Easy things to serve teen's friends for dinner besides pizza?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let them make their own pizza. Make the dough ahead of time and saute peppers and onions, provide mushrooms, vegan and regular mozz and parm, pesto, pizza sauce.

Oh god. No thanks. Unless you have an industrial kitchen, making several homemade pizzas in a single oven home kitchen is time consuming, messy and a
Total PIA

[Anonymous]

We order Chinese or they go get Chipotle

[Anonymous]

For those of you suggesting Chick-Fil-A, are you talking about your teens’ friends or your church meetings?

[Anonymous]

Bolognese (ground beef pork combo)— salt and pepper meats and mix lightly. In large saucepan, andd olive oil or Wesson, sauté fresh chopped garlic (not jarred). Add meat to brown. Break it down lightly with wooden spoon, but keep the meat chunky. It’ll break down while cooking. You want chunks.

San Marzano crushed tomatoes. Add to saucepan # of cans based on # of kids. Toss in a couple of fresh basil leaves. When it’s close to done, add a healthy scoop of dry ricotta Polly-O whole milk and stir. Low-Medium heat. Give it 45- 60 minutes.

If making the night before and you have a crockpot just store it in inner container with lid. Drop it in base preset to warm . I’d still transfer to crockpot if making same day. Pick your pasta. Mezze Rigatoni works well. Huge salad— organic girl butter or baby lettuce is great, and triple washed. Add peeled crisp cucumber coins, chopped red onions, olives, and feta. Toss with salt, pepper, evoo, balsamic. Don’t drown it. 3 boxes of New York Bakery frozen breadsticks. So easy and they will devour them. Done. If there’s a couple of non meat eaters. Heat Raos marinara in a separate saucepan.

Buffet style— fresh grated parmesan in a shaker, stack pasta bowls, salad plates, utensils, serving ladle/spoon, tongs for salad, napkins, variety of drinks in big bucket of ice. They can serve themselves. Haagen Dazs mini ice cream bars in freezer x number of kids. Marino lemon ice cups if any dairy allergies. Done! I’ve done this so many times on repeat. They still request it when home for college breaks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Y'all are way too nice. No way am I buying sushi for a bunch of hungry teenagers. $$$$

Go to Costco get sandwiches
No taco bars

Costco sandwiches? That’s so gross. 🤮

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tortilla soup. I make it in the slowcooker and it's super easy.

It’s like 100 degrees out. No one wants soup from a slow cooker.

[Anonymous]

costco meatloaf

[Anonymous]

Lots of great ideas here. My DD and her friends also like to make grilled cheese sandwiches. I just buy and set out all of the stuff (I put out sliced tomato, some deli ham or turkey, bread and butter obviously, a few types of sliced cheese, sometimes other stuff). They cook them on an indoor griddle (can do about 6 at a time- sits on the counter and we put away when not in use) or they could also be done in an oven or countertop convection oven/air fryer (we have one of these- not sure what is is called, exactly). I almost like them better that way actually. Usually I set out potato chips and a fruit or veg platter to go with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or just make a bunch of taco meat. Salsa, sour cream, lettuce, cheeses, guac, black olives (we like them on our tacos). Mexican rice and black beans on the side.

Have hard shells, soft shells, and extra lettuce for those who want to make a salad. Could also have tortilla scoops for nacho makers.

Do not do this

It never works out never enough food

I've done this successfully many times. I usually have some fruit (watermelon/grapes/strawberries) as an additional side, though. And brownies for dessert.

[Anonymous]

Sloppy joes.
"chili dogs" option by having hot dogs and they can put sloppy joe on them or just have plain sloppy joe sandwiches.
Serve with chips, some fruit, salad if it's a salad crowd.
Cookies or brownies for dessert.

[Anonymous]

Cava catering, Chipotles or Moby kabobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or just make a bunch of taco meat. Salsa, sour cream, lettuce, cheeses, guac, black olives (we like them on our tacos). Mexican rice and black beans on the side.

Have hard shells, soft shells, and extra lettuce for those who want to make a salad. Could also have tortilla scoops for nacho makers.

Do not do this

It never works out never enough food

I've done this successfully many times. I usually have some fruit (watermelon/grapes/strawberries) as an additional side, though. And brownies for dessert.

+1 I do this routinely and it always goes over very well. Also easy to do most of the prep ahead, and accommodates various diets. And I definitely always make enough food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love to make nachos! Bed of nachos, melt cheese, top with fresh tomato, cilantro, white onion, salsa, avocado/guac, sour cream etc (you get the idea).

Always a hit and so easy!

I like this too but it’s tough with a big crowd I think because it’s so messy and ends up getting sort of wrecked. It’s okay for half a dozen but not much more I think.

[Anonymous]

I’m also realizing I’m a little bit sexist. For my daughter’s friends, I could do something like soaghetti with the Costco pesto and grape tomatos but for my son’s friends, I feel like I need meat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let them make their own pizza. Make the dough ahead of time and saute peppers and onions, provide mushrooms, vegan and regular mozz and parm, pesto, pizza sauce.

Oh god. No thanks. Unless you have an industrial kitchen, making several homemade pizzas in a single oven home kitchen is time consuming, messy and a
Total PIA

Word. I tried this with some tween girls and everyone needed help rolling and stretching the dough out, flour everywhere, I only had 2 rolling pins, they trying to keep everyone’s pizza straight. It was a group of like 6 girls and I have 2 ovens. Bad idea. None of this DIY sushi, pizza, or whatever. Just feed them food, don’t try to turn it into a cooking party.