Surroundings Market Blog

Whether you’re hosting an extra family or having a full blown fall gathering, we’ve got some great ideas for the best foods that feed a large crowd. These food ideas are meant to handle big serving sizes, be easy to make, and go easy on the pocket. They will help make hosting people in your home fun and stress free! Tips for Feeding a Large Crowd Before diving into the crowd-pleasing meal ideas, let’s have a quick chat about a few things that go into feeding a large group of people. First and foremost, there’s always a level of preparation necessary to pull off meals of group-size. Part of this prep involves choosing meals that accommodate the number of people that will be in attendance. You’ll also want to clarify if there are any food allergies so you can stay away from no-no ingredients (or make appropriate substitutions). Another aspect of crowd-hosting to consider is the hospitality. Having the proper amount of seating, cutlery, and tableware is a must. You don’t want to run out of the essentials and be left scrounging up additional stuff from your own cabinets. You can also go the extra mile and dress up your paper or plastic cups with a classy cup and marker holder. And if you’re into matching, complete the look with a classy plate holder! Last but not least, having an itinerary of plans may help as well. If you’re simply having dinner, that’s all you would need to account for. However, if a meal is only a portion of what will be taking place, be sure to have those ducks in a row.  RELATED: How to Plan the Best Get-Together Ever 5 Best Foods That Feed a Large Crowd Pulled BBQ Sandwiches  Chicken breasts are one of the cheaper types of meat to use for making this yummy meal. Just a couple family-size packs of chicken breasts can yield a lot of sandwiches to go around. Go with the classic bake, shred, and add bbq sauce recipe to make it easy or go with a homemade sauce. To make sure you create a well-rounded meal, don’t forget to add sides. Classic bbq sandwich sides are cole slaw and chips - two things that keep this meal option inexpensive. Pasta From baked penne pasta to traditional spaghetti, pasta meals always go a long way. Not to mention, this tends to be a classic meal for most families (especially if there are kids in tow). Whip up a huge batch and keep it warm in the crockpot. Make some homemade garlic bread or pick up a few boxes of frozen bread sticks to pair with this simple crowd-pleaser. Taco Bar Even if it’s not Taco Tuesday, you can’t go wrong with having a taco bar. This is one of the best meals that feed a large crowd. If you’re hosting a gathering with well-known friends and family, you could even ask them to pitch in and bring a side or topping. Cook up several pounds of meat in the Instant Pot, add a tableside of toppings, and you’re all set! One trick to make the meat stretch even further is to add cooked rice or beans to the mix. A few topping suggestions are: chopped lettuce, diced tomatoes, diced onion, green onion, shredded cheese, and sour cream. Refried beans, tortillas, chips, and taco shells are the perfect sides and additions for one awesome taco bar. Sandwich Bar Similar to a taco bar, a sandwich bar can be stocked with bread slices and choice cheeses and sandwich meats. Condiments are just as easy because all you’ll need are mayo, mustard, and pickles. Pair the sandwiches with a variety of chip options to keep it simple or give your guests the choice of a side salad. Don’t just stop at the classic side salad with lettuce, tomato and cucumber. Consider potato or macaroni salads, too! Soups Soups are always a good option when you have to feed a large crowd. They can be made well ahead of time and feed an abundance of people. You can also choose to make a few different soups to offer your guests choices. When it comes to soup, they are best served with breads such as Italian, rye, and/or rolls. Complete the meal by having soup and salad. Final Thoughts When it comes to foods that feed a large crowd, these are sure to be a big hit with your crowd. Remember to plan your meal ahead of time, stock up on the ingredients you need, and have a blast cooking!

Potlucks can happen any time of year, which is why we’d like to share our list of easy sandwich recipe ideas. When you’re looking for something quick and easy that won’t pinch the purse, sandwiches can always be a good go-to. Not to mention, you can make a lot and only spend a little. Keep reading to see our list of sandwiches you can throw together for your next potluck gathering. Are sandwiches appropriate for potlucks? If you’ve asked yourself this question, don’t worry. You’re not the only one. In fact, it’s a great question to ask. It’s not that sandwiches aren’t appropriate for potlucks. The answer actually relies on the style or theme of the gathering. If there is a particular theme that calls for dips only or a dessert bar, then you may want to skip making sandwiches. However, sandwiches can go with just about anything. Think soup and sandwiches… dips, chips, and sandwiches. See! Sandwiches have a way of complimenting a variety of foods while offering a filling meal at the same time. If ever in doubt, always ask the potluck host. If that’s you, then consider having a sandwich themed potluck! Plan Ahead for Your Next Potluck Cooking and/or preparing food for a crowd can quickly become overwhelming without a plan. Before buying one single ingredient, make sure you decide on the types of sandwiches you want to prepare. There are quite a few kinds to choose from. Do you want to go the slider route? Smaller sandwiches with the capability to make more. Do you want full slice size sandwiches? They can be cut in triangles, halves, or even squares.  Regardless of what you choose, make sure you gather all necessary details down to the type of bread you want to use. To help with budgeting, look for bread that is on sale or in the last buy section. Go for a meat or veggie that you can get a lot of but for a decent price. Also, don’t forget to consider side items like slaw, salad, or chips. Easy Sandwich Recipe Ideas for a Potluck Now that we’ve gotten the particulars out of the way, let’s look at a few irresistible sandwich recipe ideas for your next potluck get together. Sloppy Joe Sub Sandwiches You’ve had sloppy joes, but how about on a sub sandwich? When feeding a large crowd, you can make sloppy joe subs and cut them into smaller sandwich slices about 3” inches in width. This will get you about 4 sandwiches per foot long sub! Also, consider switching things up a bit and adding an Italian flare to the meat mixture and making strombolis. Mini Slider Melts Using the sandwich meat and cheese of your choice, place a nice helping of meat and cheese inside the mini sliders (like Hawaiian rolls) and bake until the cheese is melted. Don’t worry, they don’t have to stay warm to still be good. In fact, these are also good cold so if you have some left over, pop them in the fridge and have them the next day. Pulled Beef Sandwiches You can never go wrong with a bbq style pulled beef sandwich. You can also substitute the beef for another meat of your choice, but the overall idea is to get that bbq flavor. If it’s too cold outside, skip the grill and go with baking the meat until well done and tender. Then place it in a bowl and use two forks to begin pulling the meat apart. Apply a generous helping of bbq sauce and you’re set to go. Bring a bowl of slaw just in case someone wants to top their sandwich with it. Chicken Salad Sandwich Nothing is easier than a store-bought salad and yummy bread. If you don’t have time for the cook it from scratch method, purchase some chicken salad from the deli of your local grocery. Stop by the bread basket and see if they have any loaves on sale and assemble your sandwiches at home. Place them on a platter for an overall homemade look. Mini Burgers Instead of cooking full-sized burgers, opt in for mini burgers that can fit on a slider roll. This size is perfect for a little slice of a roma tomato, one pickle, and small dollop of mayo, mustard, and ketchup. These are sure to be a big hit especially if the potluck will have children in attendance. Final Thoughts These five easy sandwich recipe ideas are sure to be crowd pleasers at your next potluck. Remember to plan ahead and save yourself the stress of feeding a large crowd. If you have leftovers, don’t hesitate to put them in the fridge and enjoy them at home the next day (or two)! Psst... looking for something to easily transport your sandwiches in and make them look cute? Try our disposable pan holder!

While brainstorming your next party menu, consider grabbing from our list of healthy soup recipes to feed a group. With the fall season comes parties and harvest gatherings that typically have a large group of people in attendance. Take the guesswork out of what to feed everyone by having a few soups on the menu.  Tips for Cooking Healthy Soups for a Large Crowd Once you’ve decided to put soup on the menu, you may be wondering about practical ways to cook them. Although recipes have their own ingredients to throw together, keep these other cooking (and catering) tips in mind. Give yourself plenty of cooking time.  Since most soups need time to simmer for the flavors to combine, you don’t want to start it right before the party. In addition, soups can be made up to a day in advance and be warmed up before gathering time. The rule of thumb is the longer a soup cooks, the more flavorful it becomes.  Use a crock pot or Instant Pot for cooking, reheating, and transporting. These lovely kitchen gadgets come in handy when cooking soups and stews. You can cook your soup as directed, leave it in the pot, and easily transport it to the party. Simply plug it up and allow it to reheat all in one dish. Keep it simple. Stress-free is the name of the game when it comes to cooking for a crowd. You’re most likely already doubling (or tripling) the amount of ingredients of the recipe, so keep it simple with the fewest amount. In other words, go for recipes with five ingredients or less. With these tips in mind, let’s look at --- crowd-pleasing soup recipes to consider cooking for your next gathering. 5 Healthy Soup Recipes to Feed a Group Tomato Soup with Stuffed Gnocchi Three ingredients is all you’ll need for this yummy soup. Grab several cans of tomato soup, a couple packages of frozen spinach, and a few packages of stuffed gnocchi - and that’s it! Simply throw all of your ingredients into the crockpot and cook over the low (or high) setting. This soup can easily make big batches and be served with loaves of sliced Italian bread. Easy Lasagna Soup This recipe will help you get rid of any pantry leftovers, especially the lasagna noodles that you’ve had every intention on using. Skip the mixing and layering of a traditional lasagna and go for throwing all the ingredients together in the crock pot. This will be one of your more hearty soups with plenty to go around. Consider serving it with garlic bread topped with cheese.  20-Minute Pumpkin Soup We mentioned that you’ll want to give yourself cooking time; however, if time is of the essence, then this pumpkin soup recipe will come in handy. It’s also a fall classic since the main ingredient is pumpkin! It’s the spices that bring an entirely new flavor to the canned pumpkin (or you can use fresh). Check out how easy it is to make here. Go for sourdough or rye bread to pair with this soup. Slow-Cooker Chili You can never go wrong by bringing a pot of good ol’ chili to feed a group of people. Not to mention, a chili cookoff is the perfect theme for a fall party. Have everyone whip up their best batch using their favorite recipes, and you can confidently participate with this recipe. It’s more on the hearty side, so if you’d like it a bit more soupy, consider adding water or a beef broth. Serve this chili with Italian pull bread. Easy Minestrone Nutritious and low-fat are the highlights of this soup recipe, and yes… it can feed a group of any size. It’s packed with vegetables like carrots, celery, onion, and cabbage. And it has a flavorful kick thanks to the garlic, parsley, basil, and oregano. All of these herbs plus a few choice stocks come together for an award-winning soup. This soup is best served with crostini or chewy French bread. Final Thoughts As you’re planning for your next fall-themed gathering, take the stress out of what to cook by going with a soup bar. The recipes above can be cooked on the stove, in the crock pot, or even in an Instant Pot. Also, consider putting your soup in a disposable pan holder to make cleanup way easier! Don’t forget to add the above recipes to your favorite recipe book. In the meantime, would you do us a favor and pin this post, tweet it, and share it with your Facebook friends? Thanks so much!