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Crowd-Pleasing Meals for 25+ | Our Vacation Menu Plan for 31 People

ButcherBox Discount Code: FREE Bacon for Life + $100 Off!

Sign up for my free 5 Days to a Better Morning Challenge!

Brigette’s $105 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Crowd-Pleasing Meals for 25+ | Our Vacation Menu Plan for 31 People

Near the end of July, we traveled to Bull Shoals Lake near Mountain Home, Arkansas for our annual extended family vacation at the lake with my side of the family. We’ve done this every year for 20 years!

We all stay in small individual cabins, but then we eat our meals all together and spend a lot of time together in the larger house that my parents stay in.

In addition to spending lots of time skiing, boating, swimming, and hanging out, we ate a lot of yummy meals. In order to feed 31 people without it being too much work, we stuck with cheap meals for large groups and we also all pitched in and helped with the food.

How We Planned and Divvied Things Up

My sister planned the menu with easy meals that would feed a crowd and sent out a sign-up form using Perfect Potluck (it’s free and so easy to use!). Each family signed up for the main dishes and side dishes they wanted to be in charge of.

Whatever meals or parts of meals you signed up for, you were in charge of bringing the ingredients for and cooking/baking.

Here were the meals we had…

Be sure to also check out these Recipes for a Crowd of People on Vacation and these Cheap Meals for Large Groups and Easy Meals for 20+ People.

What We Made for Breakfast

Cinnamon Sugar Bagels, Bacon, Scrambled Eggs, Orange Juice
Baked Oatmeal, Sausage, Orange Juice
French Toast, Bacon, Scrambled Eggs, Orange Juice
Pancakes, Sausage, Eggs, Orange Juice

What We Made for Lunch

For lunch, we had a huge Build-Your-Own Salad Bar (most all of my family loves salads!). We also had bread and meat/cheese and peanut butter/jelly/honey for sandwiches for the kids and any adults who didn’t just want a salad. In addition, we set out any leftovers from breakfast or dinner.

Having a Build-Your-Own Salad Bar is such an easy meal idea for 25+ people — and frugal, too! All the ingredients can be stretched a really long way, since you’re only using a little bit of each ingredient on your salad.

Build-Your-Own Salad Bar Ingredient Ideas: A variety of Greens and Lettuce, Canned Tuna/Salmon, Boiled Eggs, Raisins, Carrots, Celery, Seeds/Nuts, Feta Cheese, Avocados, Bell Peppers, Cucumbers, Chickpeas, Cherry Tomatoes, Dressings

What We Made for Dinner

If you’re looking for some really easy recipes for large groups, here’s what we made for the dinners:

Spaghetti, Green Beans, Garlic Bread, Tossed Salad, Fruit
Build-Your-Own Haystacks, Homemade Guacamole, Rice
Grilled Chicken, Steamed Broccoli, French Fries, Tossed Salad, Biscuits, Watermelon
Hamburgers/Hot Dogs, Tater Tots, Corn on the Cob, Steamed Veggies
Papa John’s Pizza, Breadsticks + leftover salad and fruit

What other ideas of easy meals for 20+ people or easy recipes for large groups do you have? I’d love to hear!

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Brigette’s $105 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

My older sister, Brigette, shares her shopping trips and menu plans every week! You can go HERE to see all of her weekly menu plans and you can go HERE to read all about her family!

Aldi

4 dozen Eggs – $11.76

1/2 gallon Unsweetened Almond Milk – $1.69

1 32-oz carton Half and Half – $2.39

1 32-oz carton Heavy Whipping Cream – $3.09

1 gallon Whole Milk – $2.48

1 gallon Orange Juice – $3.79

1 box Butter Quarters – $3.36

1 32-oz carton Greek Yogurt – $3.39

1 box Rice Squares – $2.29

1 box Balance Squares – $1.85

4 bags frozen Broccoli Florets – $3.80

1 3-lb bag boneless Chicken Breasts – $7.89

1 16-oz bag Deli Meat – $3.99

2 pkgs Pepperoni – $4.98

1 pkg String Cheese – $2.19

1 pkg Deli Sliced Cheese – $1.99

1 container Goat Cheese – $2.19

1 jar Sauerkraut – $1.69

1 can Black Beans – $0.71

1 3-ct bag Multi-Colored Peppers – $3.19

2 cans Green Beans – $1.16

1 3-lb bag Pink Lady Apples – $3.89

1 bag Romaine Hearts – $2.59

1 3-lb bag Yellow Onions – $2.69

1 head Cauliflower – $1.99

1 jar Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil – $3.99

1 jar Vanilla – $4.99

1 bag Chocolate Chips – $1.89

2 pkgs Taco Seasoning – $0.76

1 jar Pasta Sauce – $1.45

1 can Baking Powder – $1.39

Total: $91.51

Harris Teeter

6 ears Corn on the Cob – $1.50

1 10-ct bag large Tortillas – $1.34

1 bunch Radishes, reduced – $0.99

5 8-oz bags Kraft Shredded Cheese – $9.38, plus receive $0.75/1 Ibotta rebate (and $0.25 off any receipt Ibotta rebate) – $5.38/5 bags after rebates

Peaches ($0.99/lb) – $4.27

Total: $13.91

Grocery Total for the Week: $105.42

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Zucchini Bread, Cereal, Oatmeal, Fruit, Yogurt, Scrambled/Boiled/Fried Eggs, Smoothies

Lunches

Cheese Quesadillas, Apples with Peanut Butter, Peppers x 2

Deli Meat/Cheese Sandwiches, Radishes/Cucumbers/Carrots with Ranch, Peaches, Chewy No-Bake Granola Bars x 2

Leftovers x 3

Dinners

Taco Bake (using seasoned ground venison), Rice, Green Beans

Date Night out with Friends (using a gift card someone gave us – kids eat leftovers at home)

Chicken on the Grill, Grilled Zucchini (from our garden) and Onions, Corn on the Cob, Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese and Basil (tomatoes and basil from our garden)

Venison Roast in the Crocpot, Baked Potatoes, Roasted Cauliflower, Biscuits

Upside Down Pizza, Broccoli, Tossed Salad

Pancakes, Scrambled Eggs, Broccoli, Watermelon (from our garden)

Meatloaf (I use half ground venison. half ground beef), Apples, Broccoli, Dill Bread