The Unofficial Guide to Feeding a Crowd Without Losing Your Mind

Feeding a crowd sounds fun—until you’re staring at a guest list, calculating how much food everyone will eat and wondering whether someone is going to show up with three extra children.

Whether you’re planning a family gathering, office meeting, school event, game-day party or neighborhood get-together, the goal is simple: serve food everyone will enjoy without spending the entire event cooking, organizing or quietly panicking in the kitchen.

Here’s how to feed the whole crew—and actually enjoy yourself, too.

Choose Food People Already Love

A party is rarely the right time to experiment with an elaborate new recipe. Crowd-pleasing favorites are popular for a reason.

Sandwich platters, deli meats, bagels, salads, soups and traditional comfort foods give guests plenty of familiar options. They’re also easy to mix and match, which helps when you’re feeding children, picky eaters or people with different dietary preferences.

When in doubt, remember: nobody has ever been disappointed to see a beautiful tray piled high with corned beef, pastrami and turkey.

Match the Menu to the Occasion

Different gatherings call for different kinds of food.

Family Gatherings

Family events need generous portions and plenty of variety. Deli platters, fresh rye bread, salads, pickles, latkes and desserts allow everyone to build a plate they’ll love—and return for seconds.

School Events

Keep things simple, portable and kid-friendly. Sandwich trays, bagels, fruit, cookies and individually packaged meals make serving a large group much easier.

They’re perfect for classroom celebrations, teacher appreciation lunches, team dinners and back-to-school events.

Game-Day Parties

Game day calls for food guests can grab between plays. Overstuffed sandwiches, sliders, chicken tenders, latkes, pickles and shareable sides keep the crowd fed without requiring a formal sit-down meal.

Just make sure you order enough. Exciting games have a mysterious way of making people extra hungry.

Office Meetings

No meeting has ever been made worse by a good lunch.

Sandwich platters, salads and dessert trays are easy to serve and allow everyone to eat without interrupting the agenda. A well-fed team is also far more likely to remain enthusiastic during that afternoon presentation.

Parties and Celebrations

Birthdays, anniversaries, showers and milestone celebrations deserve food that feels abundant and special. Create a full deli spread with sandwiches, salads, hot entrées, traditional favorites and plenty of sweets.

A black-and-white cookie tray also doubles as décor—at least until everyone starts eating it.

Offer Variety Without Ordering Everything

You don’t need every item on the menu to make everyone happy. Choose a balanced selection that includes:

• Two or three popular meats
• Several bread and bagel options
• One or two hearty sides
• A fresh salad
• Pickles and condiments
• A vegetarian option
• Something sweet

This provides enough choice without turning your buffet into a full restaurant operation.

Don’t Forget the Extras

The smallest details are usually the easiest to forget—and the most annoying to discover you’re missing after everyone arrives.

Before the event, double-check that you have        :

• Plates and bowls
• Napkins and utensils
• Serving spoons and tongs
• Cups and ice
• Mustard, mayonnaise and other condiments
• Labels for different dishes
• Containers for leftovers

And yes, you need more napkins than you think.

Order More Than the Exact Headcount

It’s always better to have a little extra food than to watch the last sandwich disappear while several guests are still looking hungry.

Consider the time of day, length of the event and whether the meal is the main attraction. A quick office lunch may require less food than a long family celebration or game-day party.

Ordering a little extra also means you may get to enjoy leftovers the next day—which is really a gift to your future self.

Let Someone Else Handle the Food

The easiest way to feed a crowd without losing your mind is to stop trying to do everything yourself.

Mikey & Mel’s catering makes it easy to serve the deli favorites your guests already know and love. From sandwich and deli platters to salads, traditional comfort foods, breakfast spreads and desserts, we can help you build the right menu for your gathering.

You handle the people. We’ll handle the pastrami.

Whether you’re feeding coworkers, classmates, teammates, relatives or the entire neighborhood, Mikey & Mel’s is ready to help make your next gathering delicious, easy and completely stress-free.

Contact your nearest Mikey & Mel’s location to start planning your catering order.