By: Heather Kolich
Holidays, anniversaries and birthdays roll around every year, but life's great milestones, joyous occasions and special little moments deserve to be celebrated, too, even when money's tight. If the party planning is in your hands, you don't have to scrimp on festive food to stick to your budget. Here are 10 ideas for tasty party food that's kind to your wallet.
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Contents
- Make the Ordinary Special
- Be the Baker
- Buy Beverages in Bulk
- Downsize Dessert
- Craft Tiny Sandwiches
- Do the Dip
- Homemade Chips and Crackers
- Streamline Your Bar
- Skewer Something
- Egg-cessorize
10: Make the Ordinary Special
Instead of just slicing nature's bounty and spreading it around a platter, transform fresh fruit and vegetables into miniature works of art that can double as table décor. Some simple ideas include:
- Wrap thin slices of deli meats around scallions (also known as green onions and spring onions) to make flower buds. Use a little dab of cheese spread or guacamole to hold the buds in place.
- Make apple blossoms. Core and cut an apple in half lengthwise. Don't peel. Use a very sharp knife or mandolin to cut very thin slices running from cored edge to peel. Keeping the peel to the outside, roll the slices into a rosette. Layer on more slices for a larger rosette. Secure edges with toothpicks.
- Cut bell peppers in half horizontally and scrape out the seeds and membrane. Fill the halves with dip for a natural serving vessel -- no bowl needed!
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9: Be the Baker
If your celebration calls for cake, you'll save a bundle if you make it yourself. Store-bought cakes are expensive, and they don't usually taste better than cakes made at home from scratch or from a mix. What you're really paying for is fancy decorations. Pastry bags and special frosting tips -- often sold right beside the cake mixes in the grocery store -- make it easy to add frills and a personal message to your cake.
To get gourmet taste from your homemade layer cake, spread lemon curd or raspberry preserves -- instead of frosting -- between the layers. Frost the top and sides as usual.
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If you're feeding a large crowd, skip the stacks and make a sheet cake. It's easier to decorate, and you'll be able to get more servings out it than a layered cake.
8: Buy Beverages in Bulk
When shopping for beer, wine or liquor, opt for the big packages. In most cases, you'll pay less per ounce for a case of beer (and even less for a keg) than for a six- or 12-pack. Larger containers of spirits and wine are also less expensive per ounce. Boxed wines are the best bargain. If you don't like the idea of serving wine in boxes, put it in simple glass carafes for guests to help themselves, or use your slow cooker to make mulled wine.
Be prepared to pay cash for your libation supply: Most liquor stores give a discount for cash purchases, as well as if you buy wine by the case.
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Shop Smart
If you find them on sale, stock up on nonperishables like cocktail napkins, cups, crackers and nuts months before your party. Other items, like sausage for sausage balls, can hang out in your freezer until you need them.
7: Downsize Dessert
Imagine a platter of chewy cookies. Now add little rounds of red velvet cake with puffs of cream cheese frosting. Ring it all about with chocolate-coated strawberries and pineapple chunks. Are you drooling yet?
Miniature desserts have a special allure. And by offering just a taste, you can stretch a single dessert or two into abundance. With a few tools you probably already have, you can turn your favorite recipes into tiny treats that your guests will find charming and satisfying. Use mini muffin tins to bake bite-size brownies, cakes and sweet muffins, and a small ice cream scoop gets a lot of cookies from a single batch of dough. Add a dollop of frosting with a pastry or plastic bag and decorative tip for a simple but festive flourish. If you want to serve fruit for dessert, making your own chocolate-dipped fruit is easy, fun, cheaper and fresher than buying it already prepared.
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Keep those cookie cutters and knives handy for the next idea.
6: Craft Tiny Sandwiches
Just like miniature desserts, small sandwiches are a budget-stretching party offering that let guests sample a variety of foods without breaking your bank. Use inexpensive, homemade spreads like chicken salad, cream cheese and olive spread and pimento cheese. You can also use sliced apples and cheddar cheese or cucumbers sprinkled with fresh dill. Make your sandwiches interesting by using an assortment of breads with different colors, textures and flavors, and cut them into fun shapes with cookie cutters. Mix up the flavors in a single sandwich, using a different type of bread for the top and bottom, or leave some as open-face and top with a sprig of fresh herbs or finely chopped chives. You can also dip cut the edges of your sandwiches in chopped nuts or cracker crumbs to add a savory crunch.
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5: Do the Dip
Dips are easy and popular party fare, so save money by making your own rather than purchasing the ready-made. Start with a basic hummus, guacamole or creamy fruit dip. Then add your personal touch with unique seasonings and eye-catching presentations.
A cheese ball isn't quite a dip, but it's easy to make, delicious to eat and pretty to look at. Plus, it holds its shape, so you can sculpt it to go along with your party theme. And if you have leftovers, it can be reshaped and served again -- trust us, no one will know.
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Serve your creations with fresh fruit and veggie slices, chips and crackers. In fact, now that you have your dips, the next page will tell you how to make your own chips and crackers.
Fun Bowls
Melon rinds and winter squash shells make colorful bowls for punch, fruit salad and cold soups. Be sure to thoroughly rinse the rind, then cut off the top and scoop out the insides to use in your recipe. If necessary, level the bottom to stabilize it.
4: Homemade Chips and Crackers
Instead of dropping big bucks on bags of chips and boxes of flavored crackers, take a trip to the discount bakery store and turn stale flour tortillas and pita rounds into fantastic -- and budget friendly -- gourmet chips and crackers.
To make your own tortilla chips, cut round corn or flour tortillas into triangles. Coat them with olive oil or cooking spray and seasonings, then bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes until lightly browned. For tasty, toasty crackers, split day-old mini pita rounds into top and bottom halves, then season and bake as you would with the tortilla chips. Once these homemade snacks are cool, you can store them for several days in plastic bags -- perfect to make ahead for your party!
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3: Streamline Your Bar
Some celebrations aren't complete without cocktails, so let your guests raise their glasses with something special: a drink created just for the party. A themed concoction adds interest to the occasion: Don't tell guests what's in the custom mixture; let them keep guessing your secret recipe. A party-specific beverage does something else, too, that nobody needs to know about: It lets you control your alcohol budget. When you offer a cocktail specifically for your celebratory occasion, you don't need to stock a full bar. You only need to buy the ingredients for your libation. And for even more portion and cost control, have the drink already set out for guests as they arrive and then dispense refills yourself.
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2: Skewer Something
Presentation is a big part of party flair. With this simple idea, you can offer guests tasty nibbles presented so elegantly that it doesn't look like you're pinching pennies. Start with a small selection of bite-sized pieces of fruit, fresh veggies, cheeses, herbs and other morsels. Plan your selections around foods that are in season; they're cheaper then. You'll also need a bag of small plastic or bamboo skewers. Slide three to four morsels onto the pointy end. For example, you could spear a cube of toasted French bread, a sliver of mozzarella cheese, a basil leaf and half a cherry tomato. On the fruity side, use a bite-sized apple slice, a nugget of cheddar cheese and a grape. Don't slide the bites too far up the skewer. They should be easy to nibble off without getting poked. Arrange the skewers on a platter, or place the sharp points into a melon or decorated Styrofoam ball to make an edible centerpiece.
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1: Egg-cessorize
When you're shopping for budget-friendly foods, don't overlook eggs. They're a bargain and are incredibly versatile. Turn hard-boiled eggs into edible decorations, or use them for a platter of deviled eggs or egg salad for the small sandwiches we mentioned earlier. Bake them up in mini muffin pans for a simple crustless quiche, or make a yummy vegetable frittata served in slim wedges; both these options are great for using up the leftover ingredients you have on hand, which is good for keeping your food budget in check.
Parties let friends and family celebrate special events and express joy and hope for the future, but keep in mind, there's no rule that says you have to serve a big, elaborate spread at parties. Use these tips and the info on the next page to host a memorable bash, even if you're on a shoestring budget.
Found Item Decorating
Let nature decorate your party. Garden flowers and herbs, colorful fall leaves or evergreen branches liven up your party setting and add nothing to your event budget.
Lots More Information
Related Articles
- 5 Themed Kids' Birthday Parties on a Budget
- 10 Budget-friendly Cocktail Hors d'Oeuvres
- 10 Yummiest Things We've Eaten at a Wedding
- How can you throw a cocktail party on a budget?
- How to Throw an Engagement Party on a Budget
Sources
- Braker, Flo. "Sweet Miniatures: The Art of Making Bite-Size Desserts." Williamm Morrow and Company. 1991.
- Hendrickson, Kim. "Tastefully Small Finger Sandwiches: Easy Party Sandwiches for All Occasions." Atlantic Publishing Group. 2008.
- Larousse, David Paul. "More Edible Art: 75 Fresh Ideas for Garnishing." John Wiley & Sons. 2000.
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FAQs
10 Party Food Ideas on a Budget? ›
Think DIY bars: One way to stretch the budget is to center the meal around a “make your own” bar filled with toppings for a base like baked potatoes, nachos or popcorn. “The toppings for those types of foods are relatively inexpensive,” Rachel Dyckman, owner of Rachel Dyckman Nutrition in New York City, says.
How can I feed a lot of people for a party for cheap? ›Think DIY bars: One way to stretch the budget is to center the meal around a “make your own” bar filled with toppings for a base like baked potatoes, nachos or popcorn. “The toppings for those types of foods are relatively inexpensive,” Rachel Dyckman, owner of Rachel Dyckman Nutrition in New York City, says.
How to feed 50 guests cheap? ›- Baked Potato Bar – Baked potato bars are a wonderful party food idea! Potatoes are cheap and easy to prepare in advance. ...
- BBQ – This is a favorite for summer months. ...
- BYOMeat BBQ – You provide the grill, sides, buns, condiments and drinks.
- Taco Bar. A taco bar is one of the best inexpensive meals for large groups. ...
- Meatballs. ...
- Butter Chicken. ...
- Lasagna. ...
- Chili. ...
- Homemade Pizza. ...
- Baked Pasta. ...
- Skewers.
- BLT Galette (8 servings) ...
- White Pesto Spinach Lasagna (10 servings) ...
- Slow Cooker Crispy Carnitas (10 servings) ...
- Classic Macaroni Salad (8 to 10 servings) ...
- Baked Sausage and Cheese Rigatoni (8 servings) ...
- Caramelized Shiitake Mushroom Risotto (8 servings) ...
- Korean Beef Tacos (12 servings)
SOUP BUFFETS ARE SOUP-ER
Feeding a group in the cold weather months? Warm up a crowd with a buffet of different soups! Soups are typically very affordable to make and stretch a long way. Pair with cornbread, french bread, and crackers for a cheap way to fill everyone up!
Rules to Plan By
Each adult will consume 1 pound of food total; children, about 1/2 pound. The more options you have, the less you need of each; decrease the main course portion sizes by 1 to 2 ounces if served on a buffet. Guests will always eat — and drink — more at night than during the day.
For about 50 guests at 4-5 bites per person, we can calculate about 225 appetizers. If you are not serving dinner, this number might be higher. Don't forget to consider how large your appetizers are too. Most standard appetizers are able to be consumed in 2-3 bites.
How much food do you need for 10 guests? ›The easiest rule is the “One Pound Rule.” Provide one pound of food for each adult guest (not including drinks or dessert). What is this?
How to cater for 40 people? ›Finger foods, canapes, and grazing tables are great options that can feed a crowd and are easy to shape around any style. From gourmet cured meats and cheeses to catering classics like mini pies and pastries, there is bound to be something for any theme.
What do all good parties have? ›
- A clean space. Please clean. ...
- Simple yet stand-out decor. No need to go overboard — just set out a couple of things that tie your theme together, whether it's a dinner party or a birthday party. ...
- An activity. ...
- Partner(s) in crime. ...
- Background music. ...
- A food table. ...
- A drink station. ...
- A toast.
- Energy-Boosting Buddha Bowl. Tasty / Via tasty.co. ...
- Chicken & Biscuit Bake. Tasty / Via tasty.co. ...
- Pesto Chicken Bake. ...
- Healthier Veggie Fried Rice. ...
- Chicken & Veggie Stir-Fry. ...
- Cheese Tortellini in Creamy Marinara. ...
- Bacon and Egg Toast Cups. ...
- Chicken Noodle Soup.
- Easy Italian Baked Pasta.
- Pressure-Cooked Asian Pork Noodles.
- Aloha Pork Chop Skillet.
- Foil-Pack Fish Florentine.
- Slow-Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken.
- Irish Beef Stew.
- Three-Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta Bake.