Mama's On A Budget

 

Budget Friendly Foods for your Cookouts This Summer

 

Summer cook-outs can be a lot of fun, but can usually cost you a lot of money. It doesn’t have to be this way. Here are some cheap ideas that will still help you throw a great party, and leave your guests impressed.  

 

In our family summer cook-outs are a big deal!  We love to spend time with one another and enjoy the family time.  We play sports, swim and cook-out!  We love all the yummy food that comes along with a summer cookout.  But, we don’t like the big expenses that usually come along with it!  Here are some ways to help you save on those cookouts.

 

Appetizers- Go big on your appetizers that are inexpensive, saving you from spending so much on meat. 

 

• Grilled Garlic bread- Garlic bread is a cheap filler item that goes fast at cookouts. 

 

• Chips and salsa- Have you ever watched parties eat chips and salsa at Hacienda? They usually have no room left for the actual meal.

 

Meats

• Buy in bulk– If you plan on getting hotdogs, brats, hamburgers, and steaks, go to a meat market that sells their meat in bulk. You will get more bang for your buck, while not having to buy so many smaller packages at a marked up price. 

 

• Ribs- Pork is the cheaper way to go, and everyone loves ribs that have been lavished with sweet barbecue sauce. If you jump on the racks of ribs when their on sale, you can feed 15-20 people for under $30-$40. 

 

• Sloppy Joes-You can feed a lot of people with a few cans of Sloppy Joes and a couple pounds of hamburger, while a cook-out is the perfect time for it.

 

Sides

• Baked Potato bar-A large bag of potatoes will cost you no more than $5, and feed many people. With butter, shredded cheese,bacon bits, and sour cream, this is the perfect side. 

 

• French Fries-Homemade french fries is easy, again, costing you no more than $5. 

 

• Pasta Salad- This is another cheap side dish that you can add veggies to add to it. 

 

• Corn- Going to the farmer’s market, you find corn for around 4 ears for $1. For only $5 you can feed 20 people. 

 

Other Dinner Options

Tacos

Kebabs

Grilled pizza

 

Desserts

• Cupcakes- Making cupcakes for a big group of people will cost you less than $3, if you get the cake mix and frosting on a sale. 

 

• Popsicles- A bag of freezies will cost you around $2.50, and the neighbor kids will love. 

 

• Fruit skewers-Putting fruit on a skewer looks great, while limiting how much fruit people pick up.  

 

• Watermelon-This is a cheap cook-out dessert that is great on a hot day. 

 

These are a number of ways to keep your cook-outs at a price you can afford. Did you find these ideas helpful? What are other food items that are inexpensive, that might not have made this list? 

 

 

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