Quick and healthy meals for a large group

[Dynamite5]

We are having company over Memorial Day weekend and I'm struggling with meals. Friday night, I'm serving grilled shrimp salad. Sunday, we are having a larger group over and we are serving a variety of Mexican dishes, both meat and vegetarian.  I need help with the rest of the weekend! Here are the parameters:

• No more shrimp or Mexican.
• Saturday: Will be gone most of the day and exhausted from a long day when we get home. Could order in, but struggling to know if that's really what we would want to do. Ideas for things I could prep ahead of time?
• Monday: Perhaps something on the grill, but also something healthy, but what? LOL...having so much trouble coming up with something good. 

Please share any ideas you have for healthy, relatively easy meals that will allow me to spend time with our guests but that will satisfy appetites!

Thanks in advance

[Laura Corin]

I'd make ahead if you have enough fridge space or can use a friend's, a one-pot meal that you just need to serve with bread or whatever. 

Perhaps this

https://thedoctorskitchen.com/recipes/sicilian-style-stew-with-black-olives-and-basil

or this

https://thedoctorskitchen.com/recipes/kale-and-butter-bean-casserole

of this?

https://thedoctorskitchen.com/recipes/apricot-squash-and-chickpea-tagine

[J-rap]

I often make spinach-stuffed pasta shells when I'm serving a big group.  I make it ahead of time, and either refrigerate or freeze.  It's actually quite simple to make. I get the kids involved putting the shells together and it goes lickety-split.  You can also use frozen spinach.

I serve it with a good salad and a loaf of french bread.  

http://www.forkknifeswoon.com/spinach-and-ricotta-stuffed-shells/

 

[Arcadia]

My kids German Saturday school just had their end of year party. Below suggestions are for your Monday.

The easier to prep stuff was:

8 bowls of different tossed salads (prewashed precut greens, cherry tomatoes, pine nuts, red cabbage)

Long hot dogs in a crockpot 

three plates of different cut breads

One of the parents helped grilled 150 bratwurst. 

 

[Junie]

For feeding a crowd when I don't want to cook, I buy rotisserie chickens from the grocery store.

If you want something on the grill, you could do grilled veggies to go with the chicken.

[mmasc]

I’d serve bbq chicken sandwiches for the evening you get back after the long day out. You can put the chicken in the crock before you leave. I’d serve it with pre-made slaw, pre-cut fruit, and chips. Everything is good, easy, and ready for when you get home. I’ve made this recipe several times and it’s quite yummy. 

https://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2014/06/best-crockpot-bbq-chicken.html

[LucyStoner]

Saturday, I would do something in the crockpot or order in.  

Monday, Memorial Day is a great day to grill.  If you want it to be especially healthy, you could grill up salmon and serve it with veggie kebobs, mango mint salsa and salad.  Or just have a traditional cook out with potato salad and such on the sides with a mix of burgers, hot dogs and chicken on the grill.  

[LucyStoner]

I would also assume that the guests might slip off to the store and bring back stuff to grill.  If we were staying with someone for the weekend like that, we would offer to get a salmon or steaks or something for dinner one night. 

I’d keep breakfast very light and easy.  Let guests toast their own bagels and such.  Other than making sure people knew where the fruit, dairy, cereal and coffee were, I would give myself the morning off cooking.  

Edited May 21, 2019 by LucyStoner

[Annie G]

Monday I would grill chicken and pair it with a pasta salad full of veggies, and a bowl of fresh cut fruit, maybe with a fruity dressing on it. Or just slices of watermelon.   My mom used to make a tasty potato salad that had an awesome but kind of time consuming cucumber dill dressing on it.    Something light for dessert. 

 

 

[Dynamite5]

3 hours ago, J-rap said:

I often make spinach-stuffed pasta shells when I'm serving a big group.  I make it ahead of time, and either refrigerate or freeze.  It's actually quite simple to make. I get the kids involved putting the shells together and it goes lickety-split.  You can also use frozen spinach.

I serve it with a good salad and a loaf of french bread.  

http://www.forkknifeswoon.com/spinach-and-ricotta-stuffed-shells/

This is an excellent idea! I'm going to do this, only I'm going to replace the pasta with mini peppers to make it lower carb. Adding ingredients to my grocery list and prepping for the freezer!

 

[Dynamite5]

1 hour ago, Annie G said:

Monday I would grill chicken and pair it with a pasta salad full of veggies, and a bowl of fresh cut fruit, maybe with a fruity dressing on it. Or just slices of watermelon.   My mom used to make a tasty potato salad that had an awesome but kind of time consuming cucumber dill dressing on it.    Something light for dessert. 

 

 

Yup--I'm pretty sure the grill is going to get pulled out for Monday. 🙂

[Tree Frog]

2 hours ago, mmasc said:

I’d serve bbq chicken sandwiches for the evening you get back after the long day out. You can put the chicken in the crock before you leave. I’d serve it with pre-made slaw, pre-cut fruit, and chips. Everything is good, easy, and ready for when you get home. I’ve made this recipe several times and it’s quite yummy. 

https://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2014/06/best-crockpot-bbq-chicken.html

This is what I was going to suggest but with bbq pork instead of chicken. We are having family for ds's graduation and bbq pork is something I can make ahead of time, freeze, and heat up in a pan easily. I do pork instead of chicken because I've never been able to make bbq chicken that isn't dry. Your recipe, though, looks very easy. I think my problem was that I was cooking the breasts too long.

[Dynamite5]

2 hours ago, mmasc said:

I’d serve bbq chicken sandwiches for the evening you get back after the long day out. You can put the chicken in the crock before you leave. I’d serve it with pre-made slaw, pre-cut fruit, and chips. Everything is good, easy, and ready for when you get home. I’ve made this recipe several times and it’s quite yummy. 

https://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2014/06/best-crockpot-bbq-chicken.html

Making this for Thursday now--some people arriving early! 

[Dynamite5]

1 hour ago, LucyStoner said:

I would also assume that the guests might slip off to the store and bring back stuff to grill.  If we were staying with someone for the weekend like that, we would offer to get a salmon or steaks or something for dinner one night. 

I’d keep breakfast very light and easy.  Let guests toast their own bagels and such.  Other than making sure people knew where the fruit, dairy, cereal and coffee were, I would give myself the morning off cooking.  

Yes, I agree with an easy breakfast. 

And you're welcome any time--you sound like a delightful guest! 

[unsinkable]

5 hours ago, wilrunner said:

This is what I was going to suggest but with bbq pork instead of chicken. We are having family for ds's graduation and bbq pork is something I can make ahead of time, freeze, and heat up in a pan easily. I do pork instead of chicken because I've never been able to make bbq chicken that isn't dry. Your recipe, though, looks very easy. I think my problem was that I was cooking the breasts too long.

Or you could try chicken thighs. They have a higher fat content so they are harder to dry out plus (IMO) they have a mouth feel that is more similar to pulled pork.

[Tree Frog]

2 hours ago, unsinkable said:

Or you could try chicken thighs. They have a higher fat content so they are harder to dry out plus (IMO) they have a mouth feel that is more similar to pulled pork.

I prefer thighs, but the rest of my family will only eat breasts. However, I can mix the 2.

 

[cjzimmer1]

I was going to suggest lasagna or a stuffed shells but I would suggest skipping the spinach.  Spinach is a love or hate it ingredient and I know far more people who hate it than like it.  Or I'd cook up some chicken or pork in advance and have shredded meat sandwiches.  If you have a Costco the Kale Salad is a winner (even among my non salad eating dad will eat it). Another easier option is a baked potato bar.  

[KathyBC]

I agree with either making a big pasta dish ahead of time or something in the slow cooker/rotisserie chicken for Saturday.
For Monday, what about Greek? Buy some pita bread, make (or buy) Tzatziki and a big Greek salad, marinade and BBQ some chicken.
Greek Chicken Marinade:
1/3 c. plain Greek yogurt
1/4 c. oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Marinade 30 min. BBQ 15 min. each side for flattened breasts.