Shower - self catering

Every shower I have ever attended was self catered in someone's home. We don't have larger catered showers in venues like you read about here.

I always wonder what these people do at Thanksgiving (or any other family get together) if they are so worried about Aunt Betty's cat walking on the counter.

I've been to both self catered and professionally catered showers in my area

How many guests? Essentially this is no different than a BBQ and you have access to a kitchen so I don't see the problem as long as it's not more than like 30 people.

I have never been to a professionally catered shower in my life. So my opinion is it is not at all tacky and completely fine.

I have never been to a professionally caterered shower. Baby or wedding. I never gave it a second thought until coming here. I also never thought about self catering my own wedding, although I'm not sure how the 2 are different, now that I think about it.

I wish people would use a different word than tacky, it's so unoriginal. It's traditional at parties to bring a dish, and usually works out at backyard gatherings.

I will only eat at (baby or bridal) catered showers. If it's potluck or self catered I'll just have a drink or something safe like pretzels. After seeing my mother in the hospital due to someone "self catering" I'm all good on food poisoning....

We did an "I do BBQ" and the bridal party brought stuff but we had them all in coolers and straight onto an ice table and/or into the trays with the burners. Food was great and everyone loved it. We had around 40 guests.

It's fine, I don't think I've ever gone to catered shower (unless you count things like sandwich trays). One suggestion: for the potato/pasta salad, aim for versions that omit mayo (vinegar-based dressings). They hold up better to being room temperature.

No. Not only is it not okay, you shouldn't have anything to do with it besides showing up, saying "OMG, acting surprised and enjoying the day.

When I was still catering, we did at least 6 showers a week. Apps, finger/wrap sandwiches, salads and a cake. It was under 15 bucks and I doubt that it would be much cheaper to do it yourself. And way more fun.

I don't think some of you realize that many, many people I know will not participate in "potluck" events. Like, more than 20 people in my life.

Hell, we cater my kids birthday parties. Sure, it's just pizza, but it's still done by a store!

At almost every shower I've attended, the food has been made by the hosts. I don't see a problem with this at all. It is usually a group of 30 or less. There are mainly cold items - sandwiches, wraps, salads, veggies and dip, cheese board, fruit salad, scones, etc. Any hot items typically just need to heated like mini quiches or mini hors d'oeuvres. These are in someone's home so obviously there is access to a fridge and oven.

I think the opposition to self-catering when you're talking about small, intimate parties like showers is extreme. It's no different than a typical family gathering / holiday party.

Most of the showers I have been to were self catered. They are not over the top events in my circle. Just 10-15 woman eating little sandwiches and appetizers. I guess it really depends how many people. I had 12 I think and my aunt just picked up sandwich platters from the grocery store and we had an assortment of pasta salads. I love baked ziti! I wish we had had that instead of boring sandwiches. HaHa!

Totally depends on how many people are attending. 20 or fewer? Go for it! I have dinner parties that size fairly frequently. 50 ? No way! Cooking for a large event is a job for professionals.

ETA: Any showers I have been aware of or gone to have all been small events at someone's house with light foods prepared by the host. Mammoth, formal showers just aren't a thing with anyone I know.

The invite list is 35, most likely end up around 25. I make the meatballs and we keep them in the crock pot plugged in, same for roast beef (which we buy at a deli and let cook all day). Only the meatballs will be cooked ahead (and frozen) then cooked again in the crock pot. My mom has hosted larger Thanksgiving dinners than this. The only professional catered showers I've been to are at restaurants. All others are a combo self/ store bought food.

I get genuinely surprised when I see so many angry WW-ers over self-catered showers. First of all, Olive Garden is not delicious - it's barely edible. I would 100 percent eat self-catered food over Olive Garden any day of the week.

Second, you are all aware that there's a tremendous tradition and pride in successfully hosting? I regularly cook and host parties of up to 20 people. I've rarely used a professional caterer. Why are you so confident that your bargain basement caterer has a cleaner cooking conditions than your host does? I'm a better, cleaner, more organized chef than half the "professional" caterers I've seen work these types of events.

Like literally everything else in life, self-catering exists in a huge spectrum. There's Aunt Cynthia's cat hair covered crook pot meatballs (barf) on one end and on the other end are people who take incredible pride in their hosting and cooking abilities. Just because YOU can't do it, doesn't mean that everyone else can't.

And all food will be kept inside, in ac, cold things on ice. We've done so many we've bought the large bowls to fill with ice and nestle the serving bowls in.

Size and location matter

If it's at someone's home I'm going to assume it's mostly self-catered. Maybe a tray from the local grocery store to save the hostess time. Same at a church or office maybe a store bought cake but otherwise pot luck style.

Like a @pp when folks have the whole everything must be catered attitude I wonder how they handle office events, family bbqs, and holidays. And I say this as someone with life threatening food allergies. But I can't imagine the idea that not catering every time you have more than one other couple over is poor hosting.

Know your crowd. My family "self caters" our reunion for ~40 people every year. We use roasters and crockpots to keep things warm and bowls of ice to keep things cold. We always eat within an hour or so of arriving. Leftovers are promptly picked up and refrigerated. Potluck has always been big in our family. We all love to cook. We all love to eat homecooked food.

I work with people who will only bring and/or consume store bought items at potlucks. I'd say if you have to ask an internet forum, you're probably better off with professional catering.

Having been a caterer? I wouldn't eat anything that random people brought to a central location. Or Olive Garden.