• Cart
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Videos
  • Chronicles
    • The Lovely Archives
    • Family
    • Ina
    • Journals
    • Hurley House
  • Nav Social Icons

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Cart
  • Hospitality
    • Cooking
    • Hosting
    • Household Management
    • Celebrate
    • Basics
  • Lovely Living
    • Beauty
    • Fashion
    • Favorites
    • Hobbies
    • Parenting
    • Personal Care
    • Reflections
  • Recipes
    • Appetizer
    • Main Dish
    • Sides
    • Dessert
    • Breakfast
    • Beverage
  • Chronicles
    • The Lovely Archives
    • Family
    • Hurley House
    • Ina
    • Journals
  • Shop
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • Closet
    • Cookbooks
    • Gifts
    • Home
    • Kitchen
    • Library
    • Needlepoint
    • Organization
    • Party
    • Table
  • Learn
  • Blog
  • About
  • Events
  • Mobile Menu Widgets

    Connect

    Search

  • Hospitality
    • Hosting
    • Household Management
    • Cooking
    • Basics
    • Celebrate
  • Lovely Living
    • Fashion
    • Favorites
    • Hobbies
    • Parenting
    • Beauty
    • Personal Care
    • Reflections
  • Recipes
    • Appetizer
    • Main Dish
    • Sides
    • Dessert
    • Breakfast
    • Beverage
  • Events
  • Learn
  • Shop
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • Closet
    • Cookbooks
    • Gifts
    • Home
    • Kitchen
    • Library
    • Needlepoint
    • Organization
    • Party
    • Table
  • About

Large Group Menu Ideas

August 26, 2021 · In: Cooking, Hospitality, Hosting, Household Management

Q: When I have people over, it tends to be larger groups. Can you suggest some low-prep, big-bang-for-your-buck, allergy-friendly menu ideas for hosting large groups? ~ Sarah

 

Sarah, large groups can be so much fun! There is nothing better than a house full of loved ones, sharing a meal and connecting with each other. However, feeding large groups does present some unique challenges.

My strategy for feeding a crowd is to choose one anchor food, round it out with with customizable components, and assemble rather than cook most of the meal.

Choose One Anchor Food.
The key to feeding a crowd is to keep it simple and limit the choices. Choose one anchor food for your main dish, and make enough of it feed as many people as possible. I also suggest choosing an anchor food that can be cooked ahead of time, and then reheated right before the gathering.

Here are some anchor foods that work well and are easy to scale…

  • Grilled Chicken Breasts

  • Slow-Roasted Pork

  • Grilled Flank Steak

  • Roast Beef Sliders

  • Taco Meat

  • Chicken Tortilla Soup

  • Beef Chili

  • White Chicken Chili

  • Baked Ziti

  • Baked Potatoes (which can be kept warm in a cooler for hours!)

Choose Customizable Components.
Once you choose an anchor food and figure out a plan for cooking it for your crowd, choose side dish options that allow your guests to customize their plate. As host it is not your job to customize a menu for every food preference, aversion, or allergy. However, it is your responsibility to offer thoughtful options that will allow your guests to care for their food needs while in your home.

Here are some examples of component side dishes that allow guests to customize their plate…

  • Large green salad with dressing and toppings on the side to turn a protein into a main dish salad

  • Toppings for soups, chilis, and baked potatoes

  • Rice, beans, salsas, and other toppings to turn any protein into a bowl

  • Slider buns to turn protein into sandwiches

Assemble vs. Cook.
It is always my goal when feeding a crowd to only cook one item, usually the anchor food. The rest of the food is assembled. Bottled salad dressing. Pre-grated cheese. Loaves of bread. A cheeseboard. Vegetable platters. Fresh fruit. Crackers, chips, baguette crisps. Store-bought salsas, pico, queso, or guacamole. Store bought pasta salad, potato salad, or baked beans.

This strategy allows me to be present with my guests while still providing a delicious, thoughtful meal. As Ina Garten says, “No one has a better time if I make everything from scratch.” I apply this to dessert as well, choosing something that is made ahead or store-bought.

Sarah, I hope these tips help, and I can’t wait to hear how your next big gathering goes!

~katherine


By: Katherine Sasser · In: Cooking, Hospitality, Hosting, Household Management · Tagged: menus

you’ll also love

The Graduation Party Food Plan
My Thanksgiving Menu and Timeline
My Favorite Meals To Take Someone

Join the List

Stay up to date & receive the latest posts in your inbox.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Next Post >

Hurley House Lemon Basil Chicken Salad

Primary Sidebar

Search

Featured Posts

Pantry Refresh

Hurley House Favorites

Amazon Finds, Volume 1

Latest on Instagram

katherinesasser

katherinesasser


Walking in heels is not for the faint of heart. W
Walking in heels is not for the faint of heart.  Wobbling ankles, pinched toes, and a hobbling gait tend to make us look less than elegant when we don our favorite pair.​​​​​​​​​
Today on the blog I am talking about how to walk in heels, as well as a strategy I use to make the process easier, a true marker of success, and an amazing product I have recently discovered that makes it as comfortable as possible.

If you are purchasing a wedding gift for someone,
If you are purchasing a wedding gift for someone, the best practice is to choose something from their registry.​​​​​​​​​
However, if you're looking for a little extra something to add, or if you've already selected an item from their registry and want to do more, tender wedding gifts are the way to go.

Tender wedding gifts are sentimental items infused with meaning and future rewards, and today on the blog I am sharing a few of my favorite ideas.

Looking for a no-big-deal way to instantly feel re
Looking for a no-big-deal way to instantly feel refreshed and ready for a new season? I’ve got three projects that you can tackle in an afternoon. Big results. Minimal effort.

If you are a bride or know someone who is, today's
If you are a bride or know someone who is, today's post on how to register is for you! ​​​​​​​​​
This post isn't a generic guide or a list of suggested items.  Instead, I am sharing my very strong opinions on how to approach registering so that you serve the needs of  your wedding guests while also filling your home with items you want.

When I find a brand I love, I tell everyone I know
When I find a brand I love, I tell everyone I know about it, and Summersalt is one of those brands. ​​​​​​​​​
I have owned the one-shoulder swimsuit and the striped maxi dress for over a year, and they are still performing well and exceeding my expectations.

And if you're looking for a body-positive brand that highlights the beauty of real people...check out their catalog.  It's inspiring.

Today on the blog, a cute lineup of a few of my Summersalt favorites!

Add this dish to your summer snack-meal rotations.
Add this dish to your summer snack-meal rotations.  Barely a recipe and more a list of ingredients in suggested proportions, Cucumber Feta Salsa is cold, crunchy, fresh, salty, and sharp while being a cinch to throw together.  It satisfies in a way that makes me want to add it to every menu.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The recipe (if we're calling it that) is on the blog!


Load More...



Follow on Instagram


Browse by Category

Hi, I'm Katherine

Hi, I'm Katherine
hello!

I share lifestyle content through the lens of hospitality. If you are interested in learning about the beauty that creating space can bring, you've come to the right place!

Read More

Connect

Recent Posts

How To Walk In Heels

Tender Wedding Gifts

Archives

Follow Along

@katherinesasser

Walking in heels is not for the faint of heart. W Walking in heels is not for the faint of heart.  Wobbling ankles, pinched toes, and a hobbling gait tend to make us look less than elegant when we don our favorite pair.​​​​​​​​​
Today on the blog I am talking about how to walk in heels, as well as a strategy I use to make the process easier, a true marker of success, and an amazing product I have recently discovered that makes it as comfortable as possible.
If you are purchasing a wedding gift for someone, If you are purchasing a wedding gift for someone, the best practice is to choose something from their registry.​​​​​​​​​
However, if you're looking for a little extra something to add, or if you've already selected an item from their registry and want to do more, tender wedding gifts are the way to go.

Tender wedding gifts are sentimental items infused with meaning and future rewards, and today on the blog I am sharing a few of my favorite ideas.
Looking for a no-big-deal way to instantly feel re Looking for a no-big-deal way to instantly feel refreshed and ready for a new season? I’ve got three projects that you can tackle in an afternoon. Big results. Minimal effort.
If you are a bride or know someone who is, today's If you are a bride or know someone who is, today's post on how to register is for you! ​​​​​​​​​
This post isn't a generic guide or a list of suggested items.  Instead, I am sharing my very strong opinions on how to approach registering so that you serve the needs of  your wedding guests while also filling your home with items you want.
When I find a brand I love, I tell everyone I know When I find a brand I love, I tell everyone I know about it, and Summersalt is one of those brands. ​​​​​​​​​
I have owned the one-shoulder swimsuit and the striped maxi dress for over a year, and they are still performing well and exceeding my expectations.

And if you're looking for a body-positive brand that highlights the beauty of real people...check out their catalog.  It's inspiring.

Today on the blog, a cute lineup of a few of my Summersalt favorites!
Add this dish to your summer snack-meal rotations. Add this dish to your summer snack-meal rotations.  Barely a recipe and more a list of ingredients in suggested proportions, Cucumber Feta Salsa is cold, crunchy, fresh, salty, and sharp while being a cinch to throw together.  It satisfies in a way that makes me want to add it to every menu.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The recipe (if we're calling it that) is on the blog!
Today I am sharing the books I have read lately... Today I am sharing the books I have read lately...and they span the genres from personal memoir, beach fiction, serious fiction, and non-fiction. ​​​​​​​​​
My favorite from this batch?  The Invisible Life Of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab.  Seriously amazing.
I recently hosted my staff for dinner in my home, I recently hosted my staff for dinner in my home, and my number one goal was to do as little cooking as possible so that I could be fully present.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Today on the blog I am sharing my (mostly) store-bought menu, and if you're hosting a crowd this season, I hope you can find some inspiration for your table!

Copyright © 2023 ·