How to correctly create and calculate a menu for a wedding for 20, 50, 70 people

Fragrant shrimps in lemon juice

Baked shrimp are a worthy birthday decoration. They will successfully complement any menu, especially a themed holiday table in a marine style.

From products:

• shrimp (peeled) – 4 kg;
• lemon juice – 1.25 cups;
• olive oil – 6 tbsp. l.;
• garlic – 10 cloves;
• lemon zest – 5 tsp;
• ground red pepper – 1.25 tsp;
• parsley – 10 tbsp. l.

Recipe:

1. Turn on the oven. Set the temperature to 250 degrees.
2. Grease the mold with oil.
3. Add shrimp. Lay them in one layer. If the rest does not fit, divide 4 kilograms into portions and cook them in parts.
4. Mix lemon juice and other ingredients. Don't use parsley for now.
5. Pour mixture over seafood.
6. Sprinkle the finished shrimp with parsley.
7. Do the same with the remaining batches of seafood.

Advice! Serve this dish if you have Weight Watchers guests for your birthday. They will especially like shrimp. They are not only tasty, but also low in calories.

Video menu:

Calculating the amount of food

In order to calculate the menu per person for a wedding, you need to remember that there should be enough food for everyone to eat, but not too much of it left. When thinking about the amount of food, take into account not only the number of guests, but also their gender, age, as well as the duration of the event, because the longer the holiday lasts, the more treats you will need.

Typically, wedding festivities last about five hours; on average, during this time a guest can eat one and a half kilograms of food. Based on this calculation, you can order a menu: approximately 250-300 grams of food for each of the items from the previous section. A little less food (about 200 grams) can be set aside for dessert, but it is better to set aside at least 400 grams for main course. If there are children under 12 at the party, reduce the amount of food provided for them by about half.

Alcohol should be calculated as follows: strong alcohol, such as cognac, vodka, half a bottle per person, and weak alcohol - one bottle. Men, as a rule, prefer to drink strong drinks, women, on the contrary, prefer weak ones. You don’t need a lot of champagne, since it is usually drunk only at the very beginning of the event; take one bottle for three guests.

For non-alcoholic drinks, especially if the wedding takes place in the warm season, it is better to take at least one and a half to two liters per person. In general, the rule “you can never have too much” applies to drinks, because even if your guests do not drink everything prepared, alcohol and water do not spoil for a long time, and unopened bottles can then be used for another event.

Recipe for Vlazhsky salad

A very unusual name and a very ordinary set of ingredients. They will definitely be in the refrigerator.

Salad ingredients:

• potatoes – 16 pcs.;
• cucumber (fresh) – 16 pcs.;
• ham – 1.6 kg;
• green peas - 4 cans;
• spices;
• mayonnaise.

Preparation:

1. Boil the potatoes.
2. Dry the tubers. It is advisable to boil the fruits in the evening and start preparing the snack in the morning.
3. Cut the ham into strips.
4. Slice the cucumber as you would the ham.
5. Drain the peas.
6. Mix the ingredients.
7. Add sauce and spices.

Advice. To prevent the salad from dripping, add the sauce before serving.

If you want to save money when preparing dishes with ham, making it as juicy as possible and not using chemical additives, we strongly recommend using the “Delicacy” ham maker:

Order homemade ham at a discount

Using the promo code “elleonora” (without quotes) you will receive a nice bonus in the form of a 40% discount. Eat deliciously and do not deny yourself anything.

How can you save money?

Even if you order a menu for a wedding in a cafe, there are ways to save the budget of a young family:

• Even if a restaurant offers you a cake made by their pastry chefs, look for another, cheaper option. Warn the restaurant administration that you will be taking dessert elsewhere; most likely, you will be asked to bring a certificate of conformity.
• Taking alcohol from a cafe bar is very expensive; choose a place to celebrate not only based on the beautiful interior, but also based on the fact that you can bring your own drinks there.
• Check to see if you can bring your own non-alcoholic drinks to the party. Usually small cafes will do this, as well as larger banquet halls, if you order a certain minimum of bottles from them.
• Ask that all dishes that are left on the tables be taken with you. The second day of the wedding can be celebrated by not having time to eat at the celebration itself.
  Read also:  11 beautiful banquet halls for weddings

Mexican dish in Russian cuisine

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Another recipe on a birthday menu for 20 people that includes shrimp. The rest of the ingredients are well known to the hostess. Nothing ordinary except the taste. You definitely haven't tried anything like this.

From products:

• shrimp – 2.1 kg;
• lime – 7 pcs.;
• avocado – 7 pcs.
• red onion – 3 pcs.;
• bell pepper – 7 pcs.;
• cilantro – 14 tbsp. l.;
• olive oil – 7 tbsp. l.;
• spices.

Cooking technique:

1. Chop the onion.
2. Squeeze out the lime juice.
3. Mix juice and oil.
4. Cut up the shrimp.
5. Cut the avocado into small pieces.
6. Chop the bell pepper.
7. Mix the ingredients.
8. Chop the cilantro.
9. Sprinkle it over the salad.
10. Sprinkle lemon juice on top.

Advice. Replace lime with lemon if desired.

What else is served at buffets?

Above we talked about the main dishes that are most often included in the buffet menu. Next, we list additional ones.

Stuffed eggs or vegetables

Vegetables usually include tomatoes or zucchini. The most popular fillings are:

• red game;
• fillets of various types of fish;
• sauces;
• pates;
• grated cheese with garlic;
• canned fish with chopped onions;
• etc.

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Rolls

Most often, to prepare rolls, lavash, bread or main ingredients (cheese, ham, bacon) are used as a base. The fillings are very different. The choice depends on desire and imagination. The main thing is to take into account the compatibility of products.

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Mini salads

They are usually laid out in small portions on spoons or bowls.

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Pancakes

The buffet menu often includes pancakes with vegetable, meat, fish and combined fillings. There are also several serving options. It can be:

• tubes;
• envelopes;
• bags;
• rolls.

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Mini pies

For mini-pies, the choice of fillings is also large. It all depends on the preferences of the guests. Mini pies can be either snack or sweet. The latter are served for dessert.

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Hot dishes

Most often, the buffet menu includes the following hot dishes.

• Poultry (julienne, chops, fried wings/legs, kebabs).
• Fish (kebabs, steaks, brochettes).
• Pork/veal (steaks, grilled ribs, chops).
• Grilled vegetables.

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Dessert

The most common desserts served at buffets are:

• sweet and fruit tartlets;
• ice cream;
• jelly;
• small cakes;
• shu;
• brownie;
• muffins;
• etc.

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Beautifully composed assorted dishes are popular.

Beverages

When creating a buffet menu, don’t forget about drinks. At such events the following is usually served:

• champagne;
• various types of wines;
• juices;
• fruit drinks;
• mineral water.

For desserts, guests are usually offered tea or coffee.

"Royal Salad"

“Royal salad” is a good choice for a birthday menu at home. These ingredients are enough to prepare snacks for 20 people.

The salad will satisfy the taste needs of even the most picky guests. The ingredients in it are very satisfying. Not a single guest will leave the table hungry.

Ingredients:

• beef – 1.5 kg;
• eggs – 12 pcs.;
• garlic – 12 cloves;
• cucumbers – 18 pcs.;
• nuts – 750 g;
• mayonnaise.

Step by step preparation:

1. Boil the meat.
2. Take it apart into fibers.
3. Grate the cucumbers coarsely.
4. Grind the garlic through a press.
5. Boil the eggs.
6. Grate on a coarse grater.
7. Chop the nuts.
8. Fry for a few minutes in a frying pan.
9. Layer the dish in layers. First the meat and sauce. After – cucumbers with garlic and mayonnaise. Then eggs and sauce. The last layer is walnuts.

Advice. In order for your birthday salad to make the most positive impression on 20 guests, let it brew!

Make sure you have a large dish that can accommodate all the ingredients.

Menu for 40 people

It’s much more difficult to think through a menu for a wedding for 40 people. Although according to the formula: number of guests × 1.5 kilograms of food + 5-10 kg of snacks = number of treats on the tables, the task is simplified. If feeding everyone becomes problematic due to lack of funds, then under no circumstances cut down on portions.

Choose cheaper products, for example, serve chicken instead of pork, and replace Caesar salad with Olivier. In order for all guests to be able to please themselves with a piece of your wedding cake, it must be at least 9 kg. Be sure to serve additional desserts with it.

Tartlets with shrimp and red caviar

Delicious and satisfying tartlets with shrimp and red caviar are served as a salad or as an appetizer. They will adequately decorate any holiday table of 20 people.

From products:

• shrimp – 1 kg;
• eggs – 16 pcs.;
• mozzarella – 0.6 kg;
• bell pepper – 2 pcs.;
• garlic – 4 pcs.;
• tartlets – 20-30 pcs.;
• red caviar – 400 g;
• mayonnaise;
• spices.

Cooking technique:

1. Boil the eggs hard. After boiling, keep them in water for 7 minutes.
2. Place under cold water and remove the shells after 5 minutes.
3. Boil seafood in salted water with added oil.
4. After 10 minutes from boiling, remove from heat, cool and peel.
5. Cut the eggs into medium cubes.
6. Add shrimp.
7. Grate the cheese and add to the rest of the ingredients.
8. Chop the pepper into cubes.
9. Add to salad.
10. Season it with sauce and garlic.
11. Fill the tartlets.
12. Garnish with caviar.

Advice. Serve the dish with white semi-sweet wine. All 20 guests at a home party will love this appetizer!

How to make breaded chicken skewers?

Chicken kebabs are an unusual appetizer on the menu for a birthday, the celebration of which is planned at home. Prepare 40 skewers for 20 people. So that everyone gets a snack. Don't forget about the salad to go with it.

You don’t have to buy skewers and a grill to treat yourself and your loved ones to delicious barbecue. It's easy to make at home in a frying pan.

From products:

• bamboo skewers – 40 pcs.;
• chicken – 4 kg;
• mayonnaise;
• breadcrumbs - 4 cups;
• spices – 4 tbsp. l.;
• salt.

Cooking technique:

1. Cut the meat into cubes.
2. Add salt and spices.
3. Toss the chicken in the sauce.
4. Leave to marinate for an hour.
5. Thread the meat onto skewers.
6. Roll each one in breadcrumbs.
7. Pour oil into the pan until it covers the meat.
8. Fry until crusty.

Advice. Serve chicken skewers with side dish.

Wings or fillets are equally good for frying.

Varied menu - satisfied guests

In order for the food to please everyone, even the most demanding guests, you need to approach the preparation of the wedding menu especially carefully. It is important that it be as varied as possible, then no one will leave the event hungry.

Even if you really love Japanese cuisine and seafood as such, it is not the best solution to put only sushi, octopus and fish on the tables. Pair your fish dishes with a few meat appetizers, as well as a couple of vegetarian dishes. Even if there are no true opponents of animal food among your guests, someone will choose vegetable dishes so as not to fill their bellies too much at this celebration.

"Emerald" on the festive table

“Emerald” salad does not require any special ingredients for preparation. “Everything ingenious is simple” (c).

From products:

• ham – 2 kg;
• cucumber – 5 pcs. (For decoration);
• eggs – 30 pcs.;
• mushrooms – 1.5 kg;
• cheese – 1 kg;
• mayonnaise;
• salt.

Recipe:

1. Cut the ham into cubes.
2. Boil the eggs.
3. Peel and slice like ham.
4. Chop the onions and mushrooms.
5. Fry them in oil.
6. Grate the cheese.
7. Mix the ingredients.
8. Season with sauce.
9. Place in a heap on a plate.
10. Garnish with sliced ​​cucumber, pressing it into the salad.

Advice. Instead of mayonnaise, use any other fatty sauce. If you want the salad to be less fatty, prepare the sauce yourself.

Order homemade ham at a discount

Using promo code elleonora you will get a 40% discount.

Sample menu for a summer wedding

We have prepared for you an interesting menu option for your summer celebration. We will list only the names of the dishes, and the recipes themselves will not be difficult to find on culinary sites.

Summer wedding menu

1. Wedding loaf.
2. Sandwiches with sardine cream.
3. Spanish sandwiches with poultry.
4. Stuffed eggs with mayonnaise sauce.
5. Fish rolls.
6. Young veal in mushroom sauce.
7. Fried chicken with tomato sauce.
8. Sweet strawberries with egg cream.
9. Sand cake with nuts.
10. Honey cake with prune jam.
11. Cherry compote.
12. Italian white coffee.
13. Wine and berry ice cream.
14. Fruit assortment.

The menu is very rich; every guest will surely find something to enjoy.

Chicken tartlets

Guests will definitely like the tartlets, don’t miss them when creating a menu for a birthday party at home for 20 people - everyone will appreciate snacks of this kind! The dish is an excellent snack to accompany alcohol. Other advantages are that the ingredients are the most common. But the taste of the tartlets is very refined. Moreover, they are prepared without dough. Potatoes serve as a tartlet.

From products:

• chicken (fillet) – 2.1 kg;
• mayonnaise;
• garlic – 9 cloves;
• potatoes – 24 pcs.;
• cheese – 0.6 kg;
• green onions;
• salt.

Recipe:

1. Cut the fillet into cubes.
2. Simmer the chicken in a frying pan with a lid and add water and oil.
3. After 30 minutes, add the garlic and simmer for another 10 minutes. The filling for the tartlets is ready.
4. Peel and grate the potatoes.
5. Add salt.
6. Take your muffin tins and grease them with oil.
7. Place the grated potatoes in a basket shape.
8. Place the chicken in the middle.
9. Place the tartlets in the oven for 30 minutes at 240 degrees.
10. Chop the green onions.
11. Grate the cheese.
12. Mix the ingredients.
13. After 30 minutes of cooking, sprinkle the tartlets with cheese and onions.
14. Simmer in the oven for another 10 minutes.

Advice. To make the meat baskets have a richer taste, add mushrooms to the chicken.

The filling of the snack is easy to change each time at your discretion.

Option two - hot

While guests are satisfying their first hunger, it's time to whip up an Italian lunch. Mediterranean dishes are sophisticated, but at the same time quite simple.

Frittata

This is what they call a fluffy omelette with a variety of fillings in Italy.

Products: main ingredient - eggs (at the rate of 2-3 pieces per person). Add milk, cheese and everything that is in the refrigerator: vegetables, chicken or meat, cottage cheese, herbs.

Preparation: beat eggs with milk (as for a regular omelet), add cheese. In a deep frying pan, blanch the onion, vegetables and other ingredients in olive oil. Pour the egg mixture over it all, salt and pepper to taste.

When the omelette has already set at the edges, but is still semi-liquid in the middle, put the frying pan in the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes. The frittata will turn out fluffy.

Paste

The secret is in the sauce. Bolognese with minced meat and tomatoes or napoletana with tomatoes and basil are quickly prepared.

If you want to surprise your guests, prepare classic carbonara. Contrary to stereotypes, it is prepared without cream.

Products: pasta (Italians call them pasta), olive oil. For the sauce: eggs (for two - 1 whole and 2 yolks), bacon, hard cheese, salt, pepper.

Preparation: beat the eggs with a fork, add pepper, cheese, stir - the sauce is ready. Fry the bacon until slightly crispy. Boil the pasta and add to the pan with the bacon, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and pour in the sauce. Real Italian carbonara is ready.

The secret of making the Mushroom Glade salad

“Mushroom Glade” is an excellent option for a festive menu for a birthday - at home, the housewife can easily prepare a “basin” of salad for 20 people. Fill tartlets with it if desired. Get an original snack.

From products:

• pickled mushrooms – 3 kg;
• chicken meat – 1.8 kg;
• cheese – 600 g;
• eggs – 18 pcs.;
• potatoes – 8 pcs.;
• pickled cucumbers – 18 pcs.;
• greenery;
• mayonnaise.

Recipe:

1. Take several deep bowls in which to serve the salad.
2. Place the marinated mushrooms evenly with their caps on the bottom.
3. Chop the greens and sprinkle on the mushrooms.
4. Boil the meat.
5. Grind.
6. Sprinkle the greens on top.
7. Top with mayonnaise.
8. Grate the cheese.
9. Boil the eggs.
10. Cut into cubes.
11. Place cheese on mayonnaise and eggs on top. Top with mayonnaise.
12. Boil the potatoes.
13. Rub it.
14. Place mayonnaise on top.
15. Cut the pickled cucumbers into cubes.
16. Sprinkle them on top of the dish.
17. Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Advice. The dish looks much more attractive if you turn it over so that the mushrooms are on top. You will need several flat plates.

Julien in tartlets

Julien is a hearty and very tasty full-fledged appetizer on the birthday menu at home for 20 people, which you don’t often get to try without some festive occasion. Tartlets with chicken and mushrooms look appropriate on the table, regardless of the number of guests.

From products:

• chicken fillet – 3 kg;
• mushrooms – 3 kg;
• onions – 12 pcs.;
• cream cheese – 2 kg;
• cream – 3 l;
• flour – 15-20 tbsp. l.;
• tartlets – 20-40 pcs.

Cooking technique:

1. Chop the mushrooms, breast and onions.
2. Fry.
3. Remove from heat when the liquid has completely evaporated.
4. Gradually add cream and flour until the mixture thickens.
5. Divide among tartlets.
6. Grate the cheese.
7. Sprinkle cheese on top of tartlets.
8. Bake for 15 minutes in the oven at medium temperature.

Advice. Divide the filling into several parts. This makes it more convenient to work with her. The same applies to the baking point. It is not possible to place all the tartlets at once in a regular home oven. One option is to stack several trays on top of each other.

Rules for choosing a menu in a cafe

When preparing a menu, the most difficult thing is choosing dishes. You should not opt ​​for very complex dishes. As a rule, not everyone likes such dishes, which means that not everyone will leave full. Choose time-tested salads: Olivier, Caesar, Greek and others. The same rule applies to hot dishes: between chicken fillet with pineapples and just chicken or pork steak, choose the second one, since the likelihood that almost everyone will like it is much higher.

You should not choose dishes based only on menu entries. Ask to try everything you're about to order. Some cafes are willing to do such a tasting, but even if you are asked to pay for this procedure, agree - you will save not only money if the dishes offered to the chefs do not suit you, but also nerves - on your wedding day you especially want everything, even the smallest details , were taken into account and brought to the ideal.

The presentation of the dish is also important. Often the pictures on the menu do not correspond to the real state of things. By doing a tasting, you will save yourself from unpleasant surprises at your holiday. True, it should be noted that the best test of the work of a cafe or restaurant is not a targeted sampling of dishes, but a visit to this establishment as an ordinary guest. Dine at the chosen place and check not only the kitchen, but also the work of the waiters.

Festive salad “White Night”

“White Night” is perhaps one of the simplest salads on the birthday menu. We calculate the ingredients so that you can easily prepare a snack at home for 20 people or more.

From products:

• mayonnaise or sour cream;
• pickled mushrooms – 2 kg;
• hard cheese – 2.5 kg;
• potatoes – 20 pcs.;
• boiled meat – 3 kg;
• carrots – 10 pcs.

Which dishes should you prefer?

If we talk about dishes in more detail, it is better to provide two salads for each guest: a light vegetable and a meat one. These can be salads in individual plates, or there can be large salad bowls, which are located on the table so that each invitee can serve himself the desired food. A light salad can be a simple slice of cucumbers, tomatoes and herbs, while more hearty salads include “Musketeer” and “Sail”.

A good hot dish would be baked potatoes with meat, so popular among newlyweds. For dessert, of course, a wedding cake will be served, but in addition to it, it is better to prepare cupcakes or sweets. It is better to make several types of snacks: sliced ​​cheese, fruit, meat, possibly fish.

Focus on what alcohol you have chosen for your event. If there is vodka on the tables, and there are many men among the guests, then you should give preference to a nourishing appetizer, such as meat or fish. For ladies, a plate with grapes, nuts, cubes of cheese and a bowl of honey, into which pieces of food are placed on skewers or a fork, is well suited for champagne or wine.