16 Affordable Dinner Party Recipes to Help You Plan a Fabulous Meal

Hosting friends for dinner can get expensive. That’s why we love these simple, affordable recipes that help you curate an impressive dinner party without breaking the bank. From easy appetizers to creative cocktails, there’s no shortage of budget-friendly party food ideas out there, and each of these options prove that hosting doesn’t have to be expensive. Ready to start planning your next get together? When it comes to serving an impressive dinner, you can count on roast chicken to deliver crowd-pleasing results. This timeless dish screams elegance, and we love that it’s versatile enough to take on different flavors or seasonings. This recipe highlights the simplicity of roast chicken by pairing it with roast vegetables and a few flavorings like thyme, lemon, garlic and freshly-ground black pepper.

Sangria is one of the easiest cocktails to whip up when you’re serving a group. It’s best served when batched in advance and served in a pitcher, so you don’t have to spend time mixing individual glasses. This recipe calls for only a few simple ingredients like apples, berries and apple liquor, so it’s affordable and easy to whip up.

When it comes to affordable appetizers, it doesn’t get much easier than a plate of marinated olives. This recipe uses garlic, fennel seeds, orange zest and thyme leaves as the flavorful accents for Kalamata and Cerignola olives. Serving them warm makes the whole dish feel a little more elevated and elegant.

Popcorn is one of cheapest snacks you can serve, and it doesn’t take much effort to jazz it up a bit. This recipe uses store-bought kettle corn that gets seasoned with Buffalo sauce and blue cheese to create a sweet, salty and spicy snack that’s perfect for a dinner party or potluck. Blue cheese powder is the secret to topping it off with cool, tangy flavor.