A celebration of life is a gathering to remember someone and share stories with family and friends. Many families serve a meal or light food so guests can stay and visit. Planning that food often happens on a short timeline, so a simple plan helps.
Keep the Menu Simple
Choose food that is familiar, easy to serve and easy to eat while visiting. A buffet lets guests serve themselves when they are ready, which suits a gathering where people arrive and leave at different times.
Food Ideas
- A barbecue buffet: Pulled pork and brisket with rolls let guests make a plate or a sandwich.
- Comfort food sides: Mac ’n’ cheese, BBQ beans, coleslaw and potato salad suit most guests.
- Sandwich platters: Rolls with sliced or pulled meats work well for an afternoon gathering.
- A favorite dish: Some families include a meal or dessert the person loved, which can be a meaningful part of the day.
- Simple desserts and drinks: Cookies, sheet cake, coffee, iced tea and water round out the meal.
How Much Food to Order
For a meal served around lunch or dinner, plan on about one third to one half pound of cooked meat per adult. For a gathering between meals, the lower end is usually enough. Attendance can be hard to predict, so many families order for a slightly larger group than they expect. Our guide to how much BBQ to plan per person has more detail.
Where to Hold the Gathering
Common choices include a family home, a church hall, a fire company or community hall, and a park pavilion. Ask the venue whether outside food is allowed and whether tables, chairs and serving space are provided.
Catering a Celebration of Life with Stampede
Stampede Barbecue caters gatherings of 15 guests or more. Our packages are priced per person and include dinner rolls and our BBQ sauce, and you can choose drop-off or full-service catering. We can accommodate a variety of dietary needs.
We recommend booking catering 3 to 4 weeks ahead when possible. Because these gatherings are often planned on shorter notice, please call the restaurant at (610) 401-0900 to ask about availability for your date. For a smaller group, takeout is available from our restaurant in Mohnton, with smoked meats sold by the pound and sides by the single or the pint. You can also request a quote on our catering page.