My dad turned 60 last July. We threw him a backyard party. Sixty-something people on one of the hottest weekends of the year. And the thing that almost ruined it before it even started? The food question. Not the tent rental, not the playlist, not whether Uncle Tony would behave himself. The food. That’s always the thing, isn’t it?
I’ve thrown enough parties at this point to know that party catering is either the easiest part or the most stressful part — depending entirely on whether you overcomplicate it. For my dad’s party, we ended up using Culto Italiano for party & event catering in Bergenfield NJ and it was the best decision we made. Spoiler: most people overcomplicate this. Here’s how not to.
Start With the Basics
Before menus, before caterer calls, before Pinterest boards — answer three questions. How many people? What time? What’s the vibe?
Sounds almost too simple, right? But once you’ve got those three answers nailed down, everything else starts to make sense on its own. A backyard BBQ for 30 at 2 PM is a completely different animal than a 60-person anniversary dinner at 7. The food, the portions, even how you set up the tables — all of it flows from those three answers.
Stop Trying to Cook for 50 People Yourself
I tried this once. Never again. Made four trays of lasagna, two giant salads, and garlic bread for 45 people. Started at 7 AM the day of the party. By the time guests showed up at 4, I was covered in tomato sauce, my back hurt, and I wanted to go to bed. Didn’t enjoy a single minute of my own party.
Here’s the truth nobody wants to hear. Cooking for 8 is a nice evening. Cooking for 50 is a full shift. And unless you’ve worked in a commercial kitchen before, you’re probably not equipped for it. I don’t say that to be harsh. I say it because I burned the garlic bread three times trying to multitask.
Turns out I’m not alone either. The American Institute of Stress found that hosting events ranks as one of the top stressors for American adults. And the biggest source of that hosting stress? Food prep. Not the guest list. Not the decorations. The food.
Why Catering Is the Smartest Move
For my dad’s birthday, I finally gave in and ordered catering. The food showed up at 3:30 — hot, packaged perfectly, with plates and napkins and serving spoons included. I put it on the table and that was it. I actually sat down with my dad and ate with him. First time I’d ever enjoyed one of our family parties without spending it in the kitchen.
And the cost? Basically the same as what I would’ve spent at the grocery store doing it myself. Maybe even less, once you add up all the little stuff — aluminum pans, plastic wrap, extra ingredients when you screw up a recipe. With catering, you pay one price and everything shows up done. No grocery runs, no all-day cooking, no cleanup.
Pick Food That Pleases a Crowd
Here’s where people trip up. They get ambitious. Gourmet sliders with truffle aioli sound incredible in theory, but in practice? Half your guests just want normal food. When you’re feeding 40 people, you’re not trying to impress anyone. You’re trying to make sure everyone eats and nobody complains.
Italian food is the answer almost every time. Pizza and pasta are the two most universally loved foods in America. Kids eat it. Grandparents eat it. Your picky brother-in-law eats it. A couple pasta trays, some pizza, a big salad, bruschetta or meatballs on the side. I’ve used this exact same spread for birthdays, graduations, even a christening. Works. Every. Time.
Getting Portions Right
My rule: order for one and a half times your headcount. Thirty guests? Food for 45. Sounds like a lot but trust me — people eat way more at parties than they think they will. Especially once drinks get involved. Running out of food at a party is mortifying. A few leftovers you can send home with people? That’s fine.
Or honestly — just tell the caterer how many people and let them do the math. They’ve literally done this hundreds of times. They know exactly how much baked ziti 40 people will go through. Let them handle the numbers.
Timing Your Delivery
Learned this one the hard way. Party started at 5. Food arrived at 5:15. Guests were already there, milling around, hungry, looking at me like “where’s the food?” Awful feeling. Now I always schedule delivery at least 20 to 30 minutes before the first guest is supposed to arrive. Party at 5? Food at 4:30. No exceptions.
When you order, pin the caterer down on timing. Not a range. A specific time. “We’ll be there at 4:30.” Great. That’s what I want to hear. If they can’t commit to that, find someone who can.
Finding a Caterer You Can Count On
The absolute best feeling is calling someone, saying “I need food for 50 people, Saturday at 4:30” and then just… not thinking about it again until the doorbell rings. No follow-up texts. No panicked phone calls. No surprises. Just food, on time, everything included.
Local restaurants are usually the move for this. They’ve got the kitchen, the staff, and they’re not going to flake on you because their reputation in the neighborhood depends on it. Find a spot that makes it stupidly easy. Call, tell them what you need, done.
Do Not Forget the Small Stuff
Couple things that can quietly wreck your party food setup if you’re not thinking ahead. One — table space. You need somewhere to actually put the food. I’ve been to parties where 40 people’s worth of food was crammed onto a 3-foot kitchen counter. Chaos. Two — trash cans. Put them near where people are eating. Otherwise every flat surface in your house becomes a garbage dump.
Outdoor party? Cover the food. Bugs, wind, direct sun. All enemies. A shaded spot with some aluminum foil covers handles it. Basic stuff, but it matters more than you’d think.
The International Live Events Association has said the most successful events are the ones where the host delegates the big logistics. I believe it. You literally cannot be a good host and a good caterer at the same time. One of those has to go.
Enjoy Your Own Party
That’s the whole point, right? This is supposed to be fun. It’s your kid’s graduation. Your dad’s milestone birthday. Your people, all together in one place. You should be out there with them. Not sweating over a hot stove while everyone else laughs in the other room.
Let somebody else handle the food. Pick something everybody likes. Get the timing right. And then go be with your people. That’s not a complicated secret. It’s just common sense that most of us ignore because we think we have to do everything ourselves. You don’t. Let it go.