Kick-Start Family Reunion Bonding With a Sandwich Bar

Get the party started with a well-planned table full of flavor.

Planning a family party can be tedious and time-consuming, leaving you too tired to entertain your guests. Before you decide to skip the whole affair altogether, consider a sandwich bar. Not only will the minimal prep give you a lot more time to spend with your guests, the whole sandwich bar concept is great for getting them to mingle and interact.

Here’s what you need to remember when setting up an awesome sandwich bar for your family get-together:

Make a complete grocery list

Pick out the ingredients you plan to serve at the bar from your favorite grocery store or specialty food store.

Bread:

Basics include loaf bread, whole wheat bread, and pandesal, but if you want more selections, buy focaccia, raisin bread, ciabatta, bagels, croissants, and English muffins.

Spreads:

To make meat sandwiches meatier and tastier, offer guests quality spreads in different flavors like Lady’s Choice Sandwich Spreads in Ham, Chicken, Bacon, Roast Beef, and Tuna variants. For sweet options, add some jams, peanut butter, and hazelnut spreads.

Meats and deli:

Sweet ham, juicy chicken, crispy bacon, and scrambled eggs, are hearty options you can provide guests at your sandwich bar. Add some no-cook meats, too, like pepperoni, turkey, and salami.

Cheese:

Cheddar, Swiss, and Provolone are excellent options for deli sandwiches and go with a lot of different meats.

Vegetables and herbs:

Vegetables add color and crunch to sandwiches, so don’t forget to include a fresh selection. Grab some ice lettuce, red tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions as your basics, then add some pickles, spinach, basil, olives, and other healthy picks.

Condiments:

Pick out two to three condiments for your sandwich bar. Include a bottle of mustard, vinaigrette dressing, ketchup, and Lady’s Choice Real Mayonnaise in your selection.

Tricks of the trade

When you start planning your party, details matter. Follow these tips on how to prepare a complete sandwich bar.

Think of a creative theme like Superhero Assembly, Picnic Party, or something close to home like "Lola’s Angels." Use this theme to help you plan the food and filling you intend to prepare.

Set up your sandwich bar by placing a table on one side of the room, allocating a section on the table for the ingredients you bought.

If you’re giving guests the option to toast or grill their sandwiches, make sure your oven and stove setups are properly in place away from fire hazards. Ask an adult to help with the cooking.

If you’re having the party outdoors, provide covers for each ingredient to protect them from the elements even when they are left unattended.

Use color-coded serving utensils (colored tape around the handle works) that match bowls or containers to keep them from getting mixed up. Meat tongs should be different from your bread tongs.

Add some tent cards with helpful combo suggestions, information about flavors to help guests decide what to put together, or share cooking tips like spreading mayo instead of butter on the bread is the secret to getting that golden hue for grilled sandwiches.

With a party this easy to prepare for, you can focus on making memories, not menus, and look forward to being together with family and friends.