What about Parties?

Parties are fun, but calculating quantities and costs for refreshments can be a challenge.   Here are several themes, headcounts, and quantities from previous events I’ve coordinated.

Regarding costs, price shop at least 4 grocery stores for large parties before you buy.  In Houston,  Fiesta stores almost always have the overall lowest cost for these items.  If you are buying for 200 or more, you should give the store manager a heads-up several days before you load up your carts.  This allows them to restock for their other customers.  If you contact a Fiesta store manager a week ahead of time and give them your exact list, they will probably even load up shopping carts for you before you arrive!

Techno Study Break

Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets
Awesome Queso (vegetarian and with meat) plus multi-color chips
Soda Shots (Jarritos soft drinks in multiple flavors and colors
Techno Popcorn (Techno colored carmel corn, vanilla flavor)

  • headcount: 200-225
  • 3 large trays Chick-fil-A nuggets
  • 8 lbs Velveeta Cheese
  • 8 cans Rotel
  • 2 lbs. Jimmy Dean sausage
  • 1 lbs. extra lean ground beef
  • 6 bags (4o-oz each) round nacho chips
  • 6 bags (14-oz each) organic blue corn chips
  • 250 cups Techno popcorn
  • 31 bottles Jarritos (1.5 litres each bottle)
  • 240 3-0z cups for soda shots
  • 240 snack plates
  • 240 napkins
  • 240 clear plastic cups for popcorn

Creole Snack Supper

Gumbo (1 batch seafood, 2 batches other meats;  serve vegetarians first, then combine all remaining gumbo so everyone else gets some of the seafood in their bowl)
Rice
Cheese Bread
Tony’s Tiger Bites
Soft drinks/Water bottles

  • headcount: 24
  • 2 lbs. cooked, peeled and cleaned shrimp
  • 1 lb. scallops
  • 4 cups chopped, cooked ham
  • 4 cups chopped cooked chicken
  • 2 lbs link sausage, cooked and sliced into thin rounds
  • 3 boxes Zatarain’s Gumbo base (1 for seafood, 2 for other meats)
  • 2 lbs. frozen, cut okra
  • 1 lb. frozen yellow corn kernels
  • 14 cups cooked white rice (7 cups raw)
  • 3  sourdough baguette loaves
  • 4 cups shredded cheese
  • 3 Tablespoons Italian spices (basil, oregano, garlic salt)
  • 20 oz. Frosted Flakes
  • 1 cup butter
  • 2/3 cup peanut butter
  • 2 bags large marshmallows (10 oz each)
  • 24 total bottles Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, and water
  • 24 bowls
  • 48 napkins
  • 24 spoons

TexMex Snack Supper

Taquitos
Chips
Cheese Queso
Sour Cream
Salsa
Cookies
(drinks, plates, utensils, napkins provided by hosting organization)

  • headcount: 55 people IF you monitor servings: 10 chips + 1/4 cup queso + 4 taquitos + 2 cookies per person
  • 4 boxes beef Taquitos (25 per box)
  • 5 boxes chicken Taquitos (25 per box)
  • 8 large tomatoes
  • 4 bunches cilantro
  • 4 lbs. Velveeta cheese
  • 6 cans Rotel tomatoes
  • 2  bags chips (40 oz. each)
  • 1 lb. container sour cream
  • 12 oz. guacamole dip
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 10-12 dozen cookies

Family-style Picnic Lunch

Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Tuna Salad Sandwiches
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches
Chips
Cookies
Lemonade
Water

  • headcount: 100 sandwich meals  (100 adults eating 1 sandwich each or  200 kids eating 1/2 sandwich each)
  • 10 loaves sandwich style wheat bread (tuna and chicken salad)
  • 6 loaves white bread (PB & J sandwiches)
  • 150 sandwich bags
  • 3-4 lbs. peanut butter
  • 3-4 lbs. total strawberry and or grape jam
  • 10-12 lbs. chicken tenders
  • 96-100 oz. Starkist tunafish packed in water
  • 1 large bunch celery
  • 1 very large jar Miracle Whip (Southern version of mayo)
  • 12 hard boiled eggs
  • 1 12-16 oz. jar sweet pickle relish
  • 1 12-16 oz. jar dill pickle relish
  • 6 bags Frito’s corn chips
  • 6 bags Lay’s Wavy potato chips
  • 4 bags Cheetos
  • 4 packages Oreos cookies
  • 4 packages Nutter Butter cookies
  • 4 packages Chips Ahoy cookies
  • 4 packages Vanilla Cream sandwich cookies
  • 5-10 gallons Country Time Lemonade (buy powder and mix prior to serving)
  • 5-10 gallons instant peach or raspberry tea
  • 72 bottled waters or cooler of ice water

Quesadilla Snack Supper

Cheese Quesadillas
Chips
Salsa
Water bottles plus add-in flavorings
Brownies

  • headcount: 24
  • 48 flour tortillas
  • 10-12 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese or 4-cheese Mexican style blend
  • 2 large bottles chunky, medium-heat Pace picante sauce
  • 1 very large container Daisy sour cream
  • 2 bags tortilla chips (24-30 oz each)
  • 4 boxes Betty Crocker Original Supreme Brownie Mix
  • 8 eggs
  • 2 cups oil

Hamburger and Hot Dog Potluck Picnic

Hamburgers
Kosher Hot Dogs
Shrimp on a Stick (for vegetarians who eat seafood)
Veggie Burgers (for vegans)
Drinks
Encourage attendees to round out the potluck menu by bringing salads, sides, and desserts

  • Frozen hamburger patties (carefully check package content label because the cheapest patties contain organ parts like heart, etc.)  Kroger has a great tasting frozen, all ground beef patty for a pretty reasonable price.
  • Kosher frankfurters
  • Cleaned, raw shrimp
  • Vegan burger patties
  • Hamburger buns
  • Hot Dog buns
  • Miracle Whip (or mayo)
  • Mustard
  • Ketchup
  • Hot dog relish (sweet pickle relish)
  • Cheese slices (individually wrapped)
  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • cans Wolf-brand all beef Chili, no beans (to go on top of hot dogs)