Hello!

I have my baby boys 1st Birthday next weekend I’m doing a Hungry Caterpillar theme and a BBQ. I didn’t realise how expensive it would all get catering for about 40 people. Any ideas on meat ideas or easy food ideas that won’t go completely off budget? Thanks :)


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  • If you have the time make some of the things yourself such as chicken sticks and burgers. The flavour will be nicer than premade and usually much cheaper.


  • Snags on the bbq, salads, fruit platters and maybe a bag of chips


  • For such a great number of people I would keep it very simple. Hotdogs with bread, a plate of fried onions, some vegetable kebabs, potato’s in foil, salads, fruit platter etc


  • I lovbe doing colourful chicken kebabs with onion,mushroom and capisicum!


  • Potatoe bake, fried rice, coleslaw, garden salad, Greek salad, seafood salad, bread rolls,.
    Marinated chicken pieces, kebabs, steak & sausages.


  • hot dogs! get your relatives chip in


  • Lots of potatoe salad, pasta salad, greek salad.
    You can prepare all this in advance!


  • Sausages in bread! Everyone loves a sausage in bread!
    Slice potatoes & cook them as flat chips.
    Sizzle steak is another cheap option.
    You could also go into your local butcher & ask for a quote on a meat pack for the desired amount of people.
    Don’t forget your side dishes as well! Salad, potato salad, chips & dip, carrot sticks, etc.
    As an adult I find 1 sausage in bread, 1 piece of sizzle steak in a sandwich with salad & a handful of chips is a very filling meal at a birthday party.
    Good luck & happy birthday to your wee one.


  • We have always asked people to bring their own drinks for 1st birthdays and a plate of food. This is instead of a gift as one year olds do not care. Mainly just have fun and do not stress out too much.


  • I make cucumber snakes, slice the cucumber and join together again with nut butter in one slice and cream cheese on next, then if you want to create a head use pretzil sticks for feelers and olives for eyes., I also use celery with cream cheese and diced ham on top in bite size pieces, both reasonably priced. FOR MEATS I USE ABOUT 1KG MINCE, 1KG SAUSAGE MEAT AND ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF GRATED VEGETABLES MIX ALL TOGETHER, ADI D 2 RAW EGGS TO BIND AND ADD 1COP OF BREADCRUMBS WITH GRATED CHEESE. MAKE INTO SMALL PATTIES AND SERVE BETWEEN SLICES OF BREAD WITH ONIONS AND OPTIONAL SALAD. (I usually divide the mix and add herbs to some, curry to some, chilli to some and bbq sauce to others these make loads of burger patties and if you add a few small sausages are more than enough along with the cakes etc that you are going to be serving. Good luck


  • Nothing beats sausages and sauce.
    What about fruit kebabs and marshmallow kebabs, alternating pink and white. on plates. They’re like caterpillar shapes.


  • Grilled vegetables such as eggplant, zucchini, asparagus coated in olive oil is healthy & gives the veggies a nutty taste


  • You could ask the guests to bring their own meat of choice and their own alcohol. Then all you will have to do is provide some salads. Make them yourself though because they can be very dear to buy ready made and you really don’t got much for your money!


  • yeah i was going to suggest the skewers idea as the colours will look good and fit your theme. have different coloured icing cupcakes, you could incorparate some of the food that the caterpillar eat so get an apple and carve a hole through it etc


  • Meat and veg skewers are a good budget friendly option. One of my favourites is chicken and veg: cut a few chicken breasts into cubes along with red and green capsicum, half button mushroom and some pineapple. Thread these on to skewers, alternating as you go. You’ll only need about 3 pieces of chicken per skewer but they will look great, be filling and a few ingredients will go a long way! You could even make a simple marinade for the chicken too. Hope it goes well.


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