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Family Simcha Shabbos Catered or Not - Pros & Cons?????



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amother


 

Post Wed, Jul 30 2014, 8:13 am
OK - I'm posting this udner working women since I am a working woman and I wasn't sure where this belonged... Wink

I'm planning a family simcha and am curious to know what the pros and cons are of catering it all ourslves, vs hired catering services.
I am crazy busy as a general thing - so the idea of doing it solo is quite daunting. Also, ive been told it doens't come out such a difference in price (once one figures in all the hidden expenses) - is that true?

I'd be happy to hear from people who have chosen either way - to self cater or to hire a company.
Any comments - welcome....

Posting anonymously since too many people know I'm debating this.
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sara_s




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 30 2014, 8:23 am
I would think it's at least 2 to 3 times the price to cater, assuming the same level of food for both options. I.e. you can't compare simple catered shnitzels with homemade prime cuts of steak, in which case there would be less of a price difference.
The way I see catering:price is the con, time/work is the pro.
Personally I can't even imagine making all the food for a family simcha by myself! I would probably by the food from a caterer and serve if myself though (i.e.set the tables myself, not use waiters),since that can cut the costs a bit.
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catonmylap




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 30 2014, 8:37 am
I would expect the price difference to be huge...but maybe less of a difference if you have cheap catering options...(this will depend a lot on where you live).

how many people are you having?
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self-actualization




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 30 2014, 8:45 am
I made a Shabbos aufruf for my brother-in-law. It wasn't catered. I spent about $1000 between the two meals (night meal was 8 adults, and day meal had around 30+ adults for a sit-down meal). I took some short-cuts by buying potato kugel and chopped liver. I personally fried tons of shnitzel and mashed eggs for egg salad. Other family members bought the plasticware, made the dessert, and made the aufruf bags. We didn't have a kiddush. I was 7 months pregnant and it was a lot of work. I told myself that when it's time to make an aufruf for my children, IY"H, I will save up and have it catered. I imagine it's at least triple the money - $1000 for the shul kiddush, and $2000 for the 2-3 meals and bags. I'm sure that people are strapped at that point, after they have paid for wedding expenses, so I hear the rationale for doing it DIY like I did.
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PinkFridge




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 30 2014, 9:37 am
The pros are obvious.
What most people who cater by themselves do is hire wait staff to stay sane and still enjoy the simcha. Often friends who know they're making a big simcha will even offer to send a salad, etc.
Mazal tov!
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debsey




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 30 2014, 9:42 am
Another option is to self-cater whatever can be made and frozen in advance and hire lots of waiters and cleaning staff. Then you can save some money and still enjoy the simcha like a mentch.
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Chayalle




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 30 2014, 9:44 am
self-actualization wrote:
I made a Shabbos aufruf for my brother-in-law. It wasn't catered. I spent about $1000 between the two meals (night meal was 8 adults, and day meal had around 30+ adults for a sit-down meal). I took some short-cuts by buying potato kugel and chopped liver. I personally fried tons of shnitzel and mashed eggs for egg salad. Other family members bought the plasticware, made the dessert, and made the aufruf bags. We didn't have a kiddush. I was 7 months pregnant and it was a lot of work. I told myself that when it's time to make an aufruf for my children, IY"H, I will save up and have it catered. I imagine it's at least triple the money - $1000 for the shul kiddush, and $2000 for the 2-3 meals and bags. I'm sure that people are strapped at that point, after they have paid for wedding expenses, so I hear the rationale for doing it DIY like I did.


Can I nominate you for sainthood?
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amother


 

Post Wed, Jul 30 2014, 9:54 am
My Aunt self catered a bar mitzvah shabbos in her house. She had about 50 people at each meal. Her married kids and friends helped make some of the food but she made most of it herself. She did not hire waiters so she was it the kitchen the entire time. She did not enjoy the shabbos seudahs at all.

If you to save money but also want to enjoy the simcha I would do half and half. Whatever could be frozen make in advance and freeze it. Bake schnitzel instead of frying it. Buy kugels and/ or salad from a caterer/ takeout shop. And if you are having a lot of people at each meal then hire a waiter or two.
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shanie5




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Aug 03 2014, 5:12 am
Cheaper to cook it yourself. But take into account your time too. Thats worth something too.

Where will the simcha be? If in your house, then you can cook and family/friends can cook and bring to help you. If at a shul or hall, can you bring in outside food (that is made in a private home not under hechsher).

If you do cook, hire waiters to serve. Otherwise you will not be able to enjoy the simcha as you will be in the kitchen the whole time. It helps to have someone "run" the waiters. S/o who knows what they are doing-waiters dont always do ther best job on their own.

You can just order in the food and serve yourself, but then you cant enjoy the simcha.
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Mrs Bissli




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Aug 03 2014, 7:13 am
We had Shabbat simcha recently, about 20 people for dinner and 120 people (buffet) for lunch.
For lunch bit, we actually used take-out as a half way solution between self-catering and using an external caterer. It was at a synagogue hall so no option to prepare food at my house and bring them in. They also had restriction on serving hot foods for lunch, so we served cold cuts, chicken/ chicken goujons at room temperature, plus variety of salads all as take away. In total it came out better than hiring a full catering service but I managed to save my sanity. Don't forget to add costs of things like challah rolls, tablecloth hire, waitresses, drinks, plates/cutlery.
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ROFL




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Aug 03 2014, 7:36 am
I work a high stressed full time job. I made Sheva brachot for 35 people. It cost me 500. Orginazation is really the key. I shopped a week before except for veggie salad and was able to cook everything that day.
It was a bit crazy but definitely cheaper than catering
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perquacky




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Aug 04 2014, 10:50 am
We're making our son's bar mitzvah this coming Shabbat, and all meals are by us, prepared by us. (Kiddush in the shul, but we're buying cakes from Costco and DH is going to make herring platters.)

Around 25 people at our house for Friday night and Shabbat lunch, plus 50+ at our house for Shalosh Seudos. People offered to bring things for Shalosh Seudos.

When all is said and done, we estimate that the day will cost us around $1500, and that includes paper goods, plastic flatware, disposable platters, etc. We know we're saving lots of $$$ this way, but it's stressful. Thank goodness DH is off for the summer (Dept. of Ed. job), and that he used to be a chef and can cook better than any caterer I know.
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Maya




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Aug 04 2014, 10:53 am
It would depend on how much money your time is worth.
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PinkFridge




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Aug 04 2014, 11:28 am
perquacky wrote:
We're making our son's bar mitzvah this coming Shabbat, and all meals are by us, prepared by us. (Kiddush in the shul, but we're buying cakes from Costco and DH is going to make herring platters.)


Mazel tov!
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amother


 

Post Mon, Aug 04 2014, 2:31 pm
I have never paid for a shabbos sich myself so I can't tell you costwise. (Besides my baby's kiddush where my mother made 12 Kugel and 4 huge cholents and I did the rest and it cost me about $500 without hot food)
however we have catered ourselves my shabbos sheva brochos and two brothers bas mitzvah so far. Next one in a few months. I personally dont like catered food and love when we work hard to cook it. I love the feeling of eating my hard work. Lol
we had lots of ppl tho. About 100 ppl friday night, 150 shabbos day, and invited all neighbors for shalosh seudos.
I always helped and really enjoyed it.
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rachel6543




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Aug 04 2014, 6:19 pm
How many people are you planning to have at your simcha? I think that would really help determine if it's doable to self cater. Are you having 20 guests? 50? 200? If it's 20 people, then I would cater myself. If 200, then I would hire a cater if I could afford it.

I haven't self catered a simcha but my SIL did with the help of my MIL for her daughter's bat mitzvah. My MIL used to cater so she's very experienced with this. My SIL and her mother baked and cooked many things that could be frozen ahead of time. For the bat mitzvah, they rented out a room somewhere, hired servers, but did all the catering themselves. The even was maybe 75-100 women. It was beautifully done and they saves a lot of $$ catering themselves.
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amother


 

Post Mon, Aug 04 2014, 7:13 pm
What is your budget?

We have a Chabad house so we have lots of events and meals with anywhere from 20- 250ppl.

I have cooked and also catered.

I agree that with the $$ you spend on full price meat/ chicken/ groceries, plus if you hire cleaning help plus all of your time and hard work, it is not that much cheaper than catering. Especially if you can find caterers that are cheaper- there is a real difference in price in caterers, so ask or shop around.

If you have the $ for it then I recommend catering. you come to your simcha like a queen, and the whole event (bar mitzvah etc) isn't all about weeks of shopping, cooking, stressing Smile but about the simcha and your family and guests.

You can also make quick and easy things that are cheap and cater the rest
Ie: rice, pasta, roasted veggies

If you do make the food yourself, or are serving in your home, hire help for the serving and cleaning- you will feel like a queen instead of a shmatah!

Waitresses are more expensive, you can save by getting your cleaning lady and her friend. They can also clean the bathroom when it gets dirty from so much use, and a waitress won't do that.

Mazel tov and good luck!!
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amother


 

Post Mon, Aug 04 2014, 8:22 pm
I just made a bar mitzvah. We had a big party Thursday night totally catered and shabbos was family (45 People) and day was also shul people.

I cooked for Friday night because I like home made food better. I cooked in advance and froze. Noone can tell.
For shabbos kiddush I bought cold cuts and chicken nuggets and salads. I made some things too, but mostly bought take out.

I had my cleaning lady come as an extra hand. She was able to serve and clean up. We helped but we were able to shoot and enjoy too.
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