Cheap dinner party ideas

Love being the host(ess) with the most(ess), but struggle to find the cash to entertain? We've got some great cheap dinner party ideas for four people or more.

Having a dinner party is an ideal way to get to know new friends a bit better. There's something about being in someone's home that makes you relax a bit more than you would do eating out in a restaurant (possibly since the wine flows a lot faster when you're not being charged £10 a glass).

The only issue, of course, is that cooking up a dinner party menu for multiple people at once can be a bit stressful, not to mention expensive.

Here are our top tips on how to host a cheap dinner party. We've also included a few easy dinner party recipes for under £10 to keep your guests (and your pockets!) full and happy.

Cheap dinner party recipes for under £10

Remember that people will have fun and appreciate your hosting skills whether you spend £10 or £40, so don't go overboard.

Below, you can find a few of our suggestions. All of these dinner party recipes should feed around four people (but can easily feed six or eight people if you add more ingredients).

Even though most of these recipes contain meat, you can also use them as vegetarian dinner party ideas by replacing the meat ingredient with a plant-based product.

Dinner party recipes

* Prices are correct at the time of writing (using Tesco.com, Sainsburys.co.uk and Asda.com prices as guidelines).

11 dinner party ideas to save money

Here are some dinner party ideas on a budget:

1. Choose easy recipes and serve simple food

   The key to a foolproof cheap dinner party is to stay within your comfort zone and only cook things you've made before. Although, maybe try something a bit more adventurous than beans on toast.

   Attempting to rustle up a paella for the first time, just to impress your friends, will leave you stressed to the eyeballs when your guests appear at the door.

   You'll also likely spend more cash on the ingredients than you would do with a recipe you're well-acquainted with. Stick with what you know and you're way more likely to impress.

2. Check what you already have in your kitchen cupboards

   Before deciding what to cook for your friends, check the freezer, fridge and cupboards to see what's already there.

   You might realise you already have some kitchen staples waiting for an opportunity to be used up.

   If you're stuck for inspiration, you could try BigOven (an essential app for students). It helps you to use up your leftovers.

3. Host a 'bring a plate' party

   

   Credit: hxdbzxy - Shutterstock

   One of the most budget-effective dinner party ideas is the 'bring a plate' option. Not just a plate, mind – a plate with some food on it.

   You can make it a buffet and ask each guest to contribute a plate of their choice. Or, you can allocate the starter, main course and dessert to different people.

   Your guests will appreciate how stressful hosting can be, so will be more than happy to bring something along to lighten your workload.

   Just make sure you start a group chat so you can discuss what everyone’s bringing first, particularly if you're going for the buffet option. Otherwise, you could end up with eight plates of Greggs sausage rolls (although we wouldn't complain about that, personally).

4. Do a BYOB dinner party

   We all know that booze isn't cheap, and it can often end up being the most expensive part of the meal. However, there's nothing worse than running out of wine at the dinner table.

   The easiest way around this is to politely suggest that each person brings their own bottle. Your mother always said not to turn up empty-handed anyway, and one bottle won't break the bank.

5. Do a Come Dine With Me dinner party

   Why not get a group together and take turns hosting, Come Dine With Me style?

   We recommend sticking to groups of around six people. Otherwise, things start to get a bit stressful. You could even do it in three pairs, so you have a partner to help with the cost and prep.

   Taking turns like this means you get a few more dinner parties out of it (woohoo!), but it also ensures that everyone is mucking in at some point. That way, spending is more evenly distributed, especially if you set a budget for everyone to stick to.

   You can even rate each other out of 10 at the end (as they do in the TV show) if you're getting really into things. But beware that this can lead to arguments.

6. Ask guests to chip in for food and drink

   Asking your guests to chip in might seem a bit tight at first thought. But, even if everyone just contributes a fiver, the kind of feast you can prepare will make your guests think otherwise.

   With everyone's cash combined, you'll even be able to provide the wine as well as dinner. Just make sure you ask someone to help you cart it all home from the supermarket.

7. Choose carb-based recipes

   
   The simple fact is that carbs are cheap and filling. So, the more carb-heavy your meal is, the cheaper it'll be to fill those mouths around the table.

   That's not necessarily to say carbs should be the main focus of what you cook. But supplementing meals with bread or potatoes will mean your guests get pleasantly full a lot quicker.

8. Check food and drink prices online first

   The worst thing you can do is to just turn up at the supermarket and grab whatever you can.

   Check the supermarket's prices online before going in person to get an idea of which offers are good deals. And remember, some discounts are online only.

   Secondly, shopping around can save you a lot. Keep an eye out for any relevant student deals that pop up and compare the prices at different supermarkets to make sure you're getting the best price. And if not, move on to the next place.

9. Borrow extra cutlery and crockery

   Food isn't the only thing you need to prepare. Make sure you check you have enough cutlery, plates, glasses, chairs... the lot!

   If you're running low on something, ask to borrow from a neighbour or one of your guests, instead of splashing out and buying it new.

   If you live in halls, this should be easy as pie. Otherwise, you can use this as an excuse to get to know your neighbours a little better.

10. Buy cheap ingredients from a local market

    Heading to a local market rather than a supermarket could save you money if you play it right – particularly when it comes to fresh fruit and veg.

    Go near the end of the day, as this is when food is sold at a reduced price. This is also the perfect time to start haggling as market sellers tend to be a lot more flexible before they pack up for the day.

    Try to also stick with veggies that are in season. They will taste their best and be at their lowest price too.

11. Prepare the main course before guests arrive

    It helps to prepare everything well in advance so that any mistakes can be corrected in time.

    Leaving yourself time to fix any messes will also prevent you from having to splash out at the last minute to avoid disaster (takeaway pizza, anyone?).

    A lot of one-pot dinners taste better the longer you leave them stewing anyway, so this frees up plenty of valuable time for you to get the kitchen cleaned up and ready for your guests' arrival.

If these dinner party ideas aren't your cup of tea, you could ditch the food and have a cocktail-making night instead.