Introduction

There are many aspects to a successful baby shower, and good food is one of the important ones. All the arrangements of such a gathering cost a bit. Moreover, food prices are on the rise, and preparing for the baby to come is quite expensive on its own.Building an emergency fund can be a wise financial strategy to manage unexpected costs.

Various baby shower food ideas on a budget will make arranging the event much more economical.

Helpful Tips for Creating a Baby Shower Menu on a Budget

Before deciding on a budget-friendly menu, there are a few important things you should keep in mind.

Cook at Home

It may seem like a lot of work, but if the main goal is to cut down on your budget, making food at home will be helpful.

Finger Food Is Better

Finger foods are small portions of different dishes consisting of individual servings that can be eaten with your fingers. Serving full meals for a vast number of people becomes expensive. Finger foods can save money, time, and allow guests to move around and mingle while they eat.

Avoid Mealtimes

When throwing a baby shower, opt for a time in between meals when people would expect something light and consume smaller portions to save money.

Consider the Dietary Requirements of Guests

Including vegetarian and vegan options in the menu is wise. Also, pregnant women have dietary restrictions, so it’s essential to include things that everyone can eat safely. Certain vegetarian meals are also less expensive than conventional meat choices, so that’s something you might want to look at too.

Prepare Backup

It’s always a good idea to prepare some extra food as a backup in case the food on the table disappears too quickly. Having some extra fruit, chips, and dips might prove to be helpful in such a case.

Top Eight Baby Shower Food Ideas on a Budget

Many budget-friendly food ideas can be served at social events such as baby showers.

1. Fruit Kebabs

Fruit kebabs are bite-size pieces of fruit stacked on a wooden skewer. They are healthy, refreshing, colorful, and budget-friendly. The fruits can be cut up into various shapes using shape cutters to make it a little fancy. This idea is usually a hit among kids.

There are unlimited options for fruits that one can include. The popular fruits used include grapes, watermelons, tangerines, pineapples, raspberries, kiwis, strawberries, and blueberries. The amount needed will depend on how many guests are invited. So, for 10 guests, for example, 10 small pieces of each fruit type would be required.

2. Mini Tacos

Another one of the top baby shower food ideas on a budget includes mini tacos. They are also finger-food making them a convenient option to serve and eat. They can be served all prepared, or the guests can make their own, choosing the fillings they like from a mini taco bar. It’s a great way to impress your guests without going over budget.

You can choose the fillings that are most economical. The fillings could include meat, cucumbers, boiled corn, onions, tomatoes, cheese, roasted mushrooms, potatoes, lentils, and much more. Tacos can also be made sweet by filling them up with Nutella, whipped cream, and fruits.

3. French Toast

Having French toast at baby showers is highly economical. All one needs to make French toast is eggs, milk, bread, and cinnamon. It can be served with fruits, whipped cream, Nutella, and a bottle of store-bought maple syrup so that the guests can customize their French toast according to their preference.

4. Boiled Egg Sandwiches

Everything included in a boiled egg sandwich is inexpensive and readily available. Preparing them is also very easy and quick, making boiled egg sandwiches an excellent choice for a budget-friendly menu.

To make egg sandwiches, hard boil some eggs and chop them up. Add some mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and ground black pepper to the chopped eggs and mix well. Fill the mixture between two slices of bread and cut the sandwich up into two or four equal parts according to preference. A leaf of iceberg lettuce can be added to give them a little color.

5. Pasta Salad

If you want to include something a bit more filling, then a pasta salad would be a good budget-friendly choice. It is super easy to prepare. A pasta salad will also add color and freshness to the table. Moreover, it can be made a few hours earlier and kept in the fridge. Many people prefer it cold.

A variety of vegetables can be mixed in with boiled pasta. Meat can also be added; however, if you would like to keep it super inexpensive, then skipping meat would be the best option. The vegetables that can be added include bell peppers, potatoes, olives, red onions, parsley, and tomatoes. A simple Italian vinaigrette dressing can be used for flavor.

6. Chips and Dips

Adding chips and dips will help extend the menu while keeping things on budget. There are many kinds of chips available on the shelves at stores. They are inexpensive, tasty, and everyone likes them. They can be paired up with any dip of choice.

7. Waffle Sandwiches

Waffle sandwiches are another one of the baby shower food ideas on a budget that is popular among kids. They are a delight to eat and are super inexpensive. The waffle mix can be made at home, or it can be store-bought for more convenience. They are another food option that guests can play with according to their preferences. It can be eaten alone, with toppings such as fruit and syrups, or a waffle ice-cream sandwich.

To help avoid the fuss of making so many waffles, a waffle iron along with a prepared waffle mix can be left on the table for the guests to make their own waffles.

8. Cupcakes

Many baby showers have fancy cakes that cost a fortune. For a less expensive alternative, cupcakes can be baked at home. Cupcakes can be made to appear fancy by doing a little work on the frosting.

Cute-looking cupcake liners can be bought to add a little oomph to them at the table. Cupcakes can also be themed according to the gender of the baby to come. They can also be made a day before and kept in the fridge to take some stress off and save time on the actual day.

Conclusion

Having a baby is expensive; therefore, many parents-to-be prefer to save up as much as they can for that. Having budget-friendly food at baby showers is one way to save money. The suggested eight baby shower food ideas on a budget are easy to prepare and help parents save up while keeping their guests full and happy.