Check out this family reunion meal plan for 38 people

If you’re planning a family reunion, then you know that the food is the most important part. That’s why I put together this awesome family reunion meal plan that will feed 30 people for up to four days. Hopefully this will make your life a little bit easier. Check it out!

*Burgers were on the menu for one of the nights of our reunion*

We just got back from a family reunion with my husband’s family at Lake Powell. It was four days full of jam-packed fun. This is the second year in a row that we have planned this trip together so we were able to refine our menu and figure out what does and doesn’t work.

Step #1: Organize your menu

There were 38 people in our group so we planned a menu for four days. It’s tricky trying to figure out what everyone likes to eat, but this was a pretty fool-proof menu. Here’s what we ate for dinner:

Day 1: Pulled pork sandwiches
Day 2: Taco salad
Day 3: Teriyaki chicken bowls
Day 4: Hamburgers and hot dogs

For breakfast, we had pancakes, bacon, eggs and cantaloupe everyday. For lunch, we ate sandwiches everyday. Below is a link to a detailed spreadsheet shopping list of everything you need to buy and what quantities:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nsurAqX11lFh8OGtXrf2CoD235-CkYWzd3EZB9l3tYM/edit?usp=sharing

I made a handy little meal book that listed all of the items that we need for each meal of the day. The year before, we didn’t have a meal book and it we missed pulling out certain ingredients or parts of meals. This just makes it easier for everyone. You can also buy a magnetic meal plan whiteboard and hang it on the fridge.

Family Reunion Meal Book — *Creating a meal book makes it easier for everyone*

Step #2: Assign shopping lists

You shouldn’t have to feel like you have to do all the shopping for 38 people for a four-day trip. We assigned everyone a list of items to buy. Someone bought the breads and chips, someone else bought the paper goods, another person bought all the meats and another person bought the fruits and veggies. Divide it however you like.

*Full shopping cart at Costco for our family reunion*

Step #3: Have fun!

Hopefully all of the hard work of organizing and shopping is done. Now, just have fun on your trip. You can assign certain families to be in charge of cooking certain meals. Or, everyone can just help out every meal. That’s what we did. Some people stepped up and cooked the meals on the grill, while others would cut veggies and make salads. Overall, it worked out awesome! It was such a fun trip and everyone had a blast.

Tips and tricks

Kids: Any child under 12 years old should only be counted as half a person since they don’t eat that much. This helps when determining how much money everyone owes per family.
Receipts: Remind everyone who buys food or supplies for the reunion to keep their receipts so the amount that everyone owes can be fairly calculated.
Revisions: At the end of the trip, write down all of the food that you bought too much of and more food that you should have bought. Then add those changes to your menu for next year.
Picky eaters?: There were a few people in the group who were on a specific diet and they just brought their own food for specific meals.
Assign dinners: Because we were on a house boat, it was easier to just plan all of the meals and shopping together. However, you can also assign specific people to choose, shop for and cook a specific meal. Whatever is easiest for your family.
Everyone helps: Get those kids involved and make sure they help with the prep and clean up so the adults aren’t doing all of the work.
Gear: Make sure you have the right equipment to transport and cook all your food. You’ll need a good cooler, Camp chef and griddle and five-gallon water jug.

I hope these ideas for putting together a family reunion meal plan will help you and your family at your next reunion. Let me know how it goes in the comments below.