Soul Food Menu!

Please tell me you're having a caterer. If this is what you typically eat, don't you have an idea?

Fried chicken, greens, shrimp and grits, mac and cheese. Look at any of B.Smith's books.

Banana pudding is a must for a dessert...I don't care for it but it's popular.

Sides: Mac & cheese, collard greens, green beans, rice/potatoes & gravy.

Meats: boneless fried chicken breast, fried catfish, BBQ or ham (unless your guests don't eat pork)

Apps: I don't have any suggestions really.

But make sure you have a variety for people who may not like soul food. I know some people who aren't from here (the south) and think soul food is the nastiest shit they've ever had.

ETA: echoing Celia, make sure this is catered. Any good BBQ restaurant should be able to offer most of these items.

Yes I'm having a caterer. Yes I have an idea I'm just trying to figure out how to incorporate it in a menu for a wedding.

Appatizers: Fried chicken sliders

Main course: Brown sugar ham, fried chicken or Mac and cheese, green beans, collard greens, baked beans, biscuits.

Desserts: Mini pecan pies, Apple crisp, wedding cake, assorted cookies.

Please tell me you aren't self catering.

Are you having a formal wedding or casual?

I was thinking catfish nuggets. Great idea Keri. I hate banana pudding but my fi and his family love it. Wasn't thinking about it. Thanks

I'm having a casual, my caterer loves the Soul Food idea.

I just love the chicken sliders idea Mary.

Talk to your caterer; they should be able to curate a menu for you based on what you want. we were originally wanting southern food and were going to have:

apps-

shrimp & grits

mini crab cakes

BBQ short rib bites

vegetable crudite

dinner:

chicken & waffle station with buttermilk or jalapeno cheddar waffles

carved Virginia Ham station

mac & cheese station with a ton of meat & veggie toppings

@Simone my culinary school host a food fair every year. We did those this year. They were a hit. Make sure to use boneless chicken. We used pretzel buns and a southwest chipotle sauce.

I really like this for a casual wedding. I like Mary's idea of pecan pie and apple crisp/turnovers for dessert too. I think since it's casual, you have a ton of different options. Like Celia suggested, you can have shrimp and grits (like a make-your-own bar) and then have a few other buffet options. Go eat at some soul food restaurants in your area over the next few months to get some ideas for what combos you like.

There is so much more to southern soul food than fried chicken, mac n cheese, and banana pudding! Have you asked your caterer for suggestions? It would be easier to help you solidify things if we knew what ideas you have. ETA: the menu will really depend on where you're from. Southern food looks different in Texas vs NC (for example).

Chicken and Waffles, Shrimp 'n Grits, green beans, collard greens, dirty rice, Mac 'N Cheese, gumbo, etouffee, crab cakes

Chicken waffle sliders! Cornbread, greens, grits, crawfish. I am seriously so hungry now.

One note on soul food, if you're having any people who don't eat pork, request that the vegetables are made with Turkey. And if you have vegetarians, you'll probably need something else (like some creamy cajun pasta) for them since too much soul food has meat in it.

@Lindsey, I may be wrong, but I thought soul food is a category of southern food that's mostly served in the southeast (GA, AL)? I'm from Atlanta, and I think soul food is different from southern food in general. Usually, it's had someone's foot in it to give it that extra flavor. ;-)

Ash your right soul food isn't southern food I live in Charleston, SC some people mix the two together. But they are different.

UGH I just want to say this sounds amazing Lol. I want to eat it all!

Chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits

Collard greens, mashed potatoes and gravy, mac n cheese, rice and beans

I went to a wedding where they had this kind of food catered and it was delicious.

Southern food are easy that's what I'm doing as well. My menu is

App: southwest eggroll ,fried pickles, chip and dip, salad

Main dish:

Their choice of chicken fried chicken/ steak

Bbq green beans

Mac n cheese

Mash pots

Corn on the cob

Dessert.

Banana spot

peach cobbler

I sent out the invitations along with menu cards and the RSVP cards and the people that are attending are supposed to mail then back so I can inform the cook