Food advice needed, what is the best and cheapest dish one can make to feed a crowd?

What is the best (and cheapest?) dish one can make to feed a crowd?

Define cheap. Homemade pizza is fairly cheap but takes some effort. Is this party food?

Hot dogs?

At some point you're gonna have to draw a line somewhere on price = quality. The cheapest pizza is pretty much cardboard the base is so bad.

We need more info! How many people, how cheap, what's the event? Can you ask people to bring some food to share?

Anyway, roast your own potato wedges or make pancakes or just a ton of sandwiches.

Edited your thread title and moved this to Off Topic. General is for stuff about games and the site.

Chicken and fried rice w/ sauted bell peppers. Add whatever seasoning.

How big is a crowd and how much do you have to spend?

Jello buffet.

How big a crowd? I'd say a giant fucking thing of pasta is probably the easiest and cheaper, as long as you have large enough pot to cook large quantities of noodles at once.

Tacos are great, cheap and easy. Everyone likes tacos right? Beef, chicken, soft, hard.

Krusty brand imitation gruel.

I think it's pasta for sure. Baked ziti or something like that.

@humanity: It's for a potluck.

Going to be around 200 people. I've cooked for 60+ but never over 100. Granted I'm not the only one bringing food thank goodness...so I'm hoping to not go over like 25, 30 bucks?

tater tot casserole or any pasta bake/hot dish really.

Chili or jambalaya or something?

Toss a few cans of Hormel chili and a brick of Velveeta in a crock pot. Boom, you're done.

@naoiko: 200 people for under 30$ not going to happen. maybe if you only give them bread and white rice. Just don't go tell them you're sick.

@naoiko:

Anything made from a dough (pasta, cake, pies or bread)

Or rice

Start a potato salad Kickstarter and have it pay for itself.

Wait, 200 people potluck? Unless you're a caterer, just bring a fucking cheese plate. I assume everyone else is bringing food too.

idk about you guys but pasta is pretty cheap at my local market its a dollar for a pound of pasta penne or spaghetti or whatever the case plus a can of sauce is like 1.10 but that would require some big pots if your making a shit ton

No one expects you to bring enough to feed all 200 people.

Forget about bringing anything that needs to be kept warm. Just go with a giant bowl of salad or order a deli tray from a grocery store and bring that.

This is a large potluck, and others are bringing food, so why not just bring whatever you want? You don't need to feed everybody, and with that knowledge you could probably splurge a bit more on creating something that you think some people there would actually enjoy.

If you buy 30 boxes of mac n cheese for $1 each that's like 90 servings.

200 people is a lot for a potluck. It's really more like a bunch of smaller potlucks happening in parallel; no one person is going to go and get 200 different things to put on their plate (well...ok maybe some people would go that far).

I guess making a bunch of simple sushi rolls (e.g. cucumber, maybe even teriyaki chicken which isn't exactly "real sushi" but it's not bad as a finger food) would work out well, since it automatically comes in fairly small portions. Also hopefully unique enough that nobody else will have brought a similar dish (which would be my chief concern about a 200-person potluck that doesn't have someone assigning categories to the attendees)

Make one huge pot of spaghetti and buy some frozen meatballs to throw in there and like 2-3 jars of spaghetti sauce.

Tomato soup and bread is a pretty good solution if you need to feed a lot of people at a party etc. By making your own bread and having the soup be a pretty basic mix of canned tomatoes, onion, garlic and herbs, I've been able to feed 30-40 hungry people with less than 10 euros.

Having served at a function hall hosting many events of a similar or much larger magnitude (some pretty glitzy weddings, comedy shows, etc.), I think bow-tie pasta with a simple red sauce (and the option of some shredded or grated parmesan) is pretty hard to mess up, assuming one large pot, versus flimsier fair like spaghetti which can be easily overcooked, unevenly cooked, or over-handled in such large quantities.

Very little effort, maximum visual impact, and just the right level of class for your dollar.

Serve this

With some chicken thighs and a salad. Go for an interesting salad, like sliced up strawberries and candied almonds to impress.

Pasta is another amazing option for a very low budget, but I swear to Christ, if you just put sauce on top of pasta and plate it that way I will know and I will find you and end you. Sauce the Italian way.

@naoiko: As some have mentioned I think a giant pot of spaghetti is probably your best bet for the least amount of money. Cook a ton of spaghetti and then invest in decent sauce or alternatively buy a whole bunch of regular canned tomato sauce and season it yourself. You can also make the excuse that you made it for vegetarians as well in order to not have to put any meat in it.

A massive bowl of spagetti with some form of tomato sauce. Done.

Thank you everyone! I think I'll make some baked Ziti or Spaghetti (and no worries @sarnecki I won't be just throwing sauce on noodles. I am a good cook, and I take pride in my creations.) and maybe a big batch of rolls. I really appreciate the tips about going 'vegetarian' for keeping it cheap. I'm going to see how much meat I can actually afford once I see how much all the noodles and sauce ingredients cost. I'd like to put meatballs or some sort of meat in it but I'll have to see what it costs.

A large chicken curry will 'giterdone' most every time. Generally anything that can be prepared in a large sauce pan should prove hearty and cost effective.

fried rice? when i was in college in the us, I fed 30 hungry guys with chicken fried rice. Bag of rice about 10-20$ chicken 10$ and whatever else you want to put in. for 30-50 people your budget shouldnt be more than 40-50$ depending on what you put in.

Pasta with meat sauce is another good one. 3-5$ for pasta 10$ meat and bell pepper, sauce, tomatos, mushroom 10-20$. Should easily feed 20-30 for about 40$.

Chili

Big bowl of soup, throw in some taters, meat and weggies.

I know that you've already gotten a lot of ideas, but these are my go-tos to feed a lot of people for not too much money.

Chili (this is my quick and dirty recipe)

2 cans beans of your choice, I tend to go with kidney beans and chili beans

2 cans diced tomatoes, plain or with green chilies for extra zing

1 pound hamburger (or half pound if you want to stretch and just add more beans)

1 can of corn (or a few handfuls frozen corn)

1-2 chili seasoning packet

optional 1 small can tomato paste (use as needed to thicken if you want)

Directions - brown ground beef in a large pot. Drain fat. place back into pot with the beans, tomatoes, corn and seasonings. Add about 1 or 2 cups of water. I tend to eyeball this and stay to not adding too much. You can always add more if you feel that it's too thick. Simmer on low-medium heat for at least an hour. The longer it cooks, the better it tends to be. If your chili is too thin for your liking, add a spoonful of tomato paste and stir in. it should thicken a bit.

Serve chili with cornbread (Jiffy makes a perfectly good package mix for about .50 cents) and either macaroni (again this stretches the meal out) or white rice. Toppings can be sour cream, cheese, soup crackers. I usually have most of the topping type ingredients on hand.

Shepard's Pie

1 pound ground beef

1 package of frozen veggies, such as peas and carrots, corn, mixed veg - you can also take a few big handfuls from a larger bag and store the rest for later.

1 1/2 cups to 2 cups beef broth OR 1-2 teaspoons of beef bouillon stirred into the same amount of hot water

1 tablespoon flour

salt and pepper to taste

about 4 large white potatoes, peeled and cubed

shredded cheese (your choice, I tend to use cheddar) buying a brick and shredding is usually the cheapest option

margarine or butter and a small amount of milk (for mashing the potatoes)

Directions - Preheat oven to 400. Brown ground beef in a large oven safe pot, such as a dutch oven (If you don't have one, don't worry. I have an alternative method). Drain. Add back to the pot. Add the flour to your broth and whisk together. Add the the beef. Allow a few minutes on medium heat to thicken. Add frozen veggies and continue cooking on medium until the veggies are no longer frozen. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir and set aside when heated through.

While you are making the filling, put a pot of water on to boil. When it reaches a boil, add your cubed and peeled potatoes. Cook until tender. This usually takes about 15 minutes, but I always just taste test. Drain and put back into the same pot. Add a little bit of margarine or butter, milk, salt and pepper. Mash. I have a potato masher that I inherited. If you can't mash potatoes from scratch, I have also used instant potato flakes that I had in the pantry. They aren't as "firm" but they will work in a pinch and they aren't expensive. When you've mashed the potatoes (or made about 4-6 servings worth of instant) place generous spoonfuls of your potatoes on top of your filling. Cover filling completely. Don't worry too much about how it looks just try to make it as even as you can. Cover with a handful or two of shredded cheese. Place pot in preheated oven and cook for about 1/2 hour, longer if you want a more crispy crust.

If you don't have a pot that can go from stove top to oven, cook the filling in a normal pan. When the filling is heated through, transfer to something like a pyrex or glass casserole dish and then scoop potatoes on top. I have done both versions (a double batch in a large 13X9 glass dish) and both come out just fine. Serve as is or you can also serve with bread or rolls and a salad.

Stove Top Chicken Parmesan

1 pound chicken (boneless skinless breast or boneless skinless thighs - thighs are cheaper)

1 jar spaghetti sauce (your choice)

shredded or sliced cheese

1 box pasta (your choice, I really like shapes like farfelle or mostaccioli for this)

Directions - Cut chicken into serving size portions. If using thighs, they should be the right thickness and size without cutting them down. With boneless breasts I will split them to make two thinner pieces. Heat oil or margarine in a pan on the stove over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook on each side until lightly browned, maybe 3-4 minutes. I usually eyeball it. When the chicken has nice color on both sides, cover the chicken with spoonfuls of your spaghetti sauce. Cover with a lid, lower heat to low - medium and simmer for a few minutes. You're just making sure that the chicken is cooked through. After a few minutes, cover each piece with half a piece of cheese (I have used Swiss and mozzarella) or a pinch or two of shredded cheese. Continue cooking a few minutes until cheese is melted. Alternative method - If you want the cheese more crispy, transfer the chicken to a metal or glass pan and place under the broiler in your oven for a few minutes. Just keep an eye on it so that you don't overdo it. Cheese can go from melty crispy to crispy burny quickly.

While you are doing this, cook pasta according to package directions. Serve pasta with remaining sauce and chicken on top or on the side. I really love this with boneless skinless thighs. They just add a bit more depth and they are cheaper! I also have added vegetables (fresh or frozen) such as onions, peppers and broccoli to the sauce with the chicken and it is really good and stretches the dish to feed more people. Then again, I like broccoli in just about anything, so YMMV.

Those are some real basic recipes. They can easily scale up to feed more people and the ingredients aren't too expensive.

Let this be a warning to everyone. This is not a joke. No matter how much grated cheese you try to hide it under. You will not be able to hide it.

I'm a fan of throwing random stuff in a crock pot and coming back to it 5 hrs later. You could do a roast w/ veggies, meatballs, wings, stews, stuffed peppers, chili, curry, whatever you have laying around really. There's lots of stuff that you can't over cook that tastes really good the longer you cook it.

Nachos!

@naoiko: So sort of pasta. Easy to make in bulk and pretty cheap, even if you add some sort of meat.

For a pot luck, assume everyone is going to bring a dish to share. If they're not bringing a dish, they're tossing in what... $10? Your responsibility is not to feed everyone and if people are expecting that, that's silly.

Make a dish that'll serve 4-6, or maybe double it to 8-12 and be happy that you know you'll come home without having to bring back leftovers.I always like to make macaroni and cheese. A pound of pasta, 3 cups milk, flour, butter, two cups cheese, sour cream, seasoning, panko, and I'm done. It doesn't take long to toss together and can easily be reheated in a crock pot.

Then at the pot luck, glare angrily at the dude who brought a $3 bag of Lays potato chips, or a 12 pack of Shasta Cola, or a 24 pack of 12 oz generic bottled water, or the generic pack of cookies with the sell by date sticker scratched off.

Stir-fry. Cheap, easy to make, very flexible. Takes ~10 minutes to cook in a single large pan over high heat. Is really only good while its hot. Proper prep work, a large steel pan or wok, and access to a high heat burner with overhead are key.

Mac and cheese. Noodles, cheese, butter, flour, milk. Cheap, delicious, could be a little tricky depending on your level of kitchen experience. Cheese sauce is not difficult to make but can be challenging to get just right. From there its in the oven to get nice and crispy. You can add onions, mustard, mushrooms, breadcrumbs, hot sauce, sour cream, even meat. You can make it more like a pasta with mornay sauce or you can prepare it casserole style and bake it in a square dish, let it get super crispy and slice it up into squares.

Italian tomato salad. Chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, olive oil, vinegar, a little fresh basil, some oregano, and a dash of salt and pepper. You can add some sliced or chunked mozzarella cheese if you wish. If you add olives and feta you've pretty much got a greek salad. The best incarnation is if you can get your hands on some really good vine-ripened tomatoes. Typically these only tend to appear in the summer, which is where this dish shines. If you know someone who grows tomatoes in a garden you would be an imbecile NOT to make this dish at least once.

Chickpea Tuna Salad is one of my favourite quick lunches and another cold prep. Chopped red onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, chickpeas and tuna. Salt, pepper a little olive oil and a dash of red wine vinegar. You can add mayo, but I prefer it without. For a delicious sandwich, throw in a food processor and pulse for a few seconds and serve on some crusty bread. Get the tuna packed in olive oil if you can, it's a little more expensive than the water-packed stuff but it tastes far better,

Sliced Tomatoes and Mozzarella, Olive oil, chopped basil and a drizzle of nice balsamic. With red onion or without. Best if you can find some beefsteak tomatoes (which are just the monster sized variety with the funky ridges and colours). Looks really nice on a plate.

Carbonara. As far as I'm concerned this dish should be depicted on the fucking italian flag. It's also speculated that it is named after an italian secret society that existed in the early 1800s, so the dish is also a great conversation-starter. Spaghetti, bacon, cheese, black pepper. Thats (pretty much) it. It is tasty as all get-out but the preparation maybe be a little intimidating as it involves raw egg and some very careful application of heat. Maybe practice this one at home first before making it for a crowd.

Chilli and nachos. Or a huge fuckoff pasta bake.

Cookout/BBQ stuff like burgers dogs,ribs etc.on the grill, cheap, easy, tasty, and doesn't require a lot of dishes/clean up afterwards. Though if this is more of a classy get together you could go with a number of types of pasta and/or casseroles that aren't hard to make, taste great and are east on the wallet. Porcupine Meatballs (no they aren't made of actual porcupines lol) have always been a crowd at local get together , and they are super easy and cheap to make.

Just buy hotdogs and cook those up with some burgers. Cheap, easy, and probably mostly popular with everyone but vegetarians.