What’s You Best Tip for Feeding a Crowd on a Budget?

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Who says hosting has to come with a hefty bill?

people at baked potato bar with toppings

It’s the last day of Hip2Save’s Birthday Week! 🥳 

All good things must come to an end, and we’ve reached the final day of Hip2Save’s birthday week. We hope you all have had just as much fun as we have! We appreciate each and every one of you for sharing your input in the comments and for being amazing members of our Hip Community. 💗

There’s still time to enter, so be sure to check out the previous giveaway prompts, too —

During our birthday giveaway, all you have to do is comment for a chance to win. This format is just like our monthly reader giveaway and makes for some great conversation among our Hip2Save community. The giveaway prompt posts will be going live each day now through Friday, and your comment will get you entered to win that day’s prize. Easy peasy!

Today, we’ve got one $100 Amazon eGift card up for grabs. Comment now through Sunday, June 29th 11:59 PM MT for your chance to win.

We want to hear from you! 

Today’s Birthday Giveaway Question:

What’s your best tip for feeding a crowd on a budget?

Share in the comments section below for our Hip community to read. By leaving a comment, you are entering to win a $100 Amazon eGift card!


Entries for this giveaway are now closed.

How to Enter:


  • Comment Below: Share your favorite way to feed a crowd on a budget.
  • Duration: The commenting entry period starts on Friday, 6/27/25 at 7 AM MT and ends on Sunday, 6/29/25 at 11:59 PM MT.
  • Eligibility: All approved comments within the entry period are eligible. Winning comments will be chosen at random. Readers may only win one time during the giveaway.

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Winners will be contacted by Tuesday, July 1st with the details of their Amazon eGift Card.

baked ziti in foil pan with cooking instructions

Here are our Hip team’s favorite ways to feed a crowd on a budget…

“A baked potato bar is always fun, especially since everyone can customize their own! Bags of potatoes are always super inexpensive, then just add bowls of different toppings like cheese, butter, sour cream, chives/green onions, chili, taco meat, etc!– Erika

“My go to is pasta (typically baked ziti) when I’m feeding a big crowd. It’s SO cheap, easy/quick to make, and you can pre-make it all beforehand, then just heat it up and not be in a rush day of trying to cook. Plus, sides are super easy too. Just grab a few salad kits and a few loaves of garlic bread and you’re good to go! Easy peasy. – Liz

“My daughter hosted her church group recently – over 25 kids. I tried putting a bunch of Nathan’s hot dogs in the slow cooker and that worked so well!  🌭 The taste was awesome, and they could dish up as desired with all the toppings. Cheap and so easy/good. I served chips and cut up watermelon, and they loved it. – Lina

We can’t wait to hear your brilliant hosting tips to feed a hungry crowd!

Thank you for celebrating our birthday all week long with us! 🎉 Now let’s get back to the deals…


About the writer:

Emily obtained her Bachelor's degrees from Clarkson University with 5 years of content writing experience specializing in health, beauty, fashion, home, & living frugally. Connect with Emily on LinkedIn


Join The Discussion

Comments 509

  1. Kathy

    I would say a taco bar. We already have beef, grow veggies in our garden.

  2. Lisa Basile

    A baked potato bar is hard to beat. It’s inexpensive and guests can choose toppings that accommodate their individual tastes and dietary requirements.

  3. Diane P

    Baked pasta dishes, they go a long way

  4. Diane P

    Baked pasta dishes can feed a large crowd

  5. Sandy Motes

    Taco bars, Hawaiian Hay Stacks, BBQ with baked beans, potato salad, and mac and cheese, a couple of make-a-head lasagna casseroles, salad, and bread, and everyone bring your favorite soup in a crockpot are some of the meals my family enjoys at get togethers.

  6. beck

    publix catering trays. no work and feeds a crowd on a budget. worth it when you remember all the time you save.

  7. Johanna Spong

    We served a ‘CAVA’ bowl bar at our daughter’s graduation party. It was inexpensive and delicious. Brown rice, white rice and quinoa, pita bread cut into fourths, kale and arugula , grilled Mediterranean chicken and an assortment of topping like diced cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, feta and olives. Homemade tzatziki and tahini dressings. Everyone could fix their favorite bowl.

  8. April Jordan

    We love to do a temaki (hand roll sushi) bar. We have the rice cooker, seaweed, and all the things we like in our sushi. Plus a pot of miso for a side dish. Everyone gets to roll their own!

  9. Teresa Robertson

    I love making a hearty soup made in a large crockpot and serving i with sliced up sandwiches (made from French bread).

  10. Mercedes Wells

    We enjoy doing Tacos, the meat goes along way and the variety is endless! Some easy charro beans and rice for the sides are also a cheap filling side!

  11. Lisa

    Sloppy joes in the crock pot isn’t too bad. Especially if you mix some of the meat mixture with beans.

  12. Ts

    Remember that crowds usually include people with varying dietary needs. I like to make a pot of white bean chili. Then offer toppings such as shredded chicken, shredded cheese, green chiles, etc. Serve with cornbread and Tortilla chips. Great for vegetarians and gluten-free.

  13. Amy Mathis

    For budget get togethers, I do a taco bar. Pulled pork, shredded chicken, shredded beef along with all of the toppings. Each person at the get together can customize their meal.

  14. Rhoda

    Baked spaghetti, bread, and salad. Buy your ingredients at Costco or BOGO’S at Publix.

  15. Linda

    Pasta dishes are always a big hit.

  16. Grace

    We love to do a taco bar– works well for different dietary needs/preferences, easy to setup, fairly cheap, & we can usually use leftovers.

  17. Alexis Staubach

    Baked potato bar or some easy crock pot meals! I also have a sourdough starter so I like to use the discard to make pretzel bites!

  18. Kristi Palmer

    Taco bar with all the fixins!

  19. Jalene Medina

    Taco bar and chips

  20. Darlena

    Crockpot full of pulled pork ,BBQ sauce, buns ,sliced pickles, chips and Cole slaw.

  21. Andi

    A baked potato bar is always a hit. We also like to do soup or chili in the fall. For summer a salad bar is great, especially when you have homegrown veggies from the garden.

  22. Amanda

    My tip to feed a crowd on a budget is do a pot luck. Have everyone bring a side or dessert while you make the main dish or meat. Since you’re hosting you would still provide the essentials. Stock up on paper products with coupons or sales. Do cheap drinks such as lemonade or tea.

  23. Sarah

    I would say it depends on the day. Summer definitely hot dogs and brats with choice of sides like beans and chips. Add on dessert for sweet tooth.

  24. Karen Kopetic

    Whenever I need to feed a crowd, I go with lasagna, baked ziti, or chicken Alfredo.
    Then garlic bread and a big salad!

  25. Elizabeth McKenzie

    A large garden salad, pans of baked ziti, and garlic bread. Pasta is a great “go to” for crowds.

  26. Stephanie Ramirez

    I think nachos are the best and inexpensive way to feed a big crowd. You can go to Sam’s Club or Costco and buy a big box of nacho chips, nacho cheese, ground beef, lettuce, shredded cheese, and other toppings. You let your crowd serve themselves and customize the way they want their nachos. It’s great on a budget and nachos are bomb!

  27. ami

    we make soups in the slow cooker when we need to feed a crowd – chicken enchilada soup, chili, baked potato soup, vegetable soup.

  28. Crystal

    Spaghetti, chicken Alfredo,taco, breakfast for dinner

  29. Katie

    BOGO Publix deals and sub platter, Costco, and ALDI! Boom!

  30. Barb J

    Simplify simplify! One main dish like spaghetti & sauce, offer salad, varioius dressings and rolls. Walmart offers to-order cupcakes with filling inside that are tasty.
    If you are providing the main dish have others bring side dishes including dessert.

  31. Carol Mills

    Meatballs & Pasta

  32. Jess Caruso

    Ive cooked for my husband and the guys he works with. We love to do bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches for breakfast, baked ziti, salad and bread or taco bar for lunch and/or dinner. They are always super happy!
    Jgriffin1885@gmail.com

  33. Frances Mcnicholl

    Pulled pork and coleslaw
    A Boston butt would be a great Price for 10 lbs and cabbage/ carrots are cheap this time of year. And who doesn’t like this combo!!!

  34. Ms. Jen

    My absolute favorite thing to serve for a crowd is a taco bar, chili bar, or make a bunch of different appetizers. You can stretch those tortilla pinwheels for days!!!

  35. Sherri

    Taco bar for the win! I also like to grill hotdogs and keep it simple in the summer.

  36. Teresa

    We have a very large family, so the best way to feed them on a budget would be to ask every family to bring a side dish, then the host home would buy large packages of hot dogs and bake them in thir convection oven. Serve with chips and condiments.

  37. dollfaceshelly

    My best tip and go to is to utilize chilis and casseroles, as well as when really on a tight budget ask guests to bring their own drinks (sodas can get pricey fast) and or pot luck style dishes.

  38. RobIn Kraner

    Always honest or from Gordon’s. I’ve done weddings graduations and birthdays on budgets . Go with Mac and cheese it’s a winner everytime

  39. Monique Hanson-Keeler

    Pulled pork is always a hit and only one meat to prep with toppings compared to tacos or nachoes that need a lot of extra toppings.

  40. Jennifer b

    Spaghetti is always a budget family that can go a long way

  41. TS

    My husband volunteers at a homeless shelter where he helps prepare food for 150 people. A couple of things that he has learned….Things that take the most time are chopping and forming individual things like meatballs. Casseroles work great especially when they are based on cheap ingredients like pasta or ground beef. Taco bars and potato bars are popular but often involve food waste as you have to prepare more than you need.

    • Kai

      Shop clearance and use coupons. Ask everyone to contribute something (a dish, drinks, paper plates, etc.).

  42. Amber E.

    When hosting a large group we grill hot dogs/burgers and have pasta or potato salad. It is usually fairly inexpensive and very filling! If it is warm outside we also have watermelon because a whole watermelon goes a long way.

  43. Jennifer Nichols

    I like to make casseroles and baked Italian dishes buffet style. I also will ask if anyone wants to bring their favorite casserole sometimes I make it a competition. See who has the most creative, tastes the best, etc.

  44. janicecookharris

    Look at the sales ads

  45. Susan Hillyer

    Chili with toppings, pasta with broccoli, garlic, oil, hot dog bar

  46. Diane

    Meal prep large casseroles or a bar where people customize their food (pizza, potato, sundae, etc)

  47. Jennifer C

    I love a good potluck 😅

  48. LAURA

    Sloppy Joes!

  49. Jessica Zorn

    We just did a taco bar! Crowd pleaser and very easy!

  50. Jessica Zorn

    We just did a taco bar! Crowd pleaser and super easy!

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