<p>I’m putting together a casual workplace “buffet” lunch for about 40 people. When I did this last year for a slightly smaller group I fixed several different salads (corn & black bean; Asian noodle; caprese; caesar; Greek, and a lettuce/red onion/blue cheese/craisins/pecans combo). It was a lot of work and I ended up with too many leftovers, some of which didn’t keep well and had to be discarded.</p>
<p>This time around I’m considering a make-it-yourself salad bar, maybe with pita and hummus available for those who want to fix a hummus sandwich. I’m a vegetarian so won’t be including meat. I could waste a lot of money trying to guess people’s preferences so it occurs to me that a vote might help. </p>
<p>I’d love to know what items you especially look for in a salad bar, what dressing you prefer, and whether you’d make a hummus sandwich or just a salad. Also, I guess I’d like to know whether a salad bar would be a disappointment after last year’s array of choices. Thanks, all!</p>
<p>Both have been big hits
Baked potato bar- Bake those ginormous potatoes from Costco
shredded cheese, sour cream, chives, crispy bacon bits (make at least 3 packages),
crock pot of vegetarian chili
Taco salad bar-
crock pot full of melted Velveeta cheese, tortilla chips, sour cream, salsa mild, beef taco meat, shredded chicken meat with taco seasonings, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, sliced jalapenos</p>
<p>If this is supposed to be lunch for a work day, Im wondering if there is a reason why you wouldn’t offer more protein for people who may not get home until 7 or 8?
Id make a taco/ enchilada bar.
Offer meat & meat alternatives, ground beef, shredded chicken, shredded boca burgers, black beans red beans, queso fresco, salsa, avocados…
Many people don’t care for hummus, unless you know otherwise.
Baked potato bar sounds good as long as you realize that bacon is a garnish & it is ok for even vegans to eat it!</p>
<p>Thanks for the suggestions beerme, but I’m trying to avoid anything that needs to be heated. Lunch times are staggered, there’s no oven and not enough capacity in the two available crockpots. More to the point, I’m trying to avoid cooking!</p>
<p>I realize I was unclear. What I meant was, if you went to a regular salad bar (like in a grocery store) where you build your own salad, what ingredients would you choose? And what dressing?</p>
<p>EK, thanks for the suggestions but I’m a vegetarian and am not interested in serving meat. My coworkers know this. I’m just doing this to be nice; it’s out of my own pocket. They were very appreciative when I did this last year. If somebody chooses to bring their own lunch they can sure do so, though nobody did last year. </p>
<p>Beans, cheese, hardboiled eggs, hummus all provide protein. I’m pretty sure nobody will collapse for lack of meat for a single meal. </p>
<p>There is only a sink and a single microwave available; no cooking appliances. Plus, as I admitted above, I’m trying not to cook. I found cooking for a large group and trying to transport the food and get it all set up very stressful the last time around and am trying to streamline.</p>
<p>By the way, I called it a buffet just to indicate that people will serve themselves and choose what they want. It’s not a special occasion. People will use paper plates. Lunchtimes are short and staggered.</p>
<p>Hard-boiled eggs
Beets
Dried cranberries
Some sort of nuts (but maybe this is not a good idea if there are people with food allergies in the group)
Grape tomatoes (I like my tomatoes little and whole so the salad doesn’t get soggy)
Crumbled cheese of some sort – blue cheese or feta
Red peppers</p>
<p>I would enjoy your hummus and pita bread, too. There’s a guy who brings hummus and crackers to every one of our office events. They always get eaten, too (to his disappointment, because he would love to have the leftovers).</p>
<p>What a nice idea! I like spinach, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, cauliflower, snap peas, jicama, garbanzo beans nuts, feta cheese, sprouts, artichoke hearts, avocado with a balsamic vinegarette. Yum- now I want a giant salad for dinner!</p>
<p>What a nice idea! I like spinach, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, cauliflower, snap peas, jicama, garbanzo beans nuts, feta cheese, sprouts, artichoke hearts, avocado with a balsamic vinegarette. Yum- now I want a giant salad for dinner!</p>
<p>Chopped hard-boiled eggs
Picked veggies (beets are great)
Fire-roasted corn and red bell peppers
Something crunchy, like cucumber slices or nuts</p>
<p>PackMom, I do not care for ranch either! Get a bottle of Trader Joe’s rice vinegar - it is a low cal “dressing” for folks who do not like oil in their salads.</p>
<p>I invited lots of gals for a salad bar party, asking each to rsvp (online) with one ingredient they would be bringing–no duplicates. (I supplied romaine and spinach, croutons, bread and balsamic, cesaer, ranch and champagne dressings, and dessert.)<br>
The RSVP items were:<br>
cherry tomatoes, red onions, tofu, black olives, sprouts, avacados, sunflower seeds, bacon bits, goat cheese, artichoke hearts, peas, blue cheese, eggs, bacon bits, beets, shrimp, radishes, chicken, strawberries, sun dried tomatoes, melon balls, pineapple chunks, corn, black beans, red and yellow bell peppers, cheddar cheese, almonds, broccoli, cilantro & mint, pumpkin seeds.
The items with noticeable leftovers were: some red onions, shrimp, cheddar cheese, mint and some romaine…we were a spinach bunch! </p>
<p>And easy clean up party: everyone took their ingredient dish home :)</p>
<p>Spinach, hard boiled egg, bleu cheese dressing, onion, mozz or cheddar cheese, baby carrots on the side. Also like bacon bits, croutons, tomatoes. Only kind of hummus I like is roasted red pepper.
I like spring salad mixes, romaine/spinach/iceburg lettuce together (I like to mix it up!)
Another no ranch dressing person.
Also like sweet peas</p>
<p>Greek salad, ripe avocados (unripe ones break my heart), hard boiled eggs, some pasta salads (esp orzo and bowties) ,most things with cheese (esp goat and blue), fresh peas, sugar snap peas, shaved broccoli and Brussel sprouts, edamame.</p>