Mom Hack Monday: World’s Easiest Entertaining Buffet!

Most people enjoy having company over to visit and share a great meal, but the thought of planning for a large gathering can be frightening for many reasons. Whether you are budget conscious, not the best of cooks, or worried about pleasing a wide variety of palettes, feeding a crowd can be stressful. And don’t get me started on all that clean up!!!

Beginning with my oldest daughter’s first birthday and culminating last month with my youngest’s, I’ve found a simple, relatively hassle free buffet that consistently wows my guests… a gourmet hot dog buffet!

Now don’t be intimidated by the term “gourmet”. When I say “gourmet”, and I want you to think “choices”. The more choices you offer for customization in your hot dog bar, the more special it will feel. The great part is that after offering just a few pairing suggestions, your guests will do the rest of the work customizing their hot dogs in any fashion they please!

There are a few items you need to really make your hot dog buffet pop. First, make sure you get a higher quality hotdog, preferably all beef. Budget hotdogs can be mushy even on the grill, so spend just a few extra dollars for a better quality option. You can experiment with artisanal kielbasa or sausage, but you really don’t need to. Your hotdog is just a base for your ultimate masterpiece, and offering a variety of condiments provides plenty of opportunity for creative expression.

Next, select your buns. Similar to your hotdogs, you don’t have to go all out with several different options or shell out your precious dollars on fancy brands. A plain bun is just fine, but if you really want to get creative, you can offer a combination of potato, white, sesame seed, or whole wheat buns.

I always prefer to grill my hotdogs, but the beauty about this buffet is that you don’t have to if the season, weather, or personal preference don’t permit. What ever way you want to prepare your dogs, you can do it in real time, or pre-grill and reheat later. (This is a great option if you’re hosting a kid’s party and don’t want the worry of keeping curious hands away from a hot barbeque.) Put your dogs in a dish covered with tinfoil or a crockpot set to warm to keep them hot in between servings.

Pro Tip: cut your cooked hotdogs and buns in half. This gives guests the opportunity to try more custom flavor combinations without over eating!

When it comes to condiments and add-ins, don’t over think it. Let your guests do the legwork for you and you might be blown away with what they come up with. Don’t try to micromanage the pairings as that can cause aversions to your picky eaters or creative frustrations to your adventurous foodies. It’s all about letting their freak flag fly! Below are some common additions to a hot dog buffet that require minimal preparation but lots of variety! Pick a variety of premade sauces and add 3-4 fresh ingredients.

In addition to the traditional condiments, make sure to offer 1-2 unique options that are sure to impress. The trick is to pick items that aren’t so outlandish, your guests turn up their nose, or are so specific that they aren’t able to be used in a variety of ways. Here are some of my favorites:

Make sure you have some great side dishes to compliment your hot dog buffet. Choose easy options like a salad, crock pot dip, or veggie tray. Keep it simple so the hotdogs really shine. See my Elote Corn “Ribs” recipe for a side dish that is sure to impress with little effort.

Lastly, it’s always a great option to offer a few pairings to get people started. Be creative and if you’re up to it, print off a short suggestions menu to place on your buffet to help people make their selections. Below are some tasty and unique hot dog combinations that are sure to wow.