Low cost recipes to feed the crowds

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Low cost recipes to feed the crowds Money saving ideas for a great spread when you have friends and family over

Prices and quantities are estimated as you might get lucky with a supermarket special offer, or want to make your portions larger or smaller.


Don’t buy readymade
Making dishes yourself allows you to serve bigger platefuls for the same budget.

TRY Chicken enchiladas – makes 24 enchilada portions, £10.
Diced chicken breast (about 80p per 100g), vegetables and tomatoes slow cooked then rolled into soft tortillas.
RECIPE IN FULL

TRY ALSO Homemade pizza – makes 2 large pizzas, £3-4 (£5-6 if you use Parma ham).
RECIPE IN FULL

Plan big
Big pots of casserole and large bowls of pasta are less fiddly to prepare and allow you to be more vague with portion sizes.

TRY Sausage casserole – for 15 people, £5.
Make a gravy with fried onions and herbs and stock, then stew with the cooked pork chipolatas (about £3.50 for 30) and winter veg.
RECIPE IN FULL

TRY ALSO Pasta Napoli – for 20 people, £3.50.
RECIPE IN FULL

Selecting your meat
Minced beef or diced chicken are likely to be the most economic options (and easy to adapt with vegetarian mince).

TRY Chilli con carne – for 10-15 people, £8.
Use frozen lean minced beef (about £5/1kg), and the other simple ingredients: onion, garlic, chillies and spices, with tomatoes, beef stock and kidney beans.
RECIPE IN FULL

TRY ALSO Cottage pie – for 10 people, £7.
RECIPE IN FULL

Easy-serve dishes
If you won’t all be sitting at a table, serve hearty savoury finger food.

TRY Lamb meatballs – makes 30 meatballs, £8.
Roll lamb mince (about £5-6/kg), finely chopped garlic and onion into balls about the size of golf balls, and lightly fry for 10 minutes.
RECIPE IN FULL

TRY ALSO Mini beef Yorkshire puddings – makes 30 mini puddings, £5-6.
RECIPE IN FULL 

Savvy tip
Read our Eat Seasonally, Save Money article! For winter gatherings, serve up hearty root vegetables not salads. Avoid summery soft fruits, instead make apple crumble.


Pass it on – Economy Gastronomy tips
Check out advice and recipes from BBC2’s Economy Gastronomy team.