Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Takeout. Cooking for 20 people on vacation sounds miserable. Plus you are going to be left with a bunch of extra food ingredients you are now stuck with/have to take home or trash

We must be related. Cooking for 20 sounds like my idea of hell, and definitely NOT anything I'd ever do on a vacation.

+1 except I know we are not related because my relatives think this kind of communal vacation cooking is fun

Barbequed ribs. This is easy enough; you can put several racks in the oven, then just baste and broil before serving, serve with boiled corn, rice and beans, I guess you can grill vegetables and baste with bbq sauce for the vegetarians.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rice, chicken in penang curry sauce, pumpkin in red curry sauce, mushroom salad.

I use mesri paste and canned coconut milk and find Thai food the easiest and fastest of all cuisines to prepare for a crowd.

You must not have picky eaters in your group. I’m with the others recommending something pasta related. You can do a few sauces, some with meat and some without, a big salad and garlic bread.

I'm a picky eater who loves chicken, but my mouth will burn for two to three days and I won't be able to taste anything if I eat something mildly spicy, so I'd just eat the rice.

Then going on vacation with 19 other people where families are taking turns making food for most of the meals is probably not a great trip for you. When people agree to these types of vacations then they are accepting the risk that there may be food they don't like served.

Why oh why would you do this??

I would get a few of these family platters if you’re in HHI, I like this place

https://www.onehotmamas.com/menu/

Whoever is getting pizza night has it easy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rice, chicken in penang curry sauce, pumpkin in red curry sauce, mushroom salad.

I use mesri paste and canned coconut milk and find Thai food the easiest and fastest of all cuisines to prepare for a crowd.

You must not have picky eaters in your group. I’m with the others recommending something pasta related. You can do a few sauces, some with meat and some without, a big salad and garlic bread.

I'm a picky eater who loves chicken, but my mouth will burn for two to three days and I won't be able to taste anything if I eat something mildly spicy, so I'd just eat the rice.

Anonymous wrote:Rice, chicken in penang curry sauce, pumpkin in red curry sauce, mushroom salad.

I use mesri paste and canned coconut milk and find Thai food the easiest and fastest of all cuisines to prepare for a crowd.

You must not have picky eaters in your group.

I’m with the others recommending something pasta related. You can do a few sauces, some with meat and some without, a big salad and garlic bread.

Rice, chicken in penang curry sauce, pumpkin in red curry sauce, mushroom salad.

I use mesri paste and canned coconut milk and find Thai food the easiest and fastest of all cuisines to prepare for a crowd.

We do this in our beach house for 7 families. Each family has a dinner. Past ideas that can accommodate a vegetarians and celiac:

make your own tacos
loaded baked potato bar
BBQ - hot dogs, beyond burgers, brats, etc
pizza (can also make your own)
shrimp & grits
eggplant parm subs / shrimp parm subs
jambalaya
paella
chil in in a bag (kids love this)
flank steak / grilled portabellos
linguini & clams

Are you taking a cooler down? There is a place called Pure Pasty in Vienna VA. Swing by and purchase a boatload of frozen Pasties. They have a variety and are really good. It takes care of at least one meal.

I would also grill a lot with salad. You can pick up pre-marinated chicken and steak. Eat with grilled veggies or even make fajitas out of them!

Also smores!

Chickpeas curry (cholley), mixed vegetable rice pulao, salad, chicken curry, raita. Done and done.

Sunken beef burritos.

Lasagna, salad

Mac n cheese, steamed and buttered veggies, corn pudding and cornish hens. 10 cornish hens will easily feed 20 guests

Meatballs (veg, non-veg), stuffed ravioli and store bought Rao's sauce.

Anonymous wrote:I cannot believe no one has yet mentioned NY Times chicken Schwarma

I've done this on big family vacations, and I've made the flat bread that is sometimes linked in the recipe. I will make a cucumber and chickpea salad too, and will make hummus. You can do a falafel for the vegetarians.

OP here - thank you to everyone who shared ideas, much appreciated! To everyone commenting that they wouldn’t want to vacation this way, just why? That wasn’t the question and it’s not really helpful …