OT:Help! What to serve at party???

My hubby and I are having a party next Sat May 19 to put up our 33ft round above ground pool. I thought about having a cookout that day but then I also thought about ordering pizzas. I'm not sure how to go on this. I've invited 35 people. Not sure if they'll all show. I put RSVP on the invitations but alot of people don't. Adam says we should wait till Sat and see how many show and then order enough pizzas for everyone. If all 35 show thats alot of pizzas! We've told everyone to be here around 10am to start on the pool. The skidloader/bobcat thing I rented will be here Friday the 18th and so will all the sand u put under the pool. We're going to dig the hole, level it, get the sand in and spread before Sat. We plan on just having help to set up the pool. What would u serve? I know iced tea, soft drinks, plenty of cold water, lemonade, cookies (I'll be the only gastric bypass person here so I gotta go with regular food for them, sucks for me but oh well), cakes, I don't know. Hit me with some thoughts. If I do the cookout I'll have to stop working on the pool and start cooking out the burgers, hot dogs. I can make potato salad, baked beans, etc the night before. What would be the best thing to do? I'm thinking enough pizzas to feed 35 people is going to cost quite a chunk. I thought about calling all the pizza places around to see what kind of deals they could give me or even KFC and see what their family buckets along with veggies are. I don't do fried stuff myself but Adam is a KFC fanatic. I could order several of those. I'm at loose ends here, not sure which way would be best to go. If its hot and we're working hard on that pool, the wall of that sucker is steel and heavy, everyone might not want alot of heavy greasy stuff. But their men, who knows. Most are men. Hope they bring the wives. Alot of Adams buddies at work are "supposed" to show. Anyone seen a 7 day forecast for Ky on the weather? I'm paranoid now. I've rented that bobcat/skidloader for next weekend. I hope it doesn't rain. But if it does the man said I could reschedule. No biggie. Thanks for the tips.

Angie! how about bar-b-q on buns, chips, veg tray with a dip, or a party trays of lunch meats and cheeses, But pizzas sounds like a good idea to, Hope this helped. Delilah

Delilah, we're thinking pizzas for 35 ppl would be expensive so its going to be b-b-q on buns or burgers, hot dogs, baked beans, tater salad, cole slaw desserts, soft drinks, tea, lemonade, cold water etc. What type of meat do u get and how do u b-b-q it? I know that sounds stupid but if we have b-b-q I buy it in the tubs and u just heat it or something lol.

Angie, first i cook and drain off ground chuck, put b-q sauce in it till hot, then i put it in a big crock pot and forget it. LOL! it will stay hot in there, then m aybe some deli cole slaw on the side, with some chips or potato salad, baked beans i make.

I have to agree, when I am feeding a crowd, I do bbq pork. I buy a HUGE pork butt, roast it either in the smoker, or oven, with some onions and celery. Once it is done, I make my own bbq sauce, run my meat through a food processor and there ya go! This goes great with slaw, and tater salad!

Couldn't the ladies grill and the men set up the pool? Melanie g

Thanks everyone!

Hi Angie! How did everything turn out? Good i hope. Delilah

Hey Delilah, the cookout and pool putting up party is this Sat. I hope it all works out. Adam can't make up his mind what we should do lol. Just like a man.

Ange... Up here in Northern Ky we have a local butcher type store called Economy meat market. They happen to create meat trays and other party type food. We have ordered from then on numerous times to help out with picnics and engagements like what you are doing. They have a very good bbq and slaw. MIght you have something like them down in your area? A little looking in the local phone book might save you some time. And for those of you reading from the Florence area this was the place on Main street that burnt down in 1999. AKA Tricounty meat market. They still have a location in Covington.