Ellen's Kitchen

ELLEN'S KITCHEN Cook Talk

Graduation party Ideas and/or HELP!
Kelly 05/28/08	170 people for graduation party.....how much do I need? Shrimp Meatballs Cheese tray veggie tray chocolate fountain (strawberries, banannas, ritz crackers, pineapple) Spinach dip Tossed salad BBQ Beef Pulled pork Coleslaw Chicken wings Also, instead of sheet cake, we ordered cupcakes, (chocolate & white with different fillings) How many cupcakes, will everyone eat one? Some of the kids will eat more than one? Need your help! My biggest fear is running out of food, (we ran out at our wedding reception) Party is set from 2:00 - 7:00. Having it a old reformatory where guests can take 1-2 hours tours also. (hoping this will help with not needing as much food)
ellen 05/28/08	What age persons and what are your refrigeration, cooking, and sserving arrangements? What beverages? If this is high school or college, I would DEFINITELY add good bread and a pasta or potato salad- the meal items are light and the eaters will eat a lot more fruit and especially shrimp with no carbs. If teens and young twenties, simply count as 200 to help with quantities; as a friend observed once, "they eat like locusts". Many of these items are already covered on this site. For example, I am going to tell you to prepare a basic estimate for your chocolate fountain, veggies, cheese board and salads based on the tables, post your estimates, and I will check them. Write back.
Kelly 05/28/08	Ellen; Thank you for your response. I am planning on cooking a electric roaster full of rigatoni, (sorry forgot to mention) ordered 5 loaves of fresh italian bread from bakery. Beverages - Beer, wine, ice tea and soda. High school graduation - wide age group, many between 30 - 45 years old. My problem in reading your site over and over, is your basic estimate just for that particular product or do you take into consideration all the other???? Estimates: Shrimp: 9 bags @ 40 count = 360 pcs Meatballs: 10 lbs Cheese tray: 4# swiss & colby, 2# hot pepper Veggie Tray: not sure of weights Choc. Ftn: have no idea how much Spinach dip: ordered 3# of dip, 3 loaves of 2# pumpernickel, 2 loaves of square rye Tossed salad: 6# BBQ Beef: 30# Pulled Pork 20# Coleslaw: 6# Chicken Wings, (friend brining) ??? Rigatoni, Electric roaster full, (not sure how much that will yield) Not sure on quantities
kelly 05/28/08	Refrigeration - walk in cooler cooking - doing ahead of time on Friday ALSO forgot to add 3# of salami roll-ups for the appetizer table. Buffet serving style.
KELLY 05/29/08	Ellen: Do you feel this should be enough?
ellen 05/30/08	OK Kelly, I have tried to go over the entire menu. It looks to me like you are short on some items. 3# of salami roll-ups If you can't have at least one per person, skip this Shrimp: 9 bags @ 40 count = 360 pcs =OK, but you really need twice that amount- do not put them all out at once, 3-4 ounces per person is more usual. Meatballs: 10 lbs =This is only 1 meatball per person Cheese tray: 4# swiss & colby, 2# hot pepper =Usual is 16 to 20 pounds for 100 people... Veggie Tray: not sure of weights =at least 25 pounds and 3-4 quarts of dip Chicken Wings, (friend bringing) ??? =usually allow 1 pound for each 3-4 people Spinach dip: ordered 3# of dip, 3 loaves of 2# pumpernickel, 2 loaves of square rye =3 ppounds is only about 6 cups? You want about 1/4 cup per person for dips. Tossed salad: 6# =Need 20 pounds per 100 BBQ Beef: 30# =Makes 100-120 sandwiches Pulled Pork 20# =Makes 70-80 sandwiches +This is cutting the meat REALLY CLOSE. I would add at least 20 pounds Coleslaw: 6# Usual is 20 pounds per 100 Rigatoni, Electric roaster full, (not sure how much that will yield) =about 60 servings, I would have at least twice this much 5 loaves of fresh italian bread from bakery =usually 8-10 pounds per 100. What about rolls for the sandwiches? Choc. Ftn: have no idea how much See the very specific article. This is not a great idea for this long a party- they usuallu only run 2-3 hours. Chocolate fondue for dipping is safer and MUCH easier. Cupcakes, yes, everyone will eat one at least. You might consider 200. Remember 2 pounds of ice per person and 40 pounds per cooler.
kirsten smith 05/17/09	how much rigatoni and macaroni salad for ~125 people for a graduation party? we will also have lettuce salad, jello, fruit salad and hot dogs and hamburgers. I just wasn't sure how much rigatoni to make-I;ll just put sauce on it, no meat thanks, Kirsten
ellen 05/17/09	Teens? 12 pounds at least- if they are big eaters, you could go more, since the sides are light.
Tammy 05/21/09	Hi Ellen, I am having a high school grad party and have invited about 200 people. Guests will range from small chilren to elders, the party begins at 5 p.m.-?.Do I plan on a certain number attending of those invited and how do I plan amounts for the following menu items? I have visited your big pots section and am having a difficult time determining how much of each food item to serve considering the variety of food we are serving.There is only one other grad party on our day. Hot Dogs Brats BBQ's Deli ham with buns Potato Salad Tuna salad Ham macaroni salad Beans Wild rice casserole Party potatoes Pistachio fluff Mandarin jello salad chips veggies and dip fruit trays meat and cheese trays cake and other desserts coffee, beer and soda
ellen 05/21/09	You got very lucky- caught me on a quiet night when there is not much else to do, so instead of telling you to make an initial estimate and post it, I went ahead and did your calculation. That will be $50, please (JOKE!). I can't help you on estimating the number that will actually attend- this varies hugely- except to suggest that if you have had a similar group for a party in the past, the percentages will probably be about the same. This is about what I would make for this party: Hot Dogs (skip- not needed with brats) Brats-150, but do not open all ahead- you may have some unopened packages to put in the freezer BBQ's- enough for 120 sandwiches Tuna salad- 3 gallons- see the sandwich event page deli ham and meat and cheese trays 2 -3 ounces deli-sliced meats plus 2 ounces deli sliced cheese Buns 300+ assorted You need sandwich condiments- see the condiments for 100 on the sandwich event page Potato Salad- 4 gallons per 100 Ham macaroni salad- 6 pounds dry pasta per 100 Pistachio fluff- 17 packages regular jello (100 regular servings, but cut smaller) Mandarin jello salad-17 packages regular jello (100 regular servings, but cut smaller) Beans- 3 gallons per 100= 6 gallons Wild rice casserole-120 servings Party potatoes-150 servings You will have leftovers, but everyone will get their first choice chips- 6 pounds per 100 for potato or 8 pounds per 100 for corn chips veggies and dip-covered in detail in veggie trays, but not much will get eaten, I would make 1 60 person relish tray instead fruit trays-see fruit ray for 25, make 6 times the amounts- the sweet salads will reduce the amount of fruit eaten cake and other desserts- covered in great detail in the dessert planning charts- you would use double the amount for 100 coffee, beer and soda use the beverage planning table with the dinner coffee amounts
Jennifer 06/01/09	Ellen, I am planning a graduation party for my son. We are going to make shredded turkey and warm sliced ham. How much Turkey and how much ham will we need for 200 people? Also how do you suggest keeping the meat moist while it sits in the roasting pans during the pary? I really don't want the meat to dry out. If this helps we are also having buns,potato salad, a baked bean mix (burger and many different beans), potato chips, pickles and cake. Thanks for your time and help, Jennifer
ellen 06/01/09	Jennifer because you don't know who will want turkey and who will want ham, you need to prepare 120 people's worth of each. You don't say if you are serving this as sandwiches or plated, and whether it is buffet type service. Both affect quantities, see the plan for 100 table for entres and the sandwich even page for weights for sandwiches. You keep it moist by keeping it covered and using 1/4 to 1/2 inch chicken broth in the bottom of each pan. Write back if you need to.
Lynn 06/05/09	How much do we need to purchase for rigatoni and meatballs for 150 people. They are also serving sloppy joes and creamed chicken sandwiches. I am not sure on what else. My daughter and I are helping out a family at our church that the parents are unable to do the work themselves. But we have no idea how much to purchase for pasta and hamburger.

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