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Cheap and Easy Party Foods for Holidays, Big Game, & Potlucks

December 7, 2017 (UPDATED: August 13, 2020) by Katie Kimball @ Kitchen Stewardship® 5 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

I know your crowd will enjoy these easy foods for a party. Inexpensive party food can include real and healthy options that don’t break the bank.

Cheap Easy Party Foods, food for parties

It’s so important to have a “go to” list for easy party foods that are made with real food, those items I can make quickly and without much thought when I have to bring a dish to pass to a big (hopefully peaceful) family gathering. Whether you’re hosting something yourself and need Mary’s tips for Stress-Free Entertaining or are traveling with food, If you are still looking for some healthy appetizers and homemade party food, you’re in luck!

Food for Parties

When I bring food to a party, (whether it’s a football party, or a holiday party, or any other type of potluck get together) it must follow some if not all of the following qualifications:

  1. Real Food (whole ingredients, homemade, not processed)
  2. Not Too Expensive (is it tacky to say “cheap”?)
  3. Quick and Easy (often mutually exclusive with nos. 1 & 2, so this one is regularly compromised)
  4. Simple to Pack and Pass
  5. Delicious!

Keeping these easy party food rules loosely in mind helps me to Eat Well, Spend Less when I’m sharing food or hosting a party, and that makes everyone happy.

RELATED: Cheap Meals with Beans and Lentils

Cheap and Easy Party Foods That Are Actually Healthy

By bringing one of these recipes to a party you can show that real food can be easy, DELICIOUS, and you don’t have to eat junk that will kill you just to have fun. Amen?

As good Kitchen Stewards, we don’t want to kill our budget just because it’s a party, and of course, we don’t have a lot of time to spare. BUT party appetizers can still be done in a healthy way, and you can find the 80/20 balance at the dessert table. 😉

Here at Kitchen Stewardship®, I hope you find the perfect healthy recipe for your party. We’ll start with my favorite, the one that gets recipe requests all the time (and isn’t that the best compliment someone can give to a cook?).

Ideas for Party Food: AppetizersSpicy Cheesy Chicken Dip, inexpensive party food

Spicy Cheesy Chicken Dip – This dip is much more cheesy than spicy, and it works awesome with tortilla chips, homemade crackers (these taste just like Wheat Thins but are homemade!), or carrots and red peppers. I swear, I think I could eat a whole meal of different dips and be blissfully happy, couldn’t you?

deviled eggs, cheap party food

Easy Deviled Eggs – These are my ultimate favorite: cheap, easy, and recognizable as real food, no matter who you are! Click on the post to see how I include my kids as young as 3 and 4 in this process.

Homemade whole grain rolls, easy food for parties

Fresh Baked Rolls – I use the breadmaker – almost as easy as purchasing and reheating! Always serve with real butter or a homemade spread. I’ve done Herbed Farmer’s Cheese in the past; we made it on TV recently!

Quick Easy Jalapeno poppers, cheap party foods

Homemade Jalapeño Poppers – You may not think of something like these quick and easy jalapeño poppers as a healthy football game appetizer or potluck offering, but the way Lori makes them will make you a believer.

You could absolutely use jalapeños from the store any time of year, but I have a reminder in my Google calendar for every August to make a bunch and freeze them because jalapeños are a buck a pint. 😉 My idea was that it would be even EASIER to host or attend a Superbowl party in the winter (but I’m thinking we will get out 4-6 for every in-home date night to make it feel more like a restaurant)!

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I’m happy to be able to offer you this free ebook with:

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bean dip, easy food for a party

Famous Mexi-Chip Dip from The Everything Beans Book – this is an often requested appetizer at family functions, and my family can eat half a tray of it easily ourselves! Now that my son knows how to cook, he likes to make his own and personalize it – and it’s good!!

How to freeze guacamole, party foods cheap

Homemade Guacamole – There’s nothing super special about guacamole, BUT people recognize it, generally love it, and will often be impressed that you made it yourself.

guacamole for party, cheapest party food

If you have kids, it’s a great recipe to teach them to make (we use it in our online kids cooking class, the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse and I really like being able to go to a party and brag about my kids’ skills). We have homemade guac at least once a week or more as a dip for veggies with dinner. My son will show you how easy it is!

If you want to add a little probiotic boost to your guacamole, check out my friend Wardee’s fermented version! Color me green with appreciation! 😉 Did you know you can even freeze guacamole?

Sweet Potato Garlic Dip, party finger food ideas on a budget
Sweet Potato Garlic Dip with Homemade Crackers or veggies – For fall and early winter, grabbing in-season sweet potatoes and using garlic to fight the sick bugs is a great idea all around. If you’re feeling eco-friendly and hate wasting plastic wrap like I do, check out these tips for traveling with fancy food to a party withOUT plastic wrap or disposable anything.

Avocado Dip, cheap easy appetizers

Veggies and Homemade Dip – I like the Garlic Yogurt Cheese Dip from Healthy Snacks to Go; definitely an easy party food. I never buy store dip, because they always include soybean oil (why that’s yucky). The one shown above is Healthy Probiotic Avocado Dip and it’s definitely become a go-to for family Christmas since it’s way easier than the spicy chicken dip. #justnotime

Kefir Cheese Balls Traditional Cooking School GNOWFGLINS main

Cultured Cheese Balls – While we’re on the topic of yogurt cheese, if you’ve got some adventurous people at your football party or potluck, these would be gorgeous as part of a cheese plate appetizer. I can imagine so many great herbs to dress them up or a pairing with jams or olives, since they could go sweet or savory at any moment! If the cheese is burping, the people watching the game will be right at home. 😉 You’ll get that better when you get to the part in the post about storage.

ranch dip, healthy party foods

Homemade Ranch Dip – Everybody loves ranch, right? Skip the MSG, added sugar, and weird industrial fats that haven’t even been around 100 years – make your own. My 8yo can make a batch in about 5 minutes, and I’m even faster. I think. I’m kind of time-challenged, so we might be dead even actually. 😉

Regardless of the exact minute split between mother and daughter, this homemade ranch dressing or dip is so versatile, can be made with a variety of bases depending on what you have on hand, and is great on salads, as a veggie dip, or on sandwiches. We teach kids to make it in the Intermediate Level of our Kids Cook Real Food eCourse.

hummus, healthy party food

Homemade Hummus – It’s a classic! I told you I could feast on dips for an entire meal and be happy, and I think I’m proving it with all these party foods that you can dip into! Here at KS we have a simple blender hummus, which is awesome in case you don’t have a food processor, and Kristin at Live Simply steps it up with a roasted garlic version.

Wardee comes through again with the fermented version for the traditional foodie, a recipe passed down in her family through the generations. Bet you could apply that technique to the roasted garlic version for a killer healthy party dip that will make people wish it was in the commercials at the Super Bowl!

cheap party foods, bean dip

Tex-Mex White Bean Dip (GAPS Legal) – If you’re struggling with gut issues, hummus can be a killer because of the beans and the tahini (sesame seeds). This gentle dip with white beans (GAPS legal) is packed with flavor from smoked paprika, chipotle powder and more, and it’s allergy friendly to boot.

One more way to get those veggies to look more attractive to everyone…

Pea Pesto on crusty bread, cheap easy appetizers

Pea Pesto Appetizer – I learned this recipe from a chef at an ALDI event, and at 24c a serving, it will definitely help you keep your budget in check while you spoil the party people with a very posh-looking appetizer!

Healthy Party Food: Salads and Sides to Share

Because of portability issues, I prefer to bring cold side dishes whenever possible, and grains and potatoes fall squarely into the “inexpensive” foods category. I don’t really make pasta salad anymore, sadly, but if you do, the versions below are absolutely delicious.Holiday Greek Salad, healthy party foods

Festive Holiday Greek Salad – the colors here and sophisticated flavors make this simple, nourishing salad ideal for a Christmas dinner.

Cold Spelt Salad 1, easy party foods

Cooked Spelt Salad – for the adventuresome family members, here’s a perfect alternative to pasta salad that includes lots of veggies and a yummy balsamic vinaigrette dressing.Easy Homemade Potato Salad, easy foods for party

Potato Salad – I bring this every year to the big Christmas dinner; it’s my favorite dish to keep if I have leftovers, too, so I make a BIG bowl!

Traditional Pasta Salad to feed a crowd, cheap party food

Pasta Salad Bar – Feed a crowd cheaply and easily with a pasta salad bar. Fun for the guests to build their own customizable party food, too!

Buffalo Potato Wedges, easy cheap party food

Spicy Buffalo Potato Wedges – If you’re in the mood for heat, or if your husband is like mine, this will definitely impress. He was so geeked when I figured these out for a Superbowl party a few years back! You can make these potato wedges lightly seasoned for kids and wimpy people and turn up the HEAT for the crazy ones.

I even made homemade “Frank’s” hot sauce for it the next summer so it was super authentic. They’ve become a Superbowl Sunday tradition for us!

Black bean avocado starter salad is a good food for parties

Black Bean & Avocado Starter Salad – We always joke that we’re not sure WHAT to call this black bean and avocado recipe, but it always goes over great. Sometimes it’s a salad, sometimes a dip for chips, sometimes a topping for tacos or quesadillas.

If lime, cilantro and avocado make you smile, this one is for you! Use as much or as little jalapeño as you can handle. 😉 And if you’re in a warmer climate than I am and have fresh tomatoes available, pair it with this Roma Fresco from Traditional Cooking School.

Cabbage Salad With Goat Cheese Or Feta for parties

Cabbage Salad with Goat Cheese or Feta – Need a little something lighter (and less expensive) than bacon and dried fruit?

This simple cabbage salad gets rave reviews every time I serve it, and I can whip up a batch in about 5-7 minutes because I know the recipe by heart and just throw stuff in without measuring carefully! It gets a little zing from either goat cheese or feta (guess which one is more budget-friendly?) and of course cabbage is a powerhouse in that it lasts forever, looks great and never wilts, and is soooo inexpensive. Love it.

A salad may not seem like the perfect appetizer, but people will appreciate the bright color and flavor among other heavy dishes. Bring forks!

Cheap & easy party foods that won't break your budget

Inexpensive Party Food: Frugal Tips For Hosting

I was fortunate to visit the ALDI Test Kitchen a few years ago, and Chef Brigitte Nguyen treated us to an engaging presentation on “Where to Spend and Where to Save” when entertaining. She uses a lot of the time and money-saving strategies that I already espouse (or at least know about and have good intentions of doing!), and her style is simply uncomplicated, to the point, and focused on making people smile with her food and party atmosphere.

Some of her tips were just golden:

  • Set up small appetizer trays around the room(s) so that everyone isn’t crammed into the kitchen hovering over you while you do the last few things.

ALDI meat, cheese, olives and spreads holiday party platters

  • Speaking of cooking during your party – her make-ahead tips are fabulous. Anything you can do beforehand, including planning a menu that doesn’t require much hands-on work in the moment, is your best option.
  • Instead of having a vast array of drinks to choose from or spending all your socializing time making a fancy signature cocktail, choose simple wines that fit each course and only serve those.
  • Don’t stress about dessert. She’s a huge homemade-from-scratch gal, but if you’re running out of time and bandwidth for a party, a few specialty cookies or dark chocolates make a beautiful dessert, and she even provides little goodie bags so people don’t feel like they have to stuff themselves just to try everything.

ALDI simple holiday cookie desserts

I wish I had these tips on hand when we hosted Thanksgiving a few years back – I made some mistakes and began to polish my own plans for finding time to host a big holiday party, but these are really good too.

What are your go-to party foods when you need something cheap and easy?

Healthy Football Game Appetizers

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Filed Under: Eat Well Spend Less, Real Food Recipes, Save Money Tagged With: appetizer, Christmas, evergreen, holidays, parties, party food, Thanksgiving

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About Katie Kimball @ Kitchen Stewardship®

Katie Kimball, CSME is a trusted educator and author of 8 real food cookbooks. She is passionate about researching natural remedies and making healthy cooking easier for busy families. She’s been featured on media outlets like ABC, NBC and First for Women magazine as well as contributing regularly on the FOX Network.

See more of Katie Kimball, CSME in the Media.

Over the last 10 years, Katie has spoken prolifically at conferences, online summits and podcasts and become a trusted authority and advocate for children’s health.

Busy moms look to this certified educator for honest, in-depth natural product reviews and thorough research. She often partners with health experts and medical practitioners to deliver the most current information to the Kitchen Stewardship® community.

In 2016 she created the #1 bestselling online kids cooking course, Kids Cook Real Food, helping thousands of families around the world learn to cook.

Certified Stress Mastery Educator BadgeA mom of 4 kids from Michigan, she is a Certified Stress Mastery Educator and member of the American Institute of Stress.

See all blog posts by Katie Kimball.

5 Bites of Conversation So Far

  1. Carolyn says

    December 15, 2011 at 11:22 pm

    I’m going to a breakfast brunch on Saturday and using my bread machine to make “good for you” Honey Cinnamon bread. A favorite of my husbands.

    Reply
  2. Lanette says

    December 15, 2011 at 2:19 pm

    My go-to has been homemade hot pepper jelly over homemade cream cheese with homemade wheat thins.

    Reply
  3. Stacy Makes Cents says

    December 15, 2011 at 2:19 pm

    It is NOT tacky to say cheap. 🙂 I’m cheap. Cheap, cheap!
    PS – Your Banana Flax Muffins ROCK! I just made a batch again yesterday. *Slobber.*

    Reply
  4. charis says

    December 15, 2011 at 12:21 pm

    i usually bring something made with what we already have on hand, which seems to save money even if it may be something pricier if i went out and bought it all on the fly. tonight we have a christmas party and i am bringing a salad made with our csa veggies (red leaf lettuce, pomegranate, pear, with feta and a homemade balsamic dressing on top) and a persimmon spice cake. it helps me to take a look at what we have on hand and then be creative with my ideas from there. otherwise, i find myself sometimes making rather pricey grocery runs just to make one or two dishes for a party.

    my recent post: how to deal with money with faith instead of fear

    Reply
  5. Rowena via Facebook says

    December 15, 2011 at 10:12 am

    this is just in time, thank you!

    Reply

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