While extending hospitality doesn’t have to involve anything extravagant it can become fairly expensive in a hurry. Sometimes the budget just doesn’t allow spending a lot of money on one meal or event. Fortunately, entertaining at home doesn’t have to be expensive.
Here are some of my favorite ways to keep entertaining at home budget friendly:
Serve a taco/burrito buffet. Inexpensive ingredients like beans, rice, and vegetables can be used to stretch more expensive items like meat and dips. It also allows everyone to customize their own meal to their liking. This works especially well if you’re hosting a large group, or if anyone has any dietary restrictions.
Serve soup or chili. This works especially well during the colder months. Chili is inexpensive to make, and you can stretch it even further by serving rice and/or macaroni noodles with it. Biscuits, bread, or cornmeal help to stretch it even further, and are just perfect with soup or chili.
Have a brunch or serve breakfast for dinner. Breakfast foods are typically less expensive to make, and most people don’t seem to have time for a big breakfast due to work. Take advantage of that and serve breakfast for dinner or host a weekend brunch.
Serve what’s on sale/in season. Let the grocery store sale ad or what’s ready from the garden help determine your menu. In season foods usually taste better anyway.
So what about you? What are your tips and tricks for entertaining on a budget?
I could eat chili 3 times a day. November marks the beginning of chili season.
ReplyDeleteI like your tips! My only other one, when veggies are in season and good price, would be to do a salad bar, equivalent to your taco bar. Also, hamburgers are relatively inexpensive along with potato salad and maybe a green salad :)
ReplyDeletebetty
On the other hand, half the fun of entertaining,for me, is serving foods my guest(s) have never tried before. I do agree though, it can get pretty expensive and a chili is always acceptable. Never thought of serving breakfast foods for dinner guests.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips. And anyone holding a party I'm invited to is encouraged to do the taco bar thing. I LOVE Mexican food! That party actually sounds like a lot of fun. BYOM (Bring your own margaritas!).
ReplyDelete