These cheap party finger foods and easy appetizers are sure to be a crowd pleaser at your next party! AND the best part? All of these finger food recipes and party appetizers require just minimal effort and fit a tight budget!
Today, we’re sharing our favorite cheap party food ideas that work for all kinds of special events including family reunions, football game parties, dinner parties, birthday parties, or a graduation party! We also love these for a bridal tea or baby shower!
With a little creativity and planning, you can create an amazing party spread of inexpensive party foods! But before we get to our favorite party snacks, let’s talk about a few ways to save some money!
How to Plan A Party On a Budget
- Decide on When Your Party Will Be – Depending on the time, you may be able to just serve simple finger foods instead of a main dish. With that said, there are inexpensive options for a dinner party.
- Shop Smart – Check for Buy 1, Get 1 promotions and sales leading up to your party! You could even freeze some items to serve weeks or months later!
- Accessorize Creatively – You can decorate with things you have around the house or yard like fresh wild flowers in mason jars!
Time of the Party
The time of day matters. Depending on the time of your party, you will be able to figure out if you need to serve light snacks or a full meal. For example, if you just want to serve light party foods, you don’t want to plan you party for 5 o’clock in the evening (aka dinner time!).
It would be better to host your party at 10-11 AM, 2:30-4 PM, or after 8PM unless you plan on serving dinner.
If you need to serve dinner, we have a list of fun family dinner ideas you might like!
Who’s Coming?
It’s important to figure out your guest list and if they have any food allergies ahead of time. You may also want to have a few vegetarian options if you’re not sure what guests normally eat.
You’ll also want to consider the age of the party guests. If you’re having kids at the party, you’ll want to choose basic finger foods and appetizers like mac-n-cheese and chicken nuggets. On the other hand, if people will be mingling, it would be better to have small bites that are easy to hold and eat standing up like cocktail meatballs or mini sliders.
Shopping Smart
Identifying sales at your local grocery stores or Dollar Store can help you have easy finger foods on hand for a last minute party or game day!
A few items we keep on hand are:
- tortilla chips
- salsa
- pita chips
- crackers
- cream cheese
- olives and pickles
- frozen french fries
You can use these items for any type of party, and they stay fresh for a long time!
Now it’s time to pick some delicious cheap party finger foods and appetizers!!
These finger food ideas and appetizer recipes are crowd favorites and sure to impress your party guests - for any type of party!Easy Cheap Party Finger Foods & Appetizer Ideas
If you loved these cheap party finger foods and appetizers, we also think you might like:
- Perfect Afternoon Tea Party Recipes & What to Serve
- How to Host a Cheers and Beers Party
- 16 Ways to Save More Money
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