Kitchen

[Sooner]

I've been to a lot of outdoor parties for that many held at someone's house. Usually you have a person or two cooking outside and bring the food inside. Start early and like someone said, put it in coolers. Keep the menu simple: Baked beans are great because they can start out hot then be at room temperature as the party wears on. People will want to eat inside and outside.

Put out plenty of toilet paper and paper towels around the food. Cookies or finger food like brownies are perfect for dessert. Get good paper plates that don't fold up. Put out vinyl tablecloths, and if you are worried about tracking up, get that plastic sheeting they use in open houses (call a real estate agent) it sticks to the carpet.

Sounds like a lot of fun and have a wonderful time!!!

[goodstuff]

I'd plan on having a hamburger and a hot dog for each person you expect. That way everyone can have the meat item of their choice, and there'll be plenty for seconds for those who want them. With sides, you'll have more than enough. Of course, you'll have leftovers, so plan ahead what to do with those so they won't be wasted.

Having said that, are you sure you want to plan such a very large party for "young" children? How young? We always kept parties small and simple for our kids and never regretted it. That's a lot of people and stimulation for little ones, who frankly would probably get more enjoyment out of a smaller, simpler gathering of close family and people they know. That many gifts and that many people are likely to be overwhelming for very young ones. I always tried to plan a party to suit my kids, not for myself and my friends or to impress anyone. If it's their birthday party, they shouldn't be lost in a crowd. And you'd save yourself a lot of unnecessary trouble.

Just my opinion.

[Lost in Yonkers]

I have at least one big cook out each year. So that my husband doesnt spend the whole time cooking, he grills the dogs and burgers ahead of time. I put a little water in the bottom of my nesco roaster,put in the rack, cover with foil then put in the meat. Keep it on low heat. Everything stays warm, hubby can then shower and enjoy the company.

[PamelaSue72]

I did this for my DH's 60th birthday party a few years ago. There were 50 people. I made our own invitations....found some neat tiki graphics and took it from there.

I wanted to do as much of it by myself as I could....did not bake the birthday cake (ordered it from a local restaurant; we had a tiki theme, so the cake was decorated appropriately). DH knew about the party; we actually built our own tiki bar, which turned out really well and we still have it in the back yard by the pool. We have a huge white tent that we set up in the back yard and I decorated it with parrots and such. A buffet-type dinner. We set the buffet table up at the far end of the tent and then people were able to go down both sides at once. Another table held plates, utensils, and drinks. I don't remember everything we served that day, but I know that nobody went home hungry.

Our menu was pulled pork on the grill (done the day before), BBQ chicken on the grill (done the day before and then heated on the grill). I made my own BBQ sauce for the pulled pork for sandwiches. Crock pot beans, potato salad, broccoli salad, mac and cheese (thank goodness for my double oven!), all different kinds of hot and cold appetizers (I stuffed my homemade rye puffs with a BLT-type salad, I made a savory crab cheesecake, several kinds of appy platters). Dessert was his birthday cake (with a layer of chocolate cake over a layer of vanilla cake) and I didn't prepare any other dessert. We have a large galvanized tub that we stuffed with ice and threw bottled water, beer, soda, juice, etc into that. Plus I made iced tea and lemonade. I found these adorable cookie cutters in the shapes of palm trees and parrots, so my sister helped me make and decorate sugar cookies. Many of us enjoy margaritas, so we had tequila and everything we needed to make our drinks.

Lots of paper towels, lots of paper napkins, trash bags behind the tiki bar for garbage. The kids enjoyed the pool all day long. We put the cats in our bedroom and locked the bedroom door because of all the people going in and out of the house all day long; didn't want anybody inadvertently letting the cats out.

It was a incredible amount of work (I started my planning in February for a May event), but I enjoyed preparing for it and I enjoyed hosting it. We had a ball. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. (I turn 60 next year myself, only it's in January and it's much too cold to even think about an outside picnic!)

[GloriBee]

On 5/18/2014 Hoovermom said:

One thing that I have done is to cook the hotdogs/hamburgers a short time before party, place them in the bun and place them in the plastic bags they came in. Get a cooler and store them inside there until it is time to eat. Surprisingly it has worked for me and they are still warm. Sounds like a fun party.

We throw several large picnics each summer. My husband is always grilling while guests are arriving. So, depending on the direction of the wind, often the smoke heads toward the guests on the patio.

Your idea sounds great, Hoovermom! I have one question: don't the buns get all soggy?!

TIA!

Gloria

[GloriBee]

On 5/19/2014 PamelaSue72 said:

We put the cats in our bedroom and locked the bedroom door because of all the people going in and out of the house all day long; didn't want anybody inadvertently letting the cats out.

We do this, too! Some of the guests are young children who walk in and out all day and never close the door (a few adults do this, too!)! I have enough to do without having to constantly check to see if the doors are closed!