BBQ Menu Thoughts?

We're having a BBQ with about 15 people, no kids. DH says this is too much, I say no such thing. Was planning to do:

Buffalo chicken dip
Corn salsa
Spinach dip
Hummus
Tzatziki
With assorted pita chips, tortilla chips, crackers, etc.

Hot dogs- one of those giant packs from BJs
Hamburgers- 20 of them
Chicken burgers- will buy 16
BBQ chicken breast- a few lbs I guess
Pork sausage- 2 large rings 1 hot 1 sweet
Chicken sausage- 2 large rings 1 hot 1 sweet
Sauteed peppers for the sausage
Corn on the cob

Pasta salad
Quinoa salad
Bacon cheddar ranch potato salad
Pesto potato salad

Fruit salad, s'mores, and a mix of whatever looks good at Dortoni for dessert

I know it seems like a lot of chicken, but my friend and I don't eat red meat. Not a lot of fish lovers.

1 vegetarian who doesn't eat vegetables or fish and apparently can't have dairy

Re: BBQ Menu Thoughts?

I think that is a LOT of meat.

I don't think you need hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken burgers, chicken breast, chicken sausage and pork sausage for that many people.

i probably wouldn't do hot dogs AND sausage.

and I would do chicken breast OR chicken burger

and pasta salad, 2 potato salads, and quinoa salad is also too man carby sides. I would do 2 of those and then add a green salad.

Re: BBQ Menu Thoughts?

It is a lot of food but I am like you- I always like to have more than not enough.

The only thing is, I don't think you need 2 types of potato salad. I'd nix one.

As far as the person who doesn't eat meat, or veges or dairy- honestly, they should bring their own food that they can eat with that many dietary restrictions!

Re: BBQ Menu Thoughts?

too many sides/ salads IMO

i dont do normal bbqs or have a set menu. i just go to the markets the day of and get whatever is on sale/ looks good. whole red snappers, lobsters, shrimp, steaks, chicken wings... and just throw stuff on the grill. no major prep either. salt, peper, oregano for everything. wings get franks hot sauce or bbq sauce- i fold them into lil ninja stars and toss on the grill. sausage wheels are fairly inexpensive and are soooo tasty on the grill. Fairway for everything

BBQ Menu Thoughts?

Thank you all! The carby sides are partially because the vegetarian will have to make a meal of them and partially because it's a bunch of picky eaters who won't touch something with tomato, or feta, or bacon, etc. The ranch potato salad was a special request from my bff who could eat pounds of it (not to toot my own horn, but it is good!)

Re: BBQ Menu Thoughts?

I always say never enough food, but this does seem like overkill. This could feed a much, much bigger party. You don't want to be stuck eating all of those leftovers for a week or two.

The appetizer dips all are delicious but that's too much. I would pick 3 of those instead of all 5.

You have way, way too much meat. I feel like keep the regular hamburgers. Choose chicken burgers or chicken breasts. Ditch the other one. Pick one sausage, or do 1 ring of each instead of 2 of each. Do you really need the hotdogs if you having hamburgers and sausage and chicken? Sausage and hot dogs are similar.

Everything else looks fine and don't forget drinks!!

BBQ Menu Thoughts?

I think there's too much meat, too many dips and pick one of the two potato salads. For meats, I'd do the pork sausage w/ peppers, chicken breast and hamburgers. And pick 2 or 3 dips. You will have a ton of leftovers if you stick to your original menu for only 15 people.

Re: BBQ Menu Thoughts?

That's a TON of food. I had a BBQ for a few more people, made less food, and had a ton left over still.

I'd do a pasta salad OR a quinoa salad, the ranch potato salad, and add a green salad (put tomatoes in the side if there are a bunch of tomato haters, or use grape tomatoes so they are easy to avoid).

You also don't need all those apps. For my BBQ I put out veg and hummus, and chips, salsa, and guac. If people fill up on all those heavy appetizers they won't want to eat the main course food. Plus, it's summer and HOT out so people might not want heavier dips anyway. I'd nix the tatzki for that reason too- since it's a yogurt dip it might get gross.

I don't think you need chicken burgers AND chicken breasts. Pick one (Id get the breasts since you are already getting hamburgers). I'd also do 2 rings of sausage at most, and just do chicken sausage. I'd also nix the hot dogs or do fewer or each hot dogs and burgers.

Also think about how big your grill is. If you can't fit all of this onto the grill at once, then people will start eating stuff as it comes off and be too full.

For my BBQ we went through 1 sausage ring, 2 packs of chicken legs, 18 or so kofta kabobs, 10 swordfish/veg kabobs, a few veg only kabobs, most of a giant bowl of pasta salad, and a half bowl each of lentil salad and health salad.

We didn't even bother making the hamburgers and hot dogs that we had bought, because everyone was too full at that point, and had a bunch of swordfish kabobs and a ton of veg kabobs left over in addition to the salads.

Eta - don't forget, people aren't going to have one of everything. If you are having 15 people, and one is a veg and 2 don't eat red meat, then that's only 12 people max who would have a hamburger. Same for hot dogs, etc.

Message edited 8/2/2015 7:59:10 AM.

Re: BBQ Menu Thoughts?

We usually do a similar menu, but for 20ish people.

I don't think you need that many chicken burgers though. I can't imagine that many people eating them TBH.

Re: BBQ Menu Thoughts?

Re: BBQ Menu Thoughts?

Think about it this way..is anyone going to eat apps, then a hamburger, then a chicken burger, then a hot dog, then a piece of chicken, then a piece of sausage, and also have sides?

I would probably do hot dogs, chicken, hamburgers, 2-3 dips, and 2 salads tops

BBQ Menu Thoughts?

Thanks all. I nixed the sausage and quinoa salad. We had a good amount left over but not as much as I thought. We kept a few things for ourselves, but my bff informed me that she skipped grocery shopping that morning because she knew I'd have too much and she'd get leftovers!