Makers Mark

Something from Costco.

I'd bring something to share, like a chopped salad.

Something sweet.

I agree with some kind of salad or something sweet. People tend to like salad with pizza (even if there’s a veggie tray). Lemon bars or some other bars for dessert would be nice.

Couple of trays of different kinds of wings with blue cheese and ranch dressings.

Or if you want to be the hero, you can bring a Parma ham and a really sharp knife...

I agree, something sweet and something that can be just picked up and eaten, no plates or forks necessary.

I love lemon bars, those are always good, or you could make brownies or one of those oatmeal bar cookies with fruit filling.

Have fun!

Annie

Cookies, definitely - easy to make, serve and eat 🙂

I would do a fruit salad. No dressing, just chunks of fresh fruit...more like a fruit plate in a bowl.

Annie, yes, something that can just be picked up and eaten! Do you think that brownie batter would bake up well in mini muffin pans? With no paper liners. I should do a test run with a gluten-free batter….

carolb, cookies or mini sweet somethings is what makes sense to me too. It definitely should be something that’s easy to make, serve, and eat!

Olychick, I never would have thought of fruit, but I like the idea! although then I’m back to needing bowls and utensils. Unless I skewer the fruit on picks. Is fruit on picks a good or bad idea? And then there is the question of having a dip for the fruit. :)

Thanks, all. Whatever I make and take should definitely be as simple as possible. I don’t want to introduce any chaos or disruption with it.

More labor intensive for you than sweets, but caprese skewers would be delicious. Tiny tomato of some sort, small mozzarella ball, basil leaf...times two per skewer. Drizzle all with balsamic or marinate the mozzarella (less messy).

I never serve fruit with a dressing or a dip. It's good on its own! Skewers are a great idea.

I agree, skewers are a great idea, everyone can just grab one and not need utensils.

PM, I sometimes make "brownie bites" in mini muffin pans, but I like the corners and the crust of the brownies. Everyone else in the family wants the "middle", so I bake a pan and cut all the edges off then cut into squares. Pfffft. Fine with me, I get ALL the edges!

Annie

Maybe if you have a local sub/sandwich shop, you can get a party tray of it.

Firm fruit on picks works well, but too ripe and it falls off, especially melon. If it's so casual putting whatever you bring shouldn't require plates, I wouldn't chance the fruit skewers. Or maybe fruit shots in 4 oz. paper cups? (Chocolate cups are way too expensive even if you make your own.)

Re sweets--that's what everybody brings. I mentioned the ham somewhat tongue in cheek--it's too expensive, and you don't want to be the slicing station, you want to be enjoying the party. But it's a wow and fun. Variation on the theme: You could slice it at home, or get them to do it on the machine at the deli, or find some pre-sliced domestic for a good price, and ruffle the slices on toothpicks. People can eat it straight or put it on their pizzas. Not the drama of the sliced on site, but still something of a hero move.

As soon as the must be hand held idea popped up, I started wondering about the possibility of making "crouton" cups for salad. My first rule of inventing stuff is to check if it exists. It usually does. Everybody and their uncle have a version of this recipe for chicken cesar crouton cups: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/chicken-caesar-crouton-cups-5123490

I still think a chopped salad would go well with the pizza, and making an "Italian" version of the cups, which are made with sliced bread, would be darned easy (though I'd stack the bread to cut off the crusts).

Easy way out: the menu needs some crunch. How about crunchy breadsticks or even pretzel sticks? Nuts? Rainbow carrot sticks? Croutons?

Not to beat a dead pineapple over fruit skewers, but if the fruit is too ripe, or even to just make it easier to handle, I often just double skewer fruit for kebabs.

If food overload, cookies or bars will easily keep.

Would people ”get” fruit in disposable cups? Bread sticks, IMO, are too close to the bread-y pizza. Fruit snacks, cookies or lemon bars give a pop of difference.

Have fun!

Regarding the Caprese skewers Fun posted, I’ve made them many times. They always disappear quickly no matter what’s on the menu.

Sorry, I got distracted. Thanks, everyone!

Fun2BeHere, I like that idea but I decided that this time they might be too similar to whatever veg tray she orders.

Olychick, I have two fruit dips that everyone goes nuts for. My fav is a yogurt dip w/ cream cheese and brown sugar. Simple and so good. One of my friends will even dip his veggies in it. lol!

Annie, I did a test run of GF brownies baked in mini muffin cups and it worked just fine. The edges sounded good to me. :)

beesneeds, I'm not ready/willing to buy subs for 45 people. :)

plllog, re "that's what everybody brings", you may have misunderstood. Only 2 people (me included) have been given the suggestion to bring something. So there won't be lots of anything. When deciding what to bring, I'm now also thinking about the storage requirements and logistics, so something small, simple, and room temp makes the most sense. Maybe I should bring a brick of cheese and box of crackers!

Olychick, I'm picky about the ripeness of fruit that I serve, and I always need to scout out multiple stores around here just to come up with a good combo that will all be ready at the same time.

petalique, I've often seen fruit in disposable cups served as a breakfast treat at ladies' golf tournaments. :)

chloebud, that's good to know that the fruit always disappears!

Thanks, everyone!

I have never understood parties where I am expected to bring something.