5 Tips for Hosting a Budget-Friendly Dinner Party

VN's signature Macaroni & Cheese 

The Topic: Fabulously inexpensive dinner-party tips with VegNews Associate Editor Jennifer Chen

The Dish: I love hosting friends and family for dinner. The best way to show off delicious vegan food is by cooking fantastic meals for the people I love, and it helps to answer the common question, "What does a vegan eat?" I recently hosted a dinner party for the VegNews staff and friends using only recipes from the magazine or VN.com (with one minor exception. More on that later).  In total, I hosted 15 people for dinner and spent approximately $70, which breaks down to $4.67 per person. (Full disclosure: I used a large bag of Daiya cheddar cheese we had at VNHQ so I didn't buy that.) Here are my five tips for hosting the ultimate vegan budget dinner party.

1. Resourceful Recipes

When cooking for a large group, search for crowd-pleasing meals like VN's signature Macaroni & Cheese, patatas bravas, or Marinated Kale Salad. Why? You can easily double or triple these recipes without having to buy expensive ingredients. The patatas bravas I made were mostly potatoes, tomato paste, cayenne, and some vegan mayo. While the macaroni and cheese might look expensive, I nixed the breadcrumbs on top and the main cheese sauce is potatoes, carrots, shallots, onions, cashews, and vegan margarine. Simple ingredients equals big savings.

2. Stress-Free Planning

I used to get super stressed when I had people over. I cut out the anxiety by simply planning out when I was going to cook what and writing down a schedule. I first made the desserts because they would last the longest in the refrigerator and freezer. The items that needed to be served hot, like the grilled cheese sandwiches and the sauce for the patatas bravas, my husband and I made a few hours before the actual dinner.

3. DIY Ice Cream

Making your own ice cream is easy. Yes, an ice cream maker is an upfront cost. I have a KitchenAid ice cream maker attachment that cost about $80, but just like a juicer, the investment is worth it. With your favorite non-dairy milk and some simple ingredients, you can make a quart of vegan ice cream that will taste just as great as any frozen pre-made pint. 

4. BYOB 

Ask your guests to bring the booze. After all, you're doing all the cooking. Plus, they can bring what they want to drink. Without having to buy alcohol, beer, or non-alcoholic drinks, you can keep your dinner-party costs down.

5. Use what you have. 

Pull out all of your plates, silverware, glasses, and serving dishes. Who cares if it all matches? Everyone is looking at the food anyway. You save money by not buying paper plates and cups, while also keeping your party eco-friendly. I used to think it was easier to buy biodegradable plates than to handle all the dishwashing, but after attending a brunch party where the hostess had everything laid out down to silverware and cloth napkins, I decided to go the same route.

The Complete Menu

Appetizers

Pumpkin Cheddar Biscuits (September+October 2011)

Marinated Kale Salad with baked tofu and avocado 

Grilled Cheese on sourdough (my husband's top-secret recipe)

Entreés

Beer-Battered Tempeh "Fish" with Tangy Tartar Sauce 

(March+April 2011)

VN's signature Macaroni & Cheese 

Patatas Bravas (November+December 2009)

Desserts

Coconut Cream Pie (May+June 2011)

Hot Chocolate Ice Cream (July+August 2011)

Pumpkin Spice Frozen Yogurt 

The Final Word: With careful planning and a budget, dinner parties are a great way to entertain and subtly educate those you love about the food you love. Yes, veganism isn't only about the food, but with a kickass menu you can show those who think a cruelty-free diet means eating only hummus and pita that the world is our soy-oyster when it comes to awesome eats.

Cheap Eats: Banana "Frozen Yogurt"

The Topic: Quite possibly the cheapest, easiest dessert out there by VN Editorial Assistant Anna Peraino

The Dish: Summer is right around the corner, and that means many things: sun, sand, cookouts, watermelon-eating contests, sweating your face off walking to the mailbox, and of course, ice cream. One of the season's most beloved treats can also take a hefty crack at your wallet, with a teeny weeny carton of Coconut Bliss putting you back about $5. Seriously, I can take one of those down in 4.28 minutes. It's science. So how can a savvy vegan enjoy a cold, delicious ice-creamy treat this summer? I have one word for you: bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S.

Now that I've officially annoyed you by getting a Gwen Stefani song stuck in your head, let me get back into your good graces by telling you about this wonderful dessert. Did you know that by blending frozen bananas at a high speed you can make a soft, dreamy frozen yogurt-like dessert? No joke! All you need for this recipe is bananas, a food processor, and some fun mix-ins if you feel so inclined (I listed some of my favorites below). Plus, with bananas being one of the cheapest fruits out there (hello, one dime per fruit!), this dessert will keep that wallet of yours in very good shape. Not to mention it's swimsuit-friendly, since you're skipping out on all the fat and sugar found in traditional (albeit supremely delicious) ice cream.

Banana "Frozen Yogurt"

Serves 2 (or 1, if you're me)

What You Need:
2 or 3 bananas

What You Do:

1. Freeze bananas.
2. In a food processor, throw in frozen bananas and process for about 5 minutes, stopping periodically to scrape sides down. Once your bananas have a fluffy, frozen yogurt-like consistency, you're done!
3. Optional: While your bananas are transforming, throw in some peanut butter, chopped walnuts, cacao nibs, or rum. Or all of them. Or something else. Anything goes!
4. Enjoy your delicious, cheap, and healthy dessert! (Well, healthy unless you added all the mix-ins.)

The Final Word: Summer is a time for splashing and sunning, not for worrying about your bank account. Whip up this frozen treat next time you're jonesing for a dish of something cold and sugary but don't have the cash for the real dairy-free deal (which, if you're a normal person, is every day). Enjoy!