Covid friendly platter(s) for a Rec Center party
 

I would like some advice. We are planning a party of 24 people in a Recreation Center room which we will be renting. We intend to bring a couple of cases of water but would also like to have some simple, safe food for everyone. A platter or two would do but we don't feel some of the guests would be comfortable eating from an open platter. We do not want to ask the people coming to bring any food with them. We spoke with the people at our local Publix and TooJays but didn't come up with anything we thought would work. We are hoping to find a way to bring in simple things (e.g., slider sized sandwiches) that are individually wrapped. We will be very thankful for any and all suggestions but we do indeed intend to go ahead so please don't tell us not to have the party.

Individually wrapped paper plates/bowls of various snacks.

There are a lot of options for bite-sized or individually-wrapped snacks, crackers, or cookies.

At one gathering someone had purchased small (2oz?) cups with lids and had put hummus in to go along with the individual packs of crackers.

I've seen small sandwiches made from dinner rolls that could be individually wrapped.

For most ideas some person will have handled the food before it was served to the guests, either as little as putting wrapped packages onto a tray or as much as cooking and individually wrapping the items. I don't think you can avoid that but if the person preparing and serving was careful to handle the food safely it would minimize any risk.

Don't do it.

Buy some sub sandwiches. Wash and sanitized your hands, put on your mask and cut them up into individual portions and then wrap them in saran wrap.

Subs and cut up to small pieces. Kielbasa cook cut up on toothpicks. Deviled eggs

purchase boxed hero's from jersey mike. they come with chips and a cookie. they deliver. Enjoy your party.

For dessert send for a box of Cheryl's cookies. Box comes in different sizes with each cookie individually wrapped. Available through QVC or the Cheryl cookie website.

You bring up a timely quandary that has been on my mind, too. We want to get a group of about 20 people together. Everybody is of the age to have been vaccinated, but I can’t figure out how to feed that many without a buffet line.

I think some of us now are going to have a baked-in weirdness about buffet style and party trays for a while.

Last summer, I entertained my book club in the driveway. I used small gift bags and put in little bags of snacks, an envelope of hand-sanitizer, and a wrapped straw. I had a cooler of canned wine and bottled water.

Box-lunches could work, but I can’t think of anywhere in TV that does that. Box-lunches would cut out group-handling in a buffet line, but then you have to offer choices all boxed up and hope everybody does not want the same thing. Box-lunches would be a version of carry-out like many of us have been using for a year.

Maybe Publix needs to go into the box-lunch business.

I will follow this thread and hope somebody has an answer to this. It doesn’t feel right to try to entertain a group without offering food or to offer food and weird out some people and end up with a bunch of leftovers. I can’t figure out the answer yet. I think we are emerging into a rather strange social expectation. I hope we soon get past it.

Boomer Stewart

Honey Baked Ham has boxed meals and quite a variety and so does TooJays.

I guess you didn't read my post.

McDonald's Happy Meals

Just make it a "bring your own food party"

Every one eats Pizza and :popcorn:

Coronavirus is spread mainly by aerosol, not surface to surface. You will have 24 people in an enclosed room. I don't believe the food is the main concern, but enjoy the party!

I'm not sure if they changed the rules but recently food was not allowed at any gatherings in the rec. centers. Groups such as Bunco used to have snacks but it is no longer allowed. You might want to check with them unless you already have.

Sure did. Don't do it

Agree. Food is not the problem.

Panera Bread, Check with Little Bits..southern trace.. so many ideas..

Panera bread dose box lunches..

I realize that most of us are anxious to socialize again, but BYOF and BYOB is the best way to go. I didn’t see the word “masks” yet, but it would be a good idea to wear one when you’re not eating. I have been fully vaccinated for almost two months, but I would wear a mask in a room with 24 people. Also, be sure the room is properly ventilated.

24 people in a Rec Center. Good to know the virus is over!

:1rotfl: :1rotfl: :1rotfl:

Toothpicks are very useful for pieces of cheese, pieces of sausages, olives etc... Good luck.

So you are not afraid to bring 24 people together but are afraid of open food. You need to reasses what you are doing

Our ladies group of 12-15 people meets at Colony Rec Center once a month. Each person brings a savory or dessert. 2 people (with gloves and masks) serve the food. We bring an urn for hot water for tea but everyone brings their own drink if they do not want tea. They allow 2 people per table. It has worked fine so far. That being said, if one or two people make sandwiches and wrap them individually there should be no problem.

best idea so far. they pkg everything neatly & the food is very good. can't go wrong-they also cater

please leave the man alone-we know how you feel...:ho:

JUst do a “boxed lunch” for everyone with a wrapped sandwich, a cookie and a small container of fresh fruit. I’m sure Publix would do this for you.

If requested, Publix will cut sandwiches into 4 pieces. Buy a box of sandwich bags at Publix to bag each sandwich. Sams Club sells boxes of individual chips.

Pizza maybe, or go to Macdonald’s or Burger King and order plain hamburgers or cheeseburgers for each guest. They are already wrapped and about $1 each.

Dessert option
 

I can vouch for quality and the “sanctity” of Cheryl’s cookies. I order them all the time for gifts. Lots of varieties, individually wrapped. A great dessert option.

You might be overthinking this. People who feel comfortable attending a party with a few dozen people inside eating aren’t going to be worried about individually wrapped food. Go with what you think they would like to eat. You could have a gloved person serve the food and call it a day.

Bring your food the same way you always did it. If someone’s afraid they won’t eat. Your not going to convince someone who’s afraid. Just be yourself

Wrong concerns of COVID-19
 

chet2020 is correct, food isn’t the concern. 24 people in a room is the concern even though the vaccine is being distributed. Covid-19 is not gone. Have fun.

Panera individually wraps every sandwich.

Heavenly Ham make up great individual lunch boxes.

He said that everyone has been vaccinated and after more than a year of this it’s time to get back to some normalcy!

so back to the op's original question. Do you really want covid friendly food, or would anti-covid be more appropriate. Just like anti-social distancing.