What are some cheap food ideas for my friends bridal shower?

Question

Although there are 7 people in the bridal party, it looks like i am stuck paying for this party alone. What are some cheap food ideas?

Answer 1

Since it's all up to you, think SIMPLE. Picture yourself going to a bridal shower as a guest. The best foods are the ones that don't look too intimidating, that satisfy your tastebuds, and fill you up at the same time, aren't they? Your guests' focus will be on the bride, on visiting with their friends and family, and on the opening of the gifts!

I love the previous ideas of chocolate chip cookies (should be easy to find a simple, chunky recipe online) and finger sandwiches. You can do two or three different simple fillings, i.e., cream cheese & walnuts on raisin or date nut bread, butter and jam on white bread, egg salad on whole wheat, you get the idea!

You can also put out pretty jars of long, thick pretzel sticks that you've dipped in white and milk chocolate and rolled in crushed candies or nuts.

Veggies and dip, shrimp platters, and fruit trays are standard and always well-received.

Crock pots are a lifesaver, too. You can buy those little tiny sausages and simmer them in bbq sauce until they're tender.

Tortilla chips and guacamole (homemade or store bought) should be a hit, as well!

Good luck, don't over think it. People just want to be fed at a party, it doesn't have to be fancy! =)

Answer 2

I definately feel your pain. I told my friend that I would throw her baby shower and the original number of people was 20 with her family throwing her one in another location. Well, when I got the final list to send out invitations it went from 20 to 40 people as her and her mother decided that all the relatives can just come up here and I can pay for the whole flippin' thing. Someone took advantage of my generosity (and I don't make a bloody fortune either) and someone is taking advantage of your generosity as well.

I went to a friend of mine who does catering and she gave me some ideas just like Oceanbaby list such as food that is tasty, filling but not too expensive, and not the same old traditional meat/cheese trays, fruit trays & veggie trays from the grocery store. One, those are that cheap and two everyone does those. So with that in mind, my friend suggested my famous Spinach Dip (the mother-to-be hates mayo & water chestnuts & my recipe has them both in it and she loves it!), chicken and/or beef tequitos cut in half with a traditional salsa, mango salsa and even guacamole, pigs in a blanket, chicken tender strips with ranch and bbq sauce dips, fresh fruit but I'm making a baby carriage out of a whole watermelon (this should be fun!). I'm also making a chicken pinwheel roll-up with tortilla, a pesto mayonnaise, sliced chicken (from the deli) and havarti cheese all rolled up and then slice it about 1/2" to 3/4" pieces. I'm also making home made stuff mushrooms & spanakopita. Most people would think this is way too hard but my mushrooms are pretty simple and as far as the spanakopita goes, I've made them once and the hardest part was getting the knack for folding but after a few it was easy. Also, fresh Bruschetta.

One thing my friend did mention was because there are going to be so many people, try not to have dishes that need to be warmed up or kept warm such as meatballs, those little cocktail weinies or sausages in BBQ sauce as it's difficult to monitor and more of a hassle then what it's worth.

I'm also thinking of doing some sort of salad, whether it is cole slaw, a green salad, but something to break up the other food.

Just some food for thought, so to speak.

Good luck on the bridal party! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!

Answer 3

Well you could do all appetizer foods, and buy some pre-made at places like Costco. . . . If you want an actual meal, the cheapest and easiest is to do a large tray of salad (buy the mixed bags in bulk and just toss some croutons on top) and then pasta. You can get giant jars of premade sauce, and a few boxes. Have it out and warming. Then do cookies and cake for dessert. If you think that's not enough you could add something like a fruit salad, or some sandwich trays.

Answer 4

Salad is always a cheap meal and have some grilled chicken breast cut into cubes to toss in and serve lemonade (diet and regular) and get a sheet cake at the grocery store bakery the whole deal will cost you under $40 and it will look like you spent more. You could also make it a pot luck and assign everyone to bring a dish. A Lasagna with Cesar salad and a bottle of Chianti dessert could be spumoni and coffee - cheap and a real crowd pleaser.

Answer 5

Have one of those ham loafs deli sliced... buy the hamburger buns

For a colorful dessert
Strawberry delight

Angel Food Cake - torn into chunks
Frozen Strawberries - defrosted
Fat Free Cool Whip
Can Crushed pineapple- drained
4 banannas- sliced

Mix all together and you have a fat free desert

Good Luck
Hot Dog

Answer 6

Knorrs spinach dip encased in a huge bread loaf was one of the biggest crowd pleasers I ever saw. Everyone loves deviled eggs, pigs in a blanket, chips and dip.

Answer 7

shiskabobs, with shrimp, granted everyone likes shrimp, or veggie ones with sides of ranch dipping sauce,veggie skewers with seasonal veggies, there are tons of them, cut squash and zuccini and onion and small tomatoes, and mushrooms and ranch dressing is super inexpensive also buy your own grapes, seedless and watermelon and cantelope and cut them up and make fresh fruit skewers...p.s. you refrigerate the fruit ones until the guests show and put them out as a light light snack for everyone arranged on a plate, while you are grilling the veggie ones, its qiuck easy and inexpensive!

Answer 8

i like buying in bulk at Costco or Smart & Finals and buy the premade quiches (cheese & bacon or cheese & spinach), the terriyaki chicken skewers, or make finger sandwiches. these are great, filling, finger foods that will save you on time!

Answer 9

Chips and dip, sheet cake, cucumber rye sandwiches, cookie tray

Answer 10

well there is this snack that is really cheap, all you need is like ham lunch meat, cream cheese, and pickles. you take the ham and lay it flat and spread cream cheese over it and lay the pickle in it and roll it up it is sooooo yummy.