7 Budget-Friendly Ways to Feed a Crowd During the Holidays

Feeding a crowd doesn’t have to mean emptying your bank account or spending three days in the kitchen. The trick is picking meals and setups that stretch ingredients, don’t rely on expensive cuts of meat, and let people serve themselves. Nobody is expecting a five-star restaurant—they just want to be full and comfortable.

Here are easy ways to feed a lot of people without wincing at the total.

Build-your-own bars instead of plated meals

Taco bars, baked potato bars, and chili bars are your best friends. One big pot of meat or chili, a pile of cheap bases (rice, potatoes, tortillas), and a handful of toppings can feed a ton of people.

People like being able to customize their plate, and you’re not stuck guessing who eats what. It also stretches more expensive items like cheese and meat because they’re mixed with beans, potatoes, and rice.

Choose one main protein and stick with it

Trying to offer turkey, ham, and a roast for the same meal gets expensive fast. Pick one main and do it well. Then fill the table with cheaper sides: roasted vegetables, rolls, big salads, and casseroles built around potatoes, rice, or pasta.

Most guests aren’t keeping score of how many different meats you served. They’re thinking about whether they left the table full and happy. One solid main can absolutely do that.

Lean on casseroles and sheet pan meals

Casseroles and sheet pan dinners are crowd-pleasing for a reason: they stretch ingredients and feed a lot of people from one dish. Think baked ziti, chicken and rice, enchiladas, sheet pan sausage and vegetables, or roasted chicken thighs and potatoes.

They also make serving easier. You’re not carving a hundred individual pieces. People scoop what they want, and you can see at a glance when you need to slide a second pan into the oven.

Ask guests to bring one simple dish

Most people are happy to contribute if you give them a clear direction. Ask for very specific things: “Can you bring a side?” becomes “Can you bring a salad or a veggie side?” “Can you handle dessert?” becomes “Can you bring brownies or cookies?”

You’re still hosting, but you’re not paying for or cooking every single bite. It takes pressure off your budget and your time without turning the whole thing into a potluck free-for-all.

Use bread and rolls strategically

Bread is one of the cheapest ways to help a crowd feel full. A basket of warm rolls, cornbread, or sliced baguette on the table makes a big difference. Serve it with butter or a flavored spread, and nobody will think twice about your menu being “simple.”

It’s not about stuffing people with bread alone—it’s about rounding out plates so they don’t feel skimpy. Even a basic soup-and-bread situation feels special if it’s warm and served in a relaxed way.

Serve one “wow” item and keep the rest simple

If you want something that feels special, pick one thing to be the star—maybe a pretty dessert, a nice roast, or a charcuterie-style appetizer board. Then let everything else be basic and budget-friendly.

People remember the star and how they felt being there, not that one of your sides was from a mix or a bag. Giving yourself permission to simplify the rest can cut your grocery bill in half.

Don’t be afraid of big batch soups and chilies

A giant pot of soup or chili with toppings—cheese, green onions, sour cream, chips, bread—goes a long way. It’s warm, filling, and easy to keep on low while people serve themselves in waves.

Use cheaper cuts of meat or rely heavily on beans and vegetables. Nobody is picking through a bowl of chili calculating cost. They’re happy to have something hot that tastes good after a long day of running around.