Dinner for School
Kimberly
08/21/10 		Hi Ellen,

I'm cooking dinner for our school cheer team. About 100-120 people, (50 highschool girls and their parents, some sibblings). I came up with two menus and wondered what you thought of my amounts. Which one do you think will feed them better?

7 1/2 oz each Roasted Pork (Uncooked amount

2 oz each Cilantro Lime Rice (cooked about 1/2 Cup)
3 oz each Black Beans (cooked about 1/2 cup)
3 each Corn Tortillas
1/2 oz each Sour Cream ~
1 oz each Pico de Gallo
3 oz each Mexican chopped Salad with cilantro lime dressing
1 1/2 each - 3 1/2 by 4 inch brownie
or
1 1/2 each - 2x 2 1/2 each lemon bar

Or
5 oz each meat sauce (cooked)
2 oz each garlic butter sauce
2 oz each pasta (uncooked)
2-3 slices each crusty bread
1/2 oz butter each
2 oz each Italian salad with balsamic dressing
1 1/2 each - 3 1/2 by 4 inch brownie
or
1 1/2 each - 2x 2 1/2 each lemon bar

Their budget is limited and I have racked my brain trying to figure out how to make this food and not have to come out of pocket for it. Do you think that either of these will work?

ellen
08/21/10 		Unless you want to make a baked pasta dish such as spaghetti casserole (see the basic budget entrees on the big pots page), the pork dinner is actually easier. However, if you want to head in a Mexican direction, what about a taco bar? There is a whole article on this, it is inexpensive, allows for vegetarians, and it is very popular with teens. For 100 people, 2 lines would be sufficient, if you are pretty sure of 12, you would set up 3.

I would cut the brownies and lemon bars to 2-3 bite size so people can have some of each.

Kimberly
08/21/10 		That a good idea for the brownies. Thanks

Not sure what lines, your referring to below?

"For 100 people, 2 lines would be sufficient, if you are pretty sure of 12, you would set up 3."

ellen
08/21/10 		These are the serving lines, assuming buffet service. To serve in a timely fashion, one line can't do more than 40-50 people.
Kimberly
08/23/10 		Oh, of course 2 lines thanks I had thought for a brief moment about doing 4 lines because they would be doing some routines at 6:00 and eat at 7:00 I wondered how hungry everyone would be by that time. :P

If I'm pretty sure of 12? Do you mean 12 dishes do 3 tables? I was thinking 2 rectangles tables for 2 chaffing pans of pork, 2 of rice, 2 of beans, 2 of salad. Putting ice in the bottom of the chafers for the salad. The second table would also hold the tortillas and toppings. I've done 6 chaffers to a table before with lines going down both sides. Then 2 round tables in another area for drinks and desserts.

ellen
08/24/10 		That was supposed to say, if you are pretty sure of 120. Your plan sounds OK.