Fast, cheap, and easy party food ideas?

Question

Hey! My son's birthday is next Saturday, and I have to make up some food. I'm not sure what to make for a main dish (if any) and what to bring for snack foods.

It's his 1st birthday, by the way. I want him to be able to eat SOME of the stuff I bring (Crackers, etc.) but mostly I'm trying to entertain a bunch of adults.

Any suggestions?

My entire budget for this thing is less than $10.

Answer 1

$10 - wow not very much for your kids first birthday try this recipe
J'S PARTY POTATO SALAD

2 lbs. boiled potatoes

Cut up. Take to party and ask everyone to add their own seasonings.

Ha Ha just kidding - Here are a few cheap recipes


LITTLE SAUSAGE PARTY BREADS

1 pkg Jimmy Dean sausage( any flavor)
1 pound hamburger
1 small box Velveeta cheese
1 loaf party bread ( sourdough, rye, or pumpernickel)

Fry your sausage&hamburger till its done then drain. Then add it back to the fry pan and add your veleveeta cheese, a little at a time, just kepp mixing it until it all comes together. This usually takes about 15-20 minutes. Then spread your little party breads out on a cookie sheet, spoon a little bit of the sausage/hamburger/cheese mixture onto each one, and then you want to bake these under the broiler just until they reach a light brown color.
These are a favorite with my family, they always go so fast. These are a favorite for games whether it be for baseball, basketball, hockey, football , or whatever!!! They are so quick and easy!!

LARGE PARTY EASY ONE-POT CHILI

3 lbs. ground beef
2 large onion, chopped
3 cans tomato soup
42.5 oz. diced tomatoes
2 15.5 oz. cans dark red kidney beans
chili powder as desired
salt and pepper as desired
cayenne pepper (opt.)
habenero sauce (opt.)

Brown ground beef with salt pepper and chopped onion; drain. In crock pot, add browned beef mixture, tomato soup, tomatoes (including juices from can), and remaining ingredients.
Let simmer for 4-6 hrs, then taste. If it doesn't have enough kick for you, add cayenne pepper or habenero sauce as desired.
Serve with Tostitos chips, cheddar cheese, sour cream and chives. Serves 6-8
This recipe can be prepared the night before. Prepare ground beef mixture, then mix with remaining ingredients in crock pot. Let sit in refrigerator overnight and simmer the next day.


PARTY SIZE BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

2 lbs elbow macaroni
4 10 oz. Cracker Barrel extra sharp cheese
4 10 oz. Cracker Barrel sharp cheese
2 sticks butter
milk
salt

Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. Cook macaroni according to directions on box, rinse and drain.
Put in a large roasting pan. Slice up the butter and mix with macaroni. Shred the cheeses and stir into the macaroni. Pour in milk until you can see it but not completly covering the macaroni. Season with salt to taste.
Cover with foil and bake 2 hours. Remove foil uring last 15 minutes, allowing top to become golden brown.

AUNT THELMA'S PARTY TACO SALAD

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
1 can refried beans
1 can chili without beans
1 pkg. taco seasoning

Combine above ingredients. Spread on large round serving tray. Layer on 1 jar salsa sauce.
Combine 1-2 mashed avocados, approximately 1 cup sour cream and garlic powder. Layer on ingredients on tray. Continue to add in layers: 1 lg. chopped onion 2 cans chopped jalapeno peppers Chopped lettuce Chopped tomato Grated Cheddar cheese Grated Monterey Jack cheese
Serve with tortilla chips. Great at parties since it is a large salad.

HAM AND CHEESE PARTY ROLLS

1 lb. ground ham
1/2 lb. grated mozzarella cheese
2 pkg. Pepperidge Farm party rolls
2 sticks butter
3 tbsp. poppy seed
2 tbsp. mustard
1 sm. onion, chopped
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Melt butter and add all ingredients but ham and cheese. Mix well and set aside. Cut top halves from rolls and lift off. Mix ham and cheese and sprinkle over bottom half of rolls. Place tops on and pour butter mixture over rolls. Wrap in foil and bake 325 degrees for 15 to 25 minutes or until cheese melts. This freezes well before cooking!

PARTY FRANKS

2 lbs. hot dogs, more or less, depending on number of people
1 3/4 c. barbecue sauce
1/4 to 2/3 c. hot sauce, depending on taste

Cut hot dogs into bite size pieces. Put into large pot with boiling water. Boil for 3-4 minutes or until hot dogs become plump. Remove from water, place in large chafing dish (the kind of dish with a candle underneath) or a wok. Pour barbecue sauce and hot sauce over hot dogs - let set for 15-20 minutes in sauce before serving. Place toothpicks beside container to serve.


But I would consider having the party mid afternoon after lunch and before dinner so you dont have a bunch of hungry mouths to feed. This way you can serve chips and dip cake and punch and call it a day.

THE BEST PARTY PUNCH EVER

2 (2 liters) 7 up *chilled*
1 gallon Tampico fruit punch *chilled*(or any other fruit punch flavored drink; except Hawaiian Punch, this doesn't work well)
1/2 gallon of sherbet (orange and lime works best)

Let Sherbet thaw until easy to scoop. Add to fairly large punch bowl and alternatly at 7 Up and Fruit Drink back and forth until all is used!
This should be made 20-30 minutes prior to consumption to allow the sherbet to melt properly and combine with the other ingredients. If you like foamy punch, try not to stir the punch to much. If foamy punch is not liked, then stir away!

PARTY MINTS

8 oz. cream cheese
2 lb. powdered sugar
Flavoring of your choice (1/2 to 1 tsp. per recipe)
Coloring of your choice

Let the cream cheese soften and mix well with the powdered sugar. This makes a stiff dough and you will have to knead it like bread dough. Make small balls and roll in extra fine granulated sugar and press into desired molds. This recipe makes about 250 party mints.

CHEAP CHOCOLATE CAKE

4 tsp. cocoa (fill remaining of cup with sugar)
4 tbsp. butter
1 c. sour milk
1 tsp. soda
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all together, pour into 9" square pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

$10 doesn't go very far these days, maybe you can ask a few relatives to bring some side dishes and perhaps a pot of meatballs or hot roast beef and you can create a deli tray:
1lb Ham
1 lb Turkey
1 lb Roast Beef
2 lb Cheese
2 dozen rolls

Make a cake with a mix and canned frosting
This will still go over your budget but not by too much
Things you should have on hand mayo, mustard, and pickles

Answer 4

Make your own pizza party pieces..
Ingredients:
Cheeze Whiz
Canned Pizza Sauce
Hogie Rolls - French Bread - English Muffins
Finely Grated Pizza Cheeze
Directions:
spread cheeze whiz on rolls or bread
spread pizza sauce over cheeze whiz
cover with Pizza Cheeze.
Cut in desired pieces and freeze for later use... microwave
OR
bake in oven until top cheese starts to brown.
Cutting can be done after baking or microwaving also.

This should be close to your 10 bucks hon... good luck

Answer 5

If you are planning to start on your woodworking project, this isn't something you should use, it's something that you would be insane not to. Go here https://tr.im/pUEPI
Truth is, I've been a carpenter for almost 36 years, and I haven't found anything like this for less than 10's of thousands of dollars.

Answer 6

pizza bread get 12 pk of hamburger buns and a jar of pizza sauce and a pkg of pepperoni and a pkg of mozzarella cheese will make 24 pizza breads if its his party dont worry about entertaining the adults they are old enough there wants wont hurt them , its for the child its his birthday or make homemade veggie soup or chili or spegetti they always seem to go further in my house of 6 adults i always have alot left overs

Answer 7

This is a hard one considering $10.00 doesnt get you much these days. But you can make wraps. Tortillas are cheap and lettuce, get some deli ham or roast beef, turkey or roast your own and slice it ... Roll up and voila!

Answer 8

Cheap Party Food

Answer 9

pigs in a blanket: hot dogs canned biscuits and sliced cheese:cut hot dog in half cross ways, then split down the center not cutting all the way through, take biscuits out of can press out flat with roller or palm of hand place dog on biscuit place a strip of cheese from the slices and place inside hot dog roll biscuit around dog and pinch dough to seal place on cookie sheet bake til golden brown.
mini pizzas: canned biscuits, pizza sauce, pepperoni , shredded mozzarella cheese. roll out biscuits place on cookie sheet put pizza sauce on top add pepperoni or whatever you like on top then top with cheese bake at 350 til done..

Answer 10

go buy chinese carry outs the food are the best, they taste so good and they are cheap like one time i bought a chinese carry out and it was only 40.00 $$$ but they had like 13 different things you could eat and they are so goood

but if you really want cheap stuff just go eat buffet

Answer 11

Call the party off
save the 10 buck
and when Jack is 18 give it to him then.