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.
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| A simple afternoon tea |
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| Getting out the pretties |
Hi Wendy, my youngest daughter loves high teas but they are expensive so we do one at her place now in Dec. That way she gets to use both her grandmothers teacups which she inherited. We have pretty much what you do but the favourite one for my. grandkids is mini pumpkin pies/quiches. All homemade and they love them on any family occasion or for school lunches.
ReplyDeleteA homestyle high tea each years sounds fabulous. Much cheaper too. The pumpkin quiches sound interesting. What you do put in them please ?
DeleteObviously have no dietary intolerances. Example Nuts and Gluten.
ReplyDeleteNo fresh fruit or veges
Please read the article. It talks about a fruit platter, pita chips, celery and carrot sticks.
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