Delicious and Inexpensive Party Food for 100 People – Instacart

What is inexpensive party food?

Catering for a large crowd can be costly. In fact, when you cater for a party of 100, chances are you may need to cater on a budget and select inexpensive food. Inexpensive party food is essentially food that can stretch a long way, at a fraction of the cost of other food types. 

20 Great inexpensive party food ideas

Are you catering for a crowd of 100 and feeling overwhelmed at the thought of costly food? Have a look at the following inexpensive snacks for large groups:

1. Vegetables with dips

Serve vegetables like celery sticks with feta dip comprising feta cheese, olives, lemon juice, and a few olives. You may also serve celery sticks with tortilla chips and black bean dip. Or serve roasted or raw carrot sticks with beetroot dip.

2. Burritos 

Buy some premade burritos and serve with some corn on the cob or a potato salad. You may also serve this with nachos and cheese sauce. If possible, opt for inexpensive burrito fillings like beans and rice instead of meat. 

3. French toast

Make some French toast, and serve with maple syrup or avocado. You may also top the toast with eggs, bacon, cucumber slices, and tomato. Or make savory French toast with cilantro. 

4. Eggplant casserole

Buy eggplant or premade eggplant parmesan on Instacart,  and make a few casseroles to cater to a large crowd. Serve this with some delicious garlic bread. 

5. Crackers, cheese, and beef jerky platters

Purchase a few boxes of cheese crackers and beef jerky on Instacart. Place sliced cheese on the crackers and arrange with beef jerky, cocktail tomatoes, olives, figs, and ham. 

6. Muffins 

Get your hands on several boxes of premade muffin mix. These boxes are more affordable than readymade muffins. Be sure to buy a variety of savory and sweet flavors like blueberry, cheese, carrot cake, and chocolate mint. 

7. S’mores

You can purchase premade s’mores or make a s’mores dessert with Nutella, such as delicious s’mores bars, which are similar to brownies.    

8. Fruit salad

Depending on the season, this could be comprised of strawberries, pineapple, apple, oranges, pears, litchi, or guava. Peel, dice, and mix your favorite fruit, add some sugar if you prefer, and serve with a dollop of ice cream.

9. Fried ravioli 

Load up your fridge with pre-made ravioli. Season the ravioli, and dip it in breadcrumbs. Then, fry the ravioli in an air fryer and serve it with marinara sauce. 

10. Chicken alfredo 

This meal is pretty inexpensive and ideal for serving large crowds. You’ll need chicken thighs, olive oil, nutmeg, butter, cream, penne pasta, and fettucini and parmesan cheese. 

11. Meatballs

Stock your freezer with frozen meatballs. On the day of your party, fry these and serve them to your guests with rice, roast potatoes, or egg noodles. 

12. Crockpot stew

Buy stewing beef and cook this with diced potatoes, onion, and carrots. Once cooked, serve it with freshly baked biscuits, roasted asparagus, or bread. 

13. Ham and cheese pinwheels

Ham and cheese pinwheels are always great go-to food for a crowd, as you can serve many with just a few frozen boxes. Once baked, you can serve these pastries with pea salad comprising cheddar cheese, onion, bacon, and peas. Or serve it with corn and cucumber or potato salad. 

14. Mini spinach pies 

Another mouthwatering pastry, these pies contain spinach, feta, and mushroom. You can make your own with puff pastry and a homemade cheese and veggie filling or buy frozen mini spinach pies. To make these stretch further, serve with a few bowls of Caesar salad or a crisp beetroot salad. 

15. Spaghetti bolognese

A few pots of bolognese can easily feed a large crowd. Buy your spaghetti on Instacart. A tip for when you’re making bolognese for a large crowd is that you can add lentils to it to make it go further. Serve it with marinated mushrooms and tomatoes or roasted broccoli garnished with garlic. 

16. Baguettes with toppings (bruschetta)

Baguettes are inexpensive and can go a long way. Buy as many as you think you’ll need, slice them, and make various toppings like cheese and tomato, diced chicken and mayonnaise salad, or mackerel and mayonnaise salad. 

17. Egg, cheese, and ham skewers

Boil some eggs, and layer them with diced cheese and deli ham on skewers. You can also add olives, grapes, sliced apple, and cucumber, and litchi slices to these skewers for a sweet and savory taste. Serve your skewers with a few bowls of coleslaw, which can also stretch far when catering to a big crowd. 

18. Chicken pot pie

Another affordable meal, buy a few packs of chicken breasts to dice for this pie and a few packs of puff pastry. When you make the chicken stew filling, add frozen mixed vegetables to make your mixture stretch future. This way, you won’t need to use that much chicken. 

19. Cheese straws

These tasty tidbits are the perfect appetizers. Get a few boxes of cheese straws and a few tubs of cheese dips like jalapeno, creamy chicken, or mozzarella and sundried tomato flavor. 

20. Macaroni and cheese

You can make a few dishes of macaroni and cheese and serve it from warming trays. You’ll want to purchase macaroni pasta, cheddar cheese, and the creamiest cheese sauce you can find. To make this even more tantalizing, add some bacon bits to your macaroni. 

Crowd-pleasing inexpensive party food 

Catering to a crowd of 100 can become expensive. However, there are certain food types you can opt for that won’t cost you a fortune. Because of its affordability, you’d be able to buy more and serve more guests. You can also cook an inexpensive variation of a specific meal or add something inexpensive to certain dishes to make them stretch further. Find what you need for your party of 100 on Instacart.

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Instacart is the leading grocery technology company in North America, partnering with more than 1000 national, regional and local retail banners to deliver from more than 75,000 stores across more than 13,000 cities in North America. To read more Instacart posts, you can browse the company blog or search by keyword using the search bar at the top of the page.