Choose customizable dishes to add flair to your next party.
Planning a party menu on a budget can be a challenge, especially if your guests have varying tastes. Creative hosts can offer customizable dishes that are filling, fun and flexible without breaking the bank. Your guests will enjoy choosing options according to their personal tastes and the process of choosing adds to the festivity.
Chili
This classic dish is easy and cheap to make for a crowd, but still offers the opportunity to cater to the tastes of individual guests. To give guests the most options, prepare a large batch of chili with no meat and no beans. Then put out bowls of cooked beans and cooked ground meat so that guests can add what they want. Alternatively, prepare two batches of chili, either with and without beans or with and without meat, then just put out a bowl of the other ingredient. Set out smaller bowls of toppings such as shredded cheddar cheese, chopped onions, sour cream, oyster crackers or taco chips. Remember a bottle of hot sauce for those who like a little more zing. Add a basket of mini corn muffins and a bowl of pre-dressed green salad and you have a hearty, satisfying meal that will appeal to a wide range of taste buds.
Nacho Bar
A build-your-own nacho bar is a fun and inexpensive way to cater to many tastes all at once. For a basic bar, purchase tortilla chips, ground meat, taco seasoning, salsa, shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream. Give your guests more options by offering a hot and a mild salsa or adding items such as black olives or sliced jalapenos. Guacamole is another great add-on that can be purchased pre-made or made at home from any number of easy recipes. Black or refried beans are a perfect option if you have vegetarians in your crowd, but make sure to look for a package marked "vegetarian" or "meat-free" as some canned beans are made with animal fat. Shop for critical ingredients such as chips, salsa, ground meat and sour cream at warehouse clubs if you are entertaining a large crowd. Lay out your items buffet-style, in the order that your guests will choose them: chips, meat and beans, then everything else.
Pasta Buffet
A pasta buffet can be an affordable and unique alternative to traditional dishes like lasagna and spaghetti. Prepare two to three types of pasta such as spaghetti, rotini or fettuccini. For a bit of whimsy, choose at least one shaped pasta such as farfalle (bow ties), fusilli (corkscrews) or ruote (wagon wheels). Toss prepared pastas with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking and place the bowls in slightly larger bowls filled halfway with hot water to keep warm. Set out two varieties of sauce, preferably one tomato-based sauce and one cream-based sauce, such as marinara and Alfredo. Set out two meat choices such as ground beef, meatballs, grilled chicken strips or sliced Italian sausage. Add a bowl of pre-dressed green salad, a small bowl of grated Parmesan and a basket of garlic bread to complete the meal.
Tags: ground meat, sour cream, bowl pre-dressed, bowl pre-dressed green, customizable dishes, green salad