Our Gluten-Free Party Menu (Prepared Ahead of Time)

I cut the peppers and onions ahead of time and steamed them in a smaller Instant Pot the morning of the party, then kept them warm until serving. The cooked peppers and onions ended up being one of the most popular toppings, and we had almost none left by the end of the party.

 

 

I also cooked the black beans in the Instant Pot and kept them warm throughout the party.

The rice was the only item I made shortly before guests arrived. About 90 minutes before the party, I cooked the cilantro lime rice and transferred it into a foil pan placed inside an electric roaster with water in the bottom to create steam and keep the rice warm without drying out.

 

For reheating, I warmed one pork roast in the Instant Pot and the other in a crockpot, which worked really well for serving a crowd.

 

Tortilla Chip Serving Idea

 

We also served tortilla chips alongside the meal. I purchased seven bags of chips for approximately $14 total.

 

About an hour before guests arrived, we portioned the chips into individual brown paper lunch bags and stapled them closed. This ended up working really well for the party. It kept the serving table cleaner, made it easy for guests to grab chips while moving through the food line, and helped avoid large open bowls sitting out throughout the evening.

To keep cold items chilled, I placed bowls of sour cream, cheese, and salsa inside an inflatable serving bar filled with ice. I also used a second inflatable serving bar filled with ice for bottled water, which made serving simple and easy for guests.

 

One thing we were especially happy with was keeping the drinks simple and only serving bottled water.

 

In the past, I have made punches or purchased several varieties of soda for gatherings. While those can be fun, they also become expensive quickly, and I often ended up with leftover drinks that no one really wanted afterward.

 

For this party, bottled water ended up being simple, practical, and perfect for the warm weather. It also kept one more thing from becoming complicated.

 

What We Would Change Next Time

 

Overall, the menu worked really well for our group, but there are a couple small things I would probably adjust next time.

 

One adjustment I would likely make would be increasing the spice level of the barbacoa pork slightly. I kept it fairly close to the original recipe because I wanted the food to work well for a wide variety of guests and not feel overly spicy for children or those sensitive to heat.

 

For a crowd, I think it was the right choice overall, but if you enjoy more heat, you could easily add extra chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, or additional seasoning to adjust the flavor to your preference.

 

I would also probably add a very simple non-Mexican option for younger children. Most guests enjoyed the food, but having something small and familiar available for kids would probably have been helpful for a few families. Next time, I may set out something simple like cheese, gluten-free crackers, and fruit that could easily be prepared ahead of time and served alongside the main meal.

 

Approximately How Much Food We Used for 65–70 Guests

 

One thing I always appreciate when planning for a crowd is seeing real quantities, so I thought I would share approximately what we used and what we had left over after the party.

 

Proteins

 

• 10-pound pork roast for the barbacoa
• 8-pound pork roast for the seasoned shredded pork

 

We only had a few servings left of each type of pork by the end of the party.

 

Rice

 

• 12 cups uncooked Royal basmati rice

 

We had about one-fourth of the rice left over.

 

Black Beans

 

• 3 pounds dried black beans

 

This ended up being far more than we needed, and we had about half of the beans left. We made a triple batch compared to the original recipe.

 

Salsa

 

• 9 times the original salsa recipe

 

I intentionally made extra salsa because we enjoy bringing leftovers home afterward. I also did not put all of the salsa out at once. Instead, I refilled serving bowls as needed throughout the party. We still had about one-third of the salsa left so six times the recipe would have been plenty.

 

Cheese & Toppings

 

• 3 pounds Monterey Jack cheese
• 3 heads romaine lettuce (some from the garden)
• 8 peppers
• 4 onions
• 32-ounce tub sour cream

 

We had about one-fourth of the cheese left and about one-third of the lettuce remaining.

 

Tortilla Chips

• 7 bags tortilla chips

 

The individual chip bags ended up working really well and made serving much simpler throughout the evening. We had a few individual bags left so six bags would be enough.

 

Approximately What We Spent

 

One thing that surprised me afterward was how affordable the meal ended up being for feeding around 65–70 people.

 

Because I planned ahead and purchased the pork roasts on sale ahead of time to freeze, the meat portion of the meal was incredibly inexpensive. The two pork roasts together only cost about $15 total.

 

The black beans were around $4 and even using our favorite higher-quality Royal basmati rice, the rice portion was only about $8.

 

We spent approximately:

• $15 on salsa ingredients
• About $10 on spices, cilantro, and adobo sauce
• About $10 on peppers and onions
• About $14 on tortilla chips
• About $30 on gluten-free desserts
• About $7 on bottled water
• Additional money on cheese, lettuce, sour cream, and ice

 

Altogether, we spent less than $130 to feed approximately 65–70 people.

 

Preparing the food ourselves and choosing simple ingredients helped us keep the cost much lower than traditional catering while still serving food that felt fresh, homemade, and enjoyable for guests.

 

One thing I loved most about the party was that I never really announced that the food was gluten free unless someone specifically asked. The food simply worked for everyone.

 

Many people commented on how fresh the salsa tasted, and several guests were surprised to learn the desserts were gluten free. One guest even asked to take extra flourless cookie bars home because they tasted like a really good homemade cookie — simple, fresh, and made well.

 

Obviously, we wanted the party to be good, affordable, and enjoyable for our guests. But more than anything, our ultimate goal was simply to surround our daughter with people who cared about her and loved her well.

 

One reason I was so thankful for preparing so much ahead of time was that it allowed me to actually enjoy the party with her. Instead of constantly worrying about food or being stuck in the kitchen, I was able to visit with people throughout the evening, laugh, talk, and simply be present for such an important milestone in her life.

 

At the end of the day, that is what mattered most to me.

 

I continue learning that gathering people around the table does not have to mean complicated food. Sometimes simple meals served with care become the most meaningful.