What to Make for a Church Luncheon?
Posted: September 18, 2012 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: church supper, covered dish 6 CommentsNot that long ago I saw a news piece that said Protestants in America were the heaviest group when dividing America up by religion. It is not really that important statistics because Americans in general are overweight and more American’s are Protestant than any other one group, so no news there.
The reporter went on to say that perhaps it was all the covered dish suppers that Church goers went to which were full of macaroni and cheese and hash brown casserole that was the reason Christians were so fat. If you go to a place of worship are you having a meal there everyday? Not at my church. We may eat at church a couple times a year max.
My friend Sara and I are charged with providing an all-church lunch in 12 days. We did this last year and served a top-your-own baked potato bar. It satisfied many different constituents. For Vegetarians we had broccoli and cheese, for vegans we had just broccoli, for meat lovers we had ham and for folks that don’t like much we had sour cream and butter. What we did not have was any main course for dieters, just a green salad, not really a meal. For the frugal the meal only cost about two dollars a person to make and that included a giant sheet cake from Sam’s. Maybe there is something to that obesity tie to Church.
This year I want to make something that even I can eat, that will be easy to make, cheep to pay for and satisfy all they various eating groups. So I am reaching out to you, the world of church and non-church goers for ideas for a lunch for about 200 people.
It is not that I can’t come up with a menu, but I figure that each of you might have attended a big event and thought, Wow, that was a good menu. Tell me, tell me now.
One more thing, I don’t have much time to actually cook it. Both Sara and I are busier than Santa’s elves two days before Christmas so we need to be able to shop and cook the whole thing on Saturday and serve it Sunday at noon. So no whole pig ideas, ain’t got the time.
If we can come up with a healthy church meal perhaps we can stem the fat tide believers are riding. Now that would be a Jesus worthy miracle.
Less Dana, More Good 
Jetta Boyd and I did a luncheon at Trinity Avenue Presbyterian Church many years ago for @600 women of Orange Presbytery. We made Dance Festival Pasta (thank you again for that fabulous recipe, Beth Maxwell), fruit salad, bagged baked chips, and brownies all in a boxed lunch. It truly was a labor of love and a monumental feat and Jetta and I both retired after that!!! Good luck!!
Did a Presbyterian women luncheon for 200 some years ago of chicken salad, croissants, fruit salad. Piper made the chicken salad, croissants came from ninth street bakery and everything else from Sam’s. I have used this menu many times since substitute turkey salad and pound cake when I had more time to cook. Have many fond memories of cooking in the kitchen at TAPC.
The Minnesota Lutherans would not be satisfied without hot dish, but my Michigan Methodist grandmother would have served a hearty healthy soup. Have fun!
What about that yummy tomato soup we made for Family Game night?
What about that yummy tomato soup we made for Family Game Night? And a big green salad. I have vague memories of that luncheon Diane and Jetta did. Love that Dance Festival Favorite!
I will tell Paris to start cutting fruit for 200.