How Late Can You Be With Food As Host?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From the bbq's I have hosted when we tell people it starts at 4 we will have some sort of food on the grill by 4:30 say hotdogs followed by burgers, steak then chicken.

We start with dogs and burgers because we know kids get hungry quicker and both are quick to cook.

We usually have the grill going for 2-2 1/2 hours. Plus we have fruit, chips etc out.

Who eats dinner at 4:30?!

Op here and I don't consider a bbq dinner as people will have a hot dog here or a burger there while socializing.Then come back on hour or so later for something else. From the bbq's I've hosted it's grazing in between socializing and playing games. Everything is cooked and put on hot trays so people can take as they please at whatever time they choose to. If they arrive early there's food and if they arrive late there's still food to be eaten at there leisure.

Lol if you arrive early there is food? Enjoy that cold meat!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From the bbq's I have hosted when we tell people it starts at 4 we will have some sort of food on the grill by 4:30 say hotdogs followed by burgers, steak then chicken.

We start with dogs and burgers because we know kids get hungry quicker and both are quick to cook.

We usually have the grill going for 2-2 1/2 hours. Plus we have fruit, chips etc out.

Who eats dinner at 4:30?!

Op here and I don't consider a bbq dinner as people will have a hot dog here or a burger there while socializing.Then come back on hour or so later for something else. From the bbq's I've hosted it's grazing in between socializing and playing games. Everything is cooked and put on hot trays so people can take as they please at whatever time they choose to. If they arrive early there's food and if they arrive late there's still food to be eaten at there leisure.

Gross. So you want food going cold and sitting out. This is why I avoid buffets; I’d never eat anything at a barbecue that was presented like this.

[Anonymous]

In our friend group 630-7 would be the norm. There are always healthy and unhealthy things to snack on before then for those that may want to eat. And since it's the norm, people can plan the rest of their day accordingly if they have to plan their meals around what time they will be eating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From the bbq's I have hosted when we tell people it starts at 4 we will have some sort of food on the grill by 4:30 say hotdogs followed by burgers, steak then chicken.

We start with dogs and burgers because we know kids get hungry quicker and both are quick to cook.

We usually have the grill going for 2-2 1/2 hours. Plus we have fruit, chips etc out.

Who eats dinner at 4:30?!

Op here and I don't consider a bbq dinner as people will have a hot dog here or a burger there while socializing.Then come back on hour or so later for something else. From the bbq's I've hosted it's grazing in between socializing and playing games. Everything is cooked and put on hot trays so people can take as they please at whatever time they choose to. If they arrive early there's food and if they arrive late there's still food to be eaten at there leisure.

So they need to throw down the trough before you get there for you to graze from? What kind of parties are you going to? God forbid people go without food for an hour or two

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any party, any time - some munchies and drinks should be available to guests as soon as they come to your house.

+1 Drinks and appetizers should have been available at 4, then the first round of grilled food available by 5:30.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There should be heavy appetizers if food not ready at 4:00. I’d say on invitation, dinner at 6 but come early if you’d like a drink or apps at 5.

Should?

[Anonymous]

Imo the minute you get somewhere there should be some heavy snacks: cheese, fruit platter, charcuterie, some chips...Something to eat with drinks as you wait for main food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There should be appetizers or snacks immediately and cooking needs to start by 5:15 or so. Don’t invite people at 4 if you don’t plan to serve until 6!

There. Were. Appetizers.

There. Was. A. Small. Plate. With. Some. Cheese. On. It.

-- OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Food should be ready by the arrival time noted on the invitation. I have a cousin like Op's neighbor, and she is terribly disorganized. A few years ago, she invited us to her house for dinner, and not only was the food not ready, but she wasn't there. We waited outside for 30 minutes, and when she arrived, she began cooking the food she had just purchased.

If you invite me to dinner, I don't want to watch you prepare it. Everything should be ready by the time your guests start arriving.

Um, no. Have you never been to an adult dinner party? You come, the host offers you a drink. There are hors d’oeuvres set out on the living room table. You chat and nibble for an hour or so. Maybe a little more, maybe a little less. One of the hosts may be in the kitchen for part of the time, cooking. The other host is on drinks and conversation duty. This is the “cocktail hour.”

After that, you move to the dinner table and eat. Dessert may be served at the dining room table, or in the living room again, sometimes with coffee, although these days not usually. This is a multi-hour affair. Everyone is conversing throughout. You do not arrive, snarf your food, and bolt. If all you desire is free food, there may be some food pantries that can assist you.

Yep. It's a "cocktail hour." Singular. Not "cocktail most-of-the-night."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From the bbq's I have hosted when we tell people it starts at 4 we will have some sort of food on the grill by 4:30 say hotdogs followed by burgers, steak then chicken.

We start with dogs and burgers because we know kids get hungry quicker and both are quick to cook.

We usually have the grill going for 2-2 1/2 hours. Plus we have fruit, chips etc out.

Who eats dinner at 4:30?!

Op here and I don't consider a bbq dinner as people will have a hot dog here or a burger there while socializing.Then come back on hour or so later for something else. From the bbq's I've hosted it's grazing in between socializing and playing games. Everything is cooked and put on hot trays so people can take as they please at whatever time they choose to. If they arrive early there's food and if they arrive late there's still food to be eaten at there leisure.

So they need to throw down the trough before you get there for you to graze from? What kind of parties are you going to? God forbid people go without food for an hour or two

A good host with have foid/snacks available at all times. I want to make sure that if someone arrives hungry there's food and if there not the will know the food is ready for when they are ready to eat. Why do you have to insinuate that if you arrive hungry/or skipped lunch your piggish?

I don't know about your bbq's but there's no set rules. You like to have hungry guests good for you I like my guests to know that food is readily available hungry or not.