Ideas for an event

I am always happy with humus and pita bread.

cheese and cracker tray or can cube or make cheese ball bites served with 2-3 types of crackers, fruit and vegetable trays, various skewers such as tiny tomatoes and cheese, ham n cheese, salami n cheese;, or green and black olives with tiny tomatoes; deli can thinly slice baguette then add flavored butter such as honey butter, delivered pizzas cut into bite sizes, cucumber slices topped with yogurt and tiny bit of dill or tomato, petit fours, slice bakery cakes,, lemon cakes,, pound cakes,, brownies into bite sizes, Little Debbie Mini Muffins or Brownies, sliders of pulled pork (can buy by the pound from Sonny's, add bagged coleslaw with bottled coleslaw dressing), trays of 1-2 oz clear cups filled with instant pudding, nuts, or spiced snack mix using chex, etc

Depending on the style of event, can place food on doilies or beds of washed, throughly dried lettuce with rosemary, then put in baskets, trays, cutting boards.

For serving tables,, can turn baking pans bottoms up, cover with a couple of colored cloth napkins, then place serving trays on top. It will depend on the size of the serving tables as how many stations can be raised. Usually elevate about half of the trays and stagger others on the table.

You could try making the event similar to a pot luck. Have everyone bring some food and share with everyone else.

Candy and cookies are always a good option.

Gentle Lamb said:

What is a good, inexpensive way to cater a big event of 150-200 people with light refreshments? What should be provided for kids/adults that won't require any cooking, buying only?

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Talk to the organisers, what do they want, what budget do they have for catering, where will it be, will it be before or after an event?

How accurate are there estimate of numbers and how many helpers are there?

Two examples.
We go a firework display for our neigbour hood, it is free and we supply hot dogs and soup. Numbers expected two to three hundred, it is done in the middle of a field with a large team to transport, assemble cook, serve and clear it all away afterwards.

We recently did a ladies event, ladies come, chat over a meal and listen to someone talk about their life. work etc from a christian view point. numbers 60+.
The food is brought by the 30 church ladies attending, 2-3 guys sort the church out and 2-3 clear up afterwards.

the 1st cost a lot in cash and in people, there time and labour, while the second the costs are born by those cooking food and in the small amount of work to prepare and clear away.


Talk to the organisers, what do they want and who is going to do it.

Seriously do not volunteer to organise, let an established well known member of the church do that.

chips and dip

trail mix snackables

depends where you buy your food

look at this couple & the savings for a wedding:
Taiwan couple feeds all their wedding guests with $800 worth of Costco food

Chic fil a and subway maybe for the food