How To Throw The Perfect Memorial Day Party On The Cheap

Nothing feels more like the arrival of summer than cooking seasonal, delicious food for a group of close friends and family. However, you don’t need to break the bank to host a great party, and you certainly don’t need access to a big yard or a fancy grill to throw an appropriate Memorial Day celebration. Some of the best BBQ-esque/holiday celebrations I’ve experienced were thrown together at the last minute, and for a very reasonable price. Your Memorial Day celebration could be a festive picnic arranged for a small group, or a full-on potluck style cookout in a nearby park with friends. However you choose to throw a Memorial Day party this year, we’ve got tips and recipes to help you plan a perfect afternoon celebration on the cheap.

如何举办完美的阵亡将士纪念日聚会

My favorite big batch to serve at a holiday cookout is by far a pitcher of Sangria (for a summer celebration, white is the way to go). But when hosting on a budget it’s prudent not to blow your budget on booze. My rule of thumb is that I like to offer guests one seasonally themed cocktail, which is then supplemented by a case of beer or a few bottles of wine that other guests may bring over.

Below are some of my favorite sangria recipes that you can make using relatively inexpensive wine, something to stretch the cocktail, like soda or seltzer, and a minimal amount of extras like a touch of liquor, some sugar, and a medley of whatever fruit is on sale that week at the grocery store. Be sure to slice apples, pears, lemons, oranges, etc., super thin to really fill up the container. As an alternative, you can buy frozen fruit which is usually cheaper and will keep the sangria extra cold as it ~marinates~ and soaks up the flavor of the fruit.

• 两种成分的白色桑格利亚汽酒
• Mint citrus white wine sangria
• Sparkling white wine peach sangria
  
• Citrus spritzer
• (If you’re feeling red)5 Ingredient Spanish sangria

Appetizers should be VERY simple and small which serve as little nibbles for guests to enjoy as everyone filters into the party. Consider making your own homemade pita and tortilla chips, which can be a cheaper & more delicious alternative to buying a bag of expensive brand name ones. However, make sure you set aside enough time to prepare them a day ahead or the morning of if you choose to make them at home.

• Simple homemade tortilla chips
• 简单的自制莎莎
• Homemade hummus
• Homemade pita chips
• Spicy citrus olives

对于客人来说，为阵亡将士纪念日聚会做出贡献是一件好事。请朋友带上诸如土豆和通心粉沙拉之类的经典菜肴。由于这些菜肴需要制冷，所以让客人把它们带到这里是一件很棒的事情，以便在冰箱中释放空间。使用新鲜的时令成分，这些成分易于准备，需要很少的成分。如果准备蔬菜，请简单地做，然后用一点盐，胡椒粉和橄榄油烤或烘烤。我喜欢在室温下提供我的大部分配菜，以便在客人到达时可以将物品从冰箱中拿出来。这样，我在冰箱里有任何酒精客人可能带来的空间，或者要供应水果的甜点。

• Grilled corn
• Simple summer salad
• Simple easy potato salad
• Lentil salad
• 烤土豆和洋葱
• Vegan macaroni salad
• 番茄沙拉和绿豆沙拉

Whenever I host cookouts, potlucks, barbecues, lunches, etc., I always make sure that I take care of the main dishes in their entirety. Since I’m used to entertaining with vegan and vegetarian friends, I’ll whip up black bean or veggie burgers for them to eat alongside the hearty vegetarian side dishes like potato salad and grain bowls. In my opinion, it’s usually a good idea to offer up two choices of meat, a poultry and a beef. Yes, meat is expensive and a good chunk of your budget will be spent on it, but if the rest of the table is laden with simple, vegetable heavy dishes, you can stretch your dollars further. I also like to keep main dishes simple and focus on key ingredients that make the dish flavorful. It’s important that I’m not spending all my time babysitting food that’s cooking. and that I’m still able to enjoy myself while entertaining. The recipes included below aren’t fussy and will take you no time to whip up.

• Easy turkey burgers
• 美味的鸡腿
• 简单的炉顶汉堡
• 7 ingredient easy veggie burgers
• Marinated grilled veggies

在深夜，您和您的客人应该有点嗡嗡作响，享受良好的交谈，并准备好整夜吃美味的食物，并有点甜美。我一直喜欢在夏季削减沙漠，通常我选择新鲜的水果，例如大片西瓜或水果沙拉。但是，水果沙拉的准备昂贵，因为他们可以要求多种季节性水果。代替传统的水果沙拉，抓住可以轻松切成薄片并放在托盘上的西瓜，作为简单的新鲜甜点。但是，如果您感到雄心勃勃，那么以下食谱会使用很少的食材，并花费很少的时间准备。

• 塞满草莓
• The simplest, flourless peanut butter cookies
• 简单的蓝莓酸
  
• 饼干冰淇淋三明治
• Baked peaches with whipped cream

您的阵亡将士纪念日庆祝活动应该放松和乐趣！不要过分超越您不需要的精美食品，并鼓励客人补充酒精，并带上菜肴和甜点。以下是一些其他资源，可用于节省托管资金以及与素食主义者/素食主义者一起烹饪的技巧。

• 5 Must-Know Tips For Vegan Party Planning.
• 10 Money Saving Ideas For A Summer Barbecue.
• Healthy Vegetarian Grilling Recipes And Tips.
• Vegan Barbecue Side Dishes

This post was originally published on May 23, 2015 and has since been updated.

Image viaUnsplash

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