Food
It's not a Stag and Doe without some great food! Whether it's cold-cut sandwiches, pizza, wings, or something fancier, it's an important part of the evening. Depending on the liquor laws in your area, you may be required to supply free food.
Have snacks on the tables all night, and bring food out around 9:30pm.
One of the simplest options is ordering in a cold-cut platter or pizza. Call ahead of time to find a company that can supply what you need for your event. A great and cheap option is a potluck - get everyone in the wedding party and the couple's family to contribute dishes.
Depending on how big your event is, you may want to book a caterer and have it professionally managed, or hold your event at a venue that that supplies food.
Do-It-Yourself Cold Cut Buffet
You can save some money on food costs by doing some of the work yourself. Party food is a great task to delegate to family members.
For cold cuts, roll them up and keep the platter neat. If they tend to unroll, stick them with toothpicks. Garnishes are nice, consider parsley and kale underneath and olives or cherry tomatoes on top. Supply tongs, forks or other serving utensils.
A suggested shopping list:
- Bread, buns
- Luncheon meats
- Garlic sausage or kielbasa
- Pickles
- Crackers
- Cheese
- Condiments - mustard, mayo, margarine
- Vegetable platter
- Garnishes like olives, cherry tomatoes, parsley, kale
- Potato chips, pretzels
- Toothpicks
- Plates
- Disposable cutlery
- Napkins
- Disposable table cloths
Food safety
If you put the food out early in the evening, don't bring it all out at once. Leave some in the fridge and bring it out as food gets eaten. Leaving meats out at room temperature is a breeding ground for bacteria.
Make sure all food surfaces are clean, and that only clean hands touch the food and food prep surfaces. Many people have allergies, so take care not to cross contaminate, even with seemingly harmless foods.
At the end of the night you will likely have leftovers so plan for distributing them among your helpers or family. Meats that have been sitting out for hours should be thrown out.