Hosting an event where food and drinks will be served while working with a limited budget is a lot easier than it might sound. Sure, you’ll probably have to sacrifice a few indulgences to fit your budget, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t ensure that your guests are well-fed.
In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how! Here, we’ll go over a few practical tips for you to be able to maximize your resources and guarantee that the people attending will have plenty of delicious food and drinks to enjoy throughout the event. Let’s begin.
- Go for a buffet-style setup
Serving dishes as separate courses can make for a grand impression, but unless you’re expecting less than a handful of people to come, this way is simply not practical. Instead, set up a buffet table and present your food and drink choices there. This way, guests can help themselves and you won’t need to hire unnecessary help.
To stretch an extremely tight budget, you can also serve food in batches so that you can pace how much people consume throughout the event. This way, you can give the impression that
food and drinks are constantly being served. - Cut larger food items into bite-sized portions
Many dishes can be repackaged into party platters that can feed entire groups of people. For instance, one normal-sized cut of steak that would have fed a single individual can be cut into multiple cubes that many people can enjoy. A single head of lettuce that would have ordinarily been used for one salad, can be used to makeover a dozen appetizers. There are many ways to maximize your food, so just practice some creativity when planning the menu. - Ask your guests to bring their own drinks
It’s perfectly acceptable to request that your guests bring their own booze. Most people will have their own preferences when it comes to their drink choices, anyway. As the host, you might want to provide a few bottles to get the party started, maybe throw in some ice, but you’re definitely not obligated to provide all the drinks yourself—especially at more intimate, casual events. - Opt for cheaper ingredients
Stick to more economical protein choices like chicken, pork, and eggs. These can go a long way in terms of keeping your overall costs low. Also, add plenty of vegetables and leafy greens as these are generally more filling and less expensive. Going purely vegetarian is also a possibility,
as a growing number of people are now more open to at least giving this type of eating a try. - Condense the program
The longer your event is scheduled to run, the more food and drinks you’ll need to keep everyone attending happy. Try to limit the timetable of your gathering so that you avoid having to serve multiple sets of dishes.
Wrapping up
As you can see, hosting a successful event where guests leave happily wined and dined doesn’t have to be expensive. There are certainly ways to ensure that everyone attending is able to eat well and has a good time overall. Keep these tips in mind the next time you need to cater to an event with a small budget.
If you’re looking for a great caterer to help you host any type of event or social gathering in the
Chesterton area, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We offer a variety of affordable party packages, buffet options, and tray platters, and we can personalize your menu to suit any occasion!