tables and had lunch delivered around 12:30. It worked out fine

Timing of food and what to serve for communion

Your family sounds like mine. I would put something on the invitation about when to arrive at the house, because many people won't go to church.
Having said that, you will be getting out of church around noon? 11:30? It depends on how many kids are making their first Communion together. Then, they all want to take pics with their friends outside the church. Then your family will take pics outside the church. By the time you're done, you can just start your food at like 1. It could take awhile to get the food warmed up and going once you walk in.
If you want to have a cold cut platter and some antipasti stuff for the people who followed you home from church, then do it. By the time you all get home, settle in, turn on the sterno racks etc. it can get nutty.