Finding ideas for frugal food for our family’s get-togethers can be tough sometimes. What do you cook when your entire family is coming to celebrate a birthday or anniversary? I love having our family over, but I have a hard time deciding what foods to serve. Can a good hostess be frugal?
The trick, I’ve learned is to be frugal in a way that doesn’t scream cheap. It’s okay for me to think about the cost of our guests’ food, but I sure don’t want them to think about it. I’m still working on idea, but here are the ones I’ve come up with so far:
Pasta – Dinners can’t be any cheaper than pasta dishes. A pot of pasta (you can choose the shape) can go a long way towards feeding a crowd. Watch for your favorite sauce to be on sale at your grocery store; then stock up on several jars. Heat the sauce on the stove and let your guests spoon as much as they’d like onto their plates.
Ice Cream Scoops – One of my neighbors had a birthday party for their little girl last week, and she found the cutest way to serve ice cream to guests. Instead of coughing up the money to buy expensive individual ice cream bars, she scooped little balls of ice cream into metal cupcake wrappers. She even prepared them before the party so they were easy to serve. Imagine how cheap this dessert could be if you bought the ice cream on sale!
Chopped Veggies – If you’re willing to do the work of chopping up your vegetables and arranging them yourself, a veggie tray is a frugal and healthy party food. Cherry tomatoes simply need a quick wash. Carrots and celery are good bets, too.
Mini Pizzas – You can slice up a loaf of French bread to provide the basis of your pizza. Then top it with your favorite pizza sauce and a sprinkle of cheese. These won’t take long to bake in your oven (you just want to melt the cheese) and are a favorite with kids and grown ups.
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Nice post.
I’ve often heard and seen that the real key is in the presentation of the food. That’s why higher end restaurants will always use linens and real silverware. (I’m all for paper plates and plastic ware, but if you’re trying to impress – go for the real thing).
Another idea I’ve often seen is to take various-shaped boxes and place them on the table, and drape it all with an extra large tablecloth. Then, arrange the food on top of the boxes.
It really is true that small things make a big difference.
Thanks for the great suggestions. One thing I like to do is plan large meals around things on sale at the grocery store. I like to scan the sales fliers and plan my meals based on what’s on sale. If I pick a couple things that look good, then I can plan a meal around that.