Cost Of Living Crisis Series - Budget Celebration Food

Whether you are facing mortgage stress,  job loses,  budget restraints or any other financial pressures,  celebrations can be a way of bringing joy into your life and those around you.  How you celebrate depends on how much money you want to spend.  It doesn't have to be anything big and lavish.  Even putting a few plates of special food on a well laid out table can be just as enjoyable.  

Following on from last week's post about hosting a celebration,  I though I'd share some of the food I've serve for afternoon tea gatherings over the years.  If you do any scratch cooking or baking then you'll most likely have many of the ingredients on hand.

Here are the links to foods that are easy to make,  cheap and fill up a plate for just a few dollars -

Scones  These can be made ahead of time and frozen.  If you don't have the budget for jam and cream,  just serve with butter and jam.

Lunchbox Chocolate Choc Chip Muffins  The flavour doesn't have to be chocolate.  Add any fruit,  fresh or frozen for a different flavour.

 Pita Chips  Pita bread is cheapest bought from a market.  If you are buying from the supermarket,  get the cheapest brand.  One packet of pita bread makes heaps of chips.  Add a $3 dip,  carrot sticks and celery sticks and you have an impressive plate.

Easy Coconut Slice  This recipe uses very basic ingredients.  It can be made and frozen ahead of time.

Apple Rose Pastries  These pastries can be served as a dessert too.  For an afternoon tea,  just make them a little smaller.

Choc Chip Bickies ( Cookies )  This recipe only has 5 ingredients and makes 50 - 60 biscuits.   Maybe halve the recipe or freeze all the leftover dough.

Other budget foods I've served at afternoon teas,  but I don't have links for are -

Curried egg and lettuce sandwiches.  Even using one egg will make 2 rounds ( 8 points ) of sandwiches.

Honey joys.  This is the corn flake,  honey and butter  mounds you serve in patty cases.

Custard tarts.  These are just puff pastry cases I've cooked then filled with thick custard and topped with a little lolly.

Seasonal fruit platter.  I serve watermelon,  grapes and cantaloupe ( if it's cheap enough ).  While berries are lovely to eat,  they can be quite expensive.

There are plenty of other foods I've served when I had a bigger budget.  These can be found in the recipe section.  I've served Hoovers  Doovers,  Sausage Rolls,  ANZAC Biscuits,  Chocolate Truffles,  Whole Orange Cake,  Pumpkin Scones and Chocolate Brownies.

A simple afternoon tea

Getting out the pretties

What budget friendly foods do you serve at an afternoon tea gatherings ?

Cost Of Living Crisis Series - Hosting A Celebration On A Budget

 Birthdays,  Mother's Day,  Father's Day,  Wedding Anniversaries,  Christmas,  Baby Showers and other special events still come up each year on our calendars whether there is a cost of living crisis or not.  How we celebrate these occasions may look a little different depending on our circumstances.  They can still be memorable with a little planning and organisation.

Over the almost 29 years Darren and I have been married,  we've hosted engagement parties,  21st birthdays,  lots of children's birthday parties,  baby showers,  Christmas Day meals for our extended families,  Australia Day BBQs,  Mother's Day afternoon teas,  Church functions and many other gatherings,  large ( over 50 people ) and small.

On each of these occasions I've catered for them ( as much as possible ) with food I've cooked and baked from scratch.  The only exception would be Australia Day when we buy a tray of lamb chops for the traditional Aussie BBQ.  I try to plan this ahead of time and look out for a sale on chops.

I'm able to pay for these occasions with money from my grocery budget.  If it's a big celebration I'll use money in my grocery slush fund which is saved,  leftover grocery money from previous months.

Here are my tricks and tips for a successful gathering on a budget -

*  I always write out a menu of food / meals I plan to cook or bake for the gathering.  Much thought goes into the foods I prepare.  They must be budget friendly,  tasty,  crowd favourites,  easy to make  and a variety of sweet and savoury.

*  Once the menu is decided,  I check to see what ingredients I already have on hand.  Once I've done this I write out a shopping list of the extra items needed.  Usually I have plenty of planning time so over the next couple of months I add items to my monthly shopping list and buy things when they come on sale.  If I don't have much notice,  I'll just duck up to the shops and buy what's needed.  Keep in mind that I have a well stocked pantry,  fridge and freezer so I might only need to buy a packet of chips and a few bottles of soft drink.

*  Once everything is bought,  I make a plan of when the food is to be cooked or baked.  I try to spread this out and never leave everything until the last minute.  When it comes to party food,  many things can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge or freezer.  Sausage rolls,  slices and cakes can be frozen for months.

*  I will quite happily buy generic ingredients,  generic party food like pies,  soft drink ( generic dry ginger ale is fantastic )  and dips to keep costs down.

*  I keep plastic picnic plates,  bowls and cutlery for kids parties and BBQs.  These are used over and over again.  

*  When our girls were still at home,  we kept a party box of streamers,  balloons,  party bags,  banners,  candles,  a balloon pump,  string,  scissors,  sticky tape and party prizes.  Most of these items came from discount shops,  clearance tables in department stores or supermarket sales.  

*  When family and friends ask if they can bring a plate of food,  I gratefully accept their kind offer.  This was especially so if it's a big celebration.  We are also happy to return the favour too.  Sharing the load and cost around just seems fair.  There's no point in working to the point of exhaustion then not enjoying the gathering. 

*  Old fashioned party games are a fun way to entertain at a kids party.  The egg and spoon race with a ping pong ball,  statues,  pass the parcel,  obstacle course,  pin the tail on the donkey,  the chocolate game and tunnel ball ( with a balloon ) are just some of the games we played.  We did this every year for Jessica and Megan's birthdays and the feedback from the kids and parents was great.  

*  Party bags don't need to be elaborate.   A few lollies,  a balloon and a little toy is all that's needed.  We also wrapped a piece of birthday cake in a serviette to take home.

*  I never put all the food out at once.  Sometimes people don't show up and I don't want excess food spoiling when it sits out getting warm or cold.  Yes,  the plates and platters are full,  but not overflowing.  Any food leftover in the fridge can be used the next day.

*  To add a favourite color to the party theme,  I cut up a plastic tablecloth to use as a table runner over the top of a white tablecloth.  It looks quite stylish.  If I don't have enough colored serviettes,  I alternate them with white ones in a neat stack on the table.

*  Not everyone likes soft drink so I always have a jug of water on the drinks table.   Tea and coffee is  offered too.  This keeps costs down.

*  I try to use whatever platters,  plates,  tableware accessories and decorations we already have.  Buying items for a 'one off ' occasion seems like a waste of money.

*  If I'm hosting a fancy celebration,  I get out the lace tablecloth,  my fancy dishes ( many are op shopped ) and candlesticks.  Nothing screams ' luxe ' more than getting out the good stuff. 

RELATED ARTICLES -

Thrifty Christmas Menu Ideas

Bringing Afternoon Tea

Planning A Christmas Menu On A Budget

Getting out the ' good stuff '.

Budget friendly food.

Afternoon tea

Bunting I made from old doilies.

What are your tips for budget friendly entertaining ?

Budget Party Food For Kids ( Or Adults )

About 4 years ago,  Jessica was turning 17 and deciding how to celebrate her birthday without blowing the family budget.  Money was super tight back then with Darren only working one day a week and myself cleaning homes two days a week.  We've always celebrated each birthday with a party or dinner out no matter how much money we've had.  Birthdays are important and worthy of a celebration.

After much deliberation Jessica decided to have four or five of her friends over to watch a movie.  Homemade sausage rolls and mini quiches were on the list.  For sweets she decided on a few slices and MOO ( make our own ) sundaes.  MOO sundaes have been a big hit with the teens. We've just  put out a tub of no name vanilla icecream, choc topping, nuts and a few bowls of small lollies and let the teens design their own desserts.

Other party food I've made in previous years for my girls have been -

Honey joys
Fruit platters
Mini pizzas
Mini muffins
Jelly and custard cups
Spag bol
Homemade hamburgers
Bbq ( generally sausages in bread with toppings )
Dip and biscuit platters
Scones, jam and cream
Choc brownies
Lemon slice

As well as the sausage rolls and mini quiches. I've found homemade food is a bigger hit than a bowl of chips. Over the years I've also cut down on the food too as ' less is more ' seems to work better. It reduces food waste and reduces the cost.

Whatever food I make is made on a budget and most of the ingredients I already have.  The money comes out of my food slush fund so that I don't break the budget. Generally for a larger party I make three savoury dishes and three sweet.

Mini quiches

Apple rose pastries

Cupcakes

Scones

Sausage rolls

How do you cater for kids / teenager birthday gatherings ?

What is your family's favourite party food ?

Paper Doily Bunting

Recently I hosted an afternoon tea for Jessica's 21st birthday.  She wanted all things girly,  pretty and pink.  Balloons and streamers together wouldn't give us the look we were after so I dug into my card making stash.  I have lots of paper doilies in all sorts of sizes.  Suddenly an idea was forming.  Why not make  doily bunting ?

The bunting is very simple to make.  Here's what you need -

Paper doilies of your choice and color
String or twine
Sticky tape on a dispenser
Scissors.

Cut the doilies in half.  I cut 6 - 8 at a time

Roll out the string on a flat surface.

Work out the pattern you'd like to make.  I used one large,  one small,  one large,  one medium as a pattern.

Fold the flat edge of the doily over approximately 4 - 5 mm.

Place the string in the doily fold and use sticky tape to secure the edge.  Larger doilies required 3 pieces of sticky tape.

Make sure you use sticky tape on the same side of each doily.

Hang the bunting and enjoy.

When taking the bunting down,  be extra careful so you can use it again.

COST -  $2 - $3 for approximately 10 metres.