How many? I would do pulled pork made ahead and kept warm in a crock pot or an electric roaster.....and ham and cheese, premade and served room temperature, and hot turkey ( or chicken) in a gravy. Roast your birds not over done! pull the meat off and slice, saving every bit of skin and bones. Refrigerate the meat boil up the bones and skin in a box of chicken broth with water added to cover....a halved onion and a stalk of celery with the leaves. Simmer covered at least 2 hours, longer is better.....strain and add a slurry of flour ( about 1/2 cup to a quart of liquid) simmer anout 7 minutes. Warm the chicken up in the gravy....just enough to keep it moist in another crock pot or roaster.

Salads....kid friendly? that "Cowboy caviar"...black beans corn onion, tomato maybe a jalapeno with olive oil and vinegar. Fred Harvey's cole slaw....google the recipe. and maybe a pasta salad or potato salad. I also have had lots of raves over a "salad" which is just a bowl of halved fresh strawbwerries, cut up cantelope and watermelon, Kiwi for color, and canned pineapple chunks. no dressing! People ask me for the recipe.....I tell them just fruit. The juice from the pineapple keeps the fruit from browning.

Be aware that many won't eat at all but many will eat for 3 so it all evens out. I would start making and freezing cookies now....lots and lots of cookies and bars is always a good thing!

Oh and caramel corn! Lots of it!!

Happy empty nest!!

Linda's advice is excellent.

To the point about warmers, caterers use chaffing dishes because they work. There's a particular way, some kind of liner, to hold sandwiches so they don't get soggy or over toasted. Try a party rental service. If you need to heat and hold, like if your party is at a park, insulated bags and ”coolers” work well, but the bread may get a bit soggy. The bread does better wrapped in paper. For myself, I'd also bring the fillings hot in an insulated cooler, and assemble the sliders on the spot.

If you'll be at home, especially in a/c, and just trying to keep the sliders in the trays from the oven from getting cold too quickly, an old fashioned serving hot tray is great. You should be able to fit all three on a large one, or check with friends to see if you can borrow a couple. Do check what your circuit can hold, and make sure to put your table where no one will trip over the cord. I have an extension with wide heavy vinyl covering that lays flat and prvents tripping,

Congratulations!

Excellent advice from both of you and I greatly appreciate it!!! Wowza, I didn't think there would be such thought to a graduation party but suggestions and ideas will make it so much easier.

We are thinking 200-250 guests so not huge. Love the ideas on the different meats and salads, along with the chafing dishes(I was just going to buy them vs rent). The party will be in a shop so the breakers shouldn't be an issue.

Thanks again for all the advice!!! Hope you both have a wonderful rest of your week and I will do my best to keep ya posted how this turns out. :)

Even in a shop, beware of the electrical load. Heating devices, even gentle ones, use a lot. There will probably be several circuits, so just choosing the right ones is all that's needed.

I vastly admire your definition of "not huge"! i was thinking more like 50.

Chafing dishes that use alcohol fuel (sterno) don't require plugs and cords, which is great. What isn't great is the food safety angle for both chaffing dishes and hot trays. If the venue doesn't have on site refrigeration and ovens, you need to be really careful about the food. The government is particularly cautious in their recommendations, but they do say that you lose an hour of food safety leeway when you hold things warm in chafing dishes, which brings you down to one hour.

Depending on how much food you really intend to serve, if there isn't good refrigeration/oven (preferably, a full kitchen with running hot water), you might consider renting a tall hot box, and maybe a countertop oven or two, besides having ice chests for storage. Also, for the fillings, if the sliders are assembled on site (does keep them from getting soggy), there are buffet warmers for multiple kettles. Check out catering or restaurant supply websites.

The thing to keep in mind with such a "not huge" number of guests is the actual time it takes to serve them all. You'll likely be beyond that safe hour. If you're bringing out food that's being held at a safe temperature (over 140° F, or under 40° F), throughout the serving time, that's fine, but you also have to make sure the orphans that were out before get taken away.

While you're looking into equipment and all, you might also find out if there's a caterer who has all the equipment, staff and knowledge to take the onus off of you so you can enjoy your kid and your guests. Your menu shouldn't be too expensive for them to produce, and your insurance agent will be happy too. :)

I can vouch for ham sliders. I was in a wedding last year and at the rehearsal dinner one of the SIL's brought 3 kinds of sliders. The ham sliders were so good. Apparently really easy too. Use a slab of rolls from the bakery and split the whole thing like you would to split a cake for filling. Ham, cheese, I think mustard? An ungodly good amount of butter. I think each tray might have been 18?

More to the cold side. What do you have to keep salads and the like cold? Coolers are a no-brainer for beverages but can be kind of awkward to set up salads on. If you dont' already have a plan for that, I suggest getting an inflatable ice bar. Also, make sure you get a drain bucket and set that up along with your ice bar.

Something like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Novelty-Place-Inflatable-Ice-Serving-Buffet-Bar-with-Drain-Plug-Salad-Food-and-Drinks-Tray-for-Party-Picnic-and-Camping-NP-InflatableBar/309883083

Cover your table or counter with a plastic cloth. Set up bar. Have planned drain bucket handy for just in case it leaks. It shouldn't, but hey. Pour a quart or so of water into it, and swirl around the seams- checking for leaks. If none, go ahead and dump your ice in. It's nice to pair it with the bigger aluminum pans you can pick up. Different salads in different pans. Use one to corrall your condiments and keep them cool. After the party let the ice melt, and drain off.

I don't know what kind of shop you have. But if you have something sitting around that is a larger solid bin, you can line it well with a small tarp or piece of heavy window plastic- then dress that up with a nice plastic graduation themed cloth to hide the ugly. Not as convient to drain as a good inflatable, but works a charm.

Do not underestimate the amount of garbage cans you will need. Or forks. Plan 3 forks per person if you are using disposable.

Try to plan in a tea/coffee service of some sort. Most drinks can come in containers, but it's always nice to have the hot beverage option available.

Do not be afraid of using catering service to help you out. This might be ordering up and picking up some bigger salads rather than making them, having a good sandwich place make a tray or two of cold sandwiches.

A seriously HUGE power hog but if you can do it. Hey, for all I know your shop is a forge or kiln shop :) And if your crowd is into the popcorn thing. Check with the rental place about a popcorn maker. We rented one for our wedding in our yard. It was a fun hit, but required it's own breaker, sigh. The things my love did to keep his bride happy :)

Also while at the rental shop. And depending on what you got for space at your shop. Some tables and chairs would be nice. If you have outdoor space that you can use- use it. If you aren't sure of weather and can- rent a tent.

Wow! beesnees, you have given an amazing amount of great advise! I’ll have to keep that inflatable cooler in mind for our next bash.

Two of the best HS grad parties I've been to had a variety of Food Trucks set up at the party site.

There were pizza trucks, hamburger trucks, Fried Dough, etc. but the most popular by far was the Bacon Truck! If you live within about 50 miles of a city, you might still have time to reserve a few trucks for your party. I think you have to supply power and running water, but I'm not certain about that. Congratulations to your Grad!

If your graduation party is on the actual graduation day, keep in mind that the students will probably be bouncing around to multiple parties and eating food at all of them.

For each of my daughters, I made cut out sugar cookies and iced with royal icing. These freeze very well and were nice to get done ahead of time. The leftovers were also very nice to just pull one or two out for a snack and eat cold. 😉

Think about a taco truck! Went to a wedding and they gave every table a different color. When that color came up they could go order. Worked like a charm!

When I have "done" big receptions at church, we only got out as much of the cold or hot food as we need and replenish as needed. Keep the pulled pork and hot turkey in electric roasters and put intos erving dishes only enough for maybe 40 people, replenish as needed....make the ham sliders ahead, pile on a platter or in a bin and refrigerate, same with the salads....we served in punch bowls. The ham sandwiches will be fine made the day ahead....and if you need to rent refrigerators from an appliance store.

One time out churchs erved 1000, a hot chicken and pasta and vegetable dish, green salad home made rolls and donated pies and cakes. 2 refrigerators and 2 stoves did it all. We took everything out of the refrigerators, shelves etc and just kept the food in large plastic bins and heated in roasters and ovens as needed.