18 answers

How Do I Feed 16 People on a Budget at a Remote Location?

Hi Everyone, I just know that someone will have a great idea out there for me. My son made the baseball team at school and the powers that be decided that since they play double headers, to ease the burden on all the parents at all the games, each parent would provide a meal for the team and coaching staff for between the 2 games. So, what do I do? Some suggestions by the organizer was subway $5 subs ($50), plus cookies and I am not sure about drinks but that's easy with a big cooler. Obviously, that's a lot of money. If I can't come up with any other options, then I will do it, since it really isn't unreasonable considering that I am not providing a meal for my son for all of the games, but I could balogna if I was jsut providing for him.

Obviously, I could still do peanut butter or bologna for my day, but I don't want to be the only one who cheaps out. (Is that what I am doing?) I thought about sloppy joes, but don't have anyplace to plug a crock pot in to keep it warm. I thought about taking a grill and cooking hotdogs on the spot. I will make some brownies or cookies or something to go with it, that's a no brainer. It's the main dish that has me stumped.

Any ideas would be terrific!!!

1 mom found this helpful

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Featured Answers

I wonder why this is the situation at all with all of the dietary restrictions and tastes that vary amongst the group. Why can't each child bring his own brown bag dinner to each game? Perhaps the parents should meet and decide themselves. I wouldn't want the hassle of this, and I think to let everyone go on their own is better. Each child will get what he wants, a parent can spend what they can afford, and everyone should be happy. My vote is to reconvene with the parents and vote on this. You cannot be the only one concerned with the expense of this. If that does not work, I say hotdogs and chips. If people cannot eat this or do not like it, they can bring their own. You aren't a short order cook.

This may be corny, but, my kids love blueberry pancakes. I always make them up ahead of time, and take them in a Ziploc bag wherever we go. You can buy the pre-boxed kind, all you have to do is add water - at Meijer. They're yummmyyyy! Anyway, you could take a pre-filled icing decorator, and make the pancakes look like baseballs with red frosting!

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Nothing wrong with Little Caesars Hot and Ready pizzas... $5 each and you don't have to buy each kid their own pizza.. It would be a lot cheaper than buying each kid their own sub.. I think 5 pizzas would be plenty and half the money that you would spend at Subway... I don't know a kid who doesn't like pizza... Good Luck!!

little ceasers $5 pizza can't go wrong with that plus you can eat it cold

What about Little Ceasar's $5. pizzas? A $5. pizza would feed a lot more than a $5. sub. Also, they have really inexpensive but filling crazy bread..
If the team has a large cooler you could just make Hi-C or gatorade mix with water. You can also rent these or maybe somebody on the team has one at home. Just provide plastic cups (can buy at dollar store).
Otherwise, I feel that peanut butter and jelly is just fine, who doesn't love that? If the other parents outshine you in the cool food department.. then good for them. Some people's self esteem depends upon it. So now you've also provided community service with your PB&J.

I would do homemade cookies/brownies. A couple loaves of high quality bread, a couple (3?) pounds of turkey, ham, and cheese, mayo mustard a bag of chips (or individual serving bags) and a case of water.

anything left over you can take home to feed your family

Hot dogs are the best way to go..they taste even better when bbq'd...My dil did that for between one of her sons games, brought the grill, hot dogs, if the budget allows maybe some brats, then a pasta salad, desert and drinks....easy to make, easy to clean up, you can buy bulk also at Sams or Costco.

You could do a taco salad, or potato salad to go with your hot dog idea. You could make your own subs. Buy several large french breads, and load up with toppings then cut into 4 inch sections, that's pretty cheap if you do it yourself. A large bag of Doritos or potato chips put into a bowl and several 2 liter drinks and you're covered. Good luck, cooking cheap can be tough when you have others to think about - and no electricity - but I'm sure you'll get great ideas and find something good!

I do this weekly and its about 15 to 20 a week.

First meal was Spaghetti and Meatballs ( a crowd Favorite) Speghetti is on sale at Spartan 10 for 10 its about 4 - 6 packages, Sauce ( Hello canned Prego 10 for 10 ) and Meatballs ( one bag cut into 4ths after cooked or if you get 36 balls 3 balls per person, Parmesan cheese and then garlic bread that is 1.00 a loaf and 3 loafs were plenty

Next meal Mac and Cheese with Chicken Nuggets ( cheap nuggets an instant hit and Mac and Cheese ( velvetta and Shells home made rather than thru the package ) with Apples

Next meal a crowd favorite Subs Home made rather than subway
Lettuce tomatoes, pickles, olives and banana peppers on side 3 types of lunch meat ( I get it from Costco cheap and plenty for 4 subs ) Cheese provolone from Costco and the big sub breads from Costco top with mustard and mayo on the side and bag of chips from Aldi's which are 5 dollars for 24 bags.

HOpe this helps. One thing that might help too is parents would have to buy food anyways why not do it to where dinner is $2.00 a week which makes your out of pocket cost less and I know parents would pay $2 for dinner for their meals

I think your hotdog idea is FABULOUS!!!! It is - afterall - baseball ;) They don't want anything to big anyway if they are playing another game...who wants to be the kid throwing up between second and third base anyway? LOL

As for "cheaping out"...NO WAY!!! We can all afford what we can afford and the whole keeping up with the Jones' is so in the past...especially in this economy. I would bet you are not the only team parent thinking this.

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