What you need for a senior afternoon

Use this shopping list to prepare a comfortable senior afternoon without last-minute trips to the shop. Plan food and drinks around the number of registered guests, including dietary requirements collected with the registrations. Check whether the venue already has tables, chairs, coffee machines, kettles and tableware before buying or reserving anything. Small items such as coffee spoons, name badges, extension cords and serving utensils are easy to overlook, so check them at least two days before the event.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Tablesqty 7
Chairsqty 55
Buffet tablesqty 2
Coat racksqty 2
Stoolsqty 4

Tableware

Dinner platesqty 60
Dessert platesqty 60
Coffee cupsqty 60
Glassesqty 70
Knivesqty 60
Forksqty 60
Spoonsqty 60
Coffee spoonsqty 60

Equipment

Coffee machinesqty 2
Kettlesqty 2
Soup kettlesqty 2
Coolersqty 3
Bluetooth speaker
Microphone
Extension cordsqty 3
Power stripsqty 3

Kitchen

Serving spoonsqty 4
Cutting boardsqty 3
Bread knivesqty 2
Scissorsqty 2
Serving plattersqty 8
Serving tongsqty 4
Thermos flasksqty 5

Decorations

Tableclothsqty 7
Flower arrangementsqty 7
Buntingqty 6
Balloonsqty 40
Name badge holdersqty 60

Lighting

Atmosphere lightsqty 6

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 4
Bucketsqty 2
Mopsqty 2

Catering

Groceries
- Coffee - 3 packs
- Decaf coffee - 1 pack
- Black tea - 2 boxes
- Herbal tea - 1 box
- Sugar - 1 kilo
- Sweetener - 1 box
- Milk - 6 liters
- Milk powder - 1 can
- Cola - 6 bottles
- Cola Zero - 4 bottles
- Orange juice - 6 cartons
- Apple juice - 4 packs
- Sparkling mineral water - 6 bottles
- Still mineral water - 8 bottles
- Lemons - 8 pieces
- Stirrers - 100 pieces
- Butter cake - 3 pieces
- Apple pie - 3 pies
- Whipped cream - 6 cans
- Whole grain bread - 8 loaves
- White casinobread - 5 loaves
- Butter - 4 packs
- Young cheese - 2 kilos
- Back ham - 1.5 kilos
- Chicken breast slices - 1.5 kilos
- Hummus - 1 kilo
- Cucumbers - 6 pieces
- Tomatoes - 2 kilos
- Mixed soup - 12 liters
- Vegetable stock - 2 packs
- Soup vegetables - 3 kilo
- Vermicelli - 500 grams
- Parsley - 3 bunches
- Pepper - 1 jar
- Salt - 1 pack
- Paprika chips - 4 bags
- Plain chips - 4 bags
- Salted peanuts - 2 bags
- Cheese cookies - 3 packs
- Grapes - 3 kilos
- Apples - 30 pieces
- Mandarins - 30 pieces
- Napkins - 200 pieces
- Coffee filters - 1 pack
- Cling film - 1 roll
- Aluminum foil - 1 roll
- Bread bags - 1 pack
- Trash bags - 2 rolls
- Paper towels - 4 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Hand soap - 4 bottles
- Hand sanitizer - 2 bottles

Tips

Plan two to three drinks per person for the first hour, then one drink per person for each additional hour. Include water, coffee and tea, and chill bottled or canned drinks at least four hours before guests arrive.
Allow one bowl of soup, two slices of bread and a small snack portion per guest. Add 10% extra food when the final attendance number is uncertain, and prepare separate options for recorded dietary requirements.
Count place settings by guest: one dinner plate, one dessert plate, one glass, one knife, one fork and one spoon per person. Provide one coffee cup and coffee spoon per expected coffee drinker, plus at least five spare settings.
Reserve or confirm equipment no later than one week before the afternoon. Check that coffee machines, kettles, soup kettles, coolers, a microphone and the Bluetooth speaker work with the venue’s power supply.
Bring two extension cords, two power strips and serving tools for each buffet section. Pack bread knives, cutting boards, serving spoons, tongs, platters, thermos flasks, tablecloths and flower arrangements together so setup does not depend on a late shopping run.

Frequently asked questions

What food should I buy for a senior afternoon?: Plan one serving of soup, two slices of bread and one snack portion per guest. Buy about 10% extra if registrations are still changing, and keep dietary alternatives separate and clearly labelled.
How many drinks do I need per person?: Allow two to three drinks per person during the first hour and one drink per person for every following hour. Add coffee, tea and water separately so the total covers both hot and cold drinks.
How much tableware do I need for a senior afternoon?: Prepare one dinner plate, dessert plate, glass, knife, fork and spoon per guest, plus one coffee cup and coffee spoon for each coffee drinker. Keep at least five spare place settings available for unexpected guests or dropped items.
When should I arrange the equipment and catering?: Confirm catering and reserve equipment at least one week before the event. Recheck quantities, dietary requirements, power connections and the shopping list two days before the afternoon.

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