50+ Cheap Recipes For a Baby Shower
Learn how to throw an epic baby shower – on a budget. Here are 50+ cheap recipes for a baby shower plus plenty of low-cost and creative ideas to throw a great party.
Updated 9/28/2023
Planning a baby shower is a lot of fun. But it’s easy to overspend when trying to create the perfect baby shower for your friend or relative.
Games, party favors, and most of all – food and drinks – can end up costing a lot of money.
Never fear.
Here are a few simple tips to keep your baby shower budget in check:
1: Share Food Costs
Have each of the party hosts bring a dish to share – or have everyone pitch in to keep the cost low.
2: Pick Cheap Recipes
Fun and creative baby shower foods don’t have to cost a lot of money. Choose budget-friendly foods that feed a crowd. Keep reading for some cheap recipe ideas for a baby shower.
3: Keep The Menu Short and Simple
The more food options you have, the more your menu will cost. Keep it simple. Choose one or two appetizers and a dessert, or one main course and a dessert.
Put all your time and effort into making two or three dishes stand out, instead of having a table full of options.
4: Consider a “Build-Your-Own” Menu
If each hostess brings a set number of toppings, a DIY food bar can be an especially budget-friendly baby shower menu. Consider a:
- Build-your-own taco in a bag
- Build-your-own nacho bar
- Mashed potato bar
- Baked potato bar
- Burger bar
- S’mores bar
- Ice cream sundae bar
- Build-your-own waffle bar
- Dessert charcuterie board
- European-style breakfast bar
5: Shop Around
If you’re serious about saving money, it’s worth it to shop around for the best deals.
ALDI generally has the cheapest groceries (Yes, really. I compared prices at 6 different grocery stores.) Dollar stores are great for picking up party supplies.
If you’re a pre-planner, start stocking up on supplies and non-perishables in the weeks leading up to the shower.
Cheap Recipes and Food Ideas For a Baby Shower
1: A DIY S’mores Bar
Guests will have a blast making their own s’mores when you lay out a platter of creative toppings. You don’t need a campfire to make s’mores. Just toast them over an open flame on a gas stove. ‘Learn how to make a s’mores platter.
2: Chocolate-Covered Strawberries Made In an Ice Cube Tray
These can be made ahead of time. Once you’re ready to serve, just twist the ice cube tray and pop the strawberry out. Easy as pie. Get the recipe here.
3: Cream Cheese Mints
These old-fashioned mints are extremely budget-friendly. Make a huge batch (100+ mints) for $3.50. Customize for a baby shower by using an appropriate mint mold.
Buy online or at a party supply store. Get the mint recipe here.
4: Cheap Appetizer Platters
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to assemble a great appetizer platter. Here are some budget-friendly ideas to consider:
- Appetizer platter for $10.00
- Cheese platter for $10.00
- Charcuterie board on a budget
- Vegetable platter on a budget
- Mezze platter on a budget
- 30-second appetizers
- DIY hummus bar
5: Make-Ahead Empanadas
Empanadas are super easy to make if you use store-bought empanada wrappers. You can use pretty much any kind of meat as a filling – or opt for a vegetarian option using cheese.
6: DIY Guacamole Bar
Most people love guacamole, but not everyone agrees on what to put in it. When you set up a DIY guacamole bar, every guest guest to pick and choose ingredients.
7: Mini Party Cupcakes
Just like the mini cupcakes you buy at the grocery store – except no weird chemical taste. Make them homemade instead!
8: Mini Pizza Bites
These two-bite pizzas cost less than 10 cents each. You can choose your own toppings.
9: Mini Party Cups
Fill decorative cupcake cups or other small snack cups with affordable candies or snacks. Check out the bulk section of the grocery store for ideas.
10: Seasonal Snack Ideas
Depending on when the baby shower is, consider some of these seasonal ideas:
These caramel apple bites are a great finger food option, especially for fall baby showers.
11: Homemade Sushi
Homemade sushi is so much cheaper than restaurant sushi and even supermarket sushi. And it’s not too difficult to make once you get the hang of it.
For a baby shower, you can prep the sushi rice the night before and assemble the rolls an hour or two before guests arrive. Here are a few homemade sushi recipes for beginners:
- Homemade California rolls (about $1.50 each)
- Homemade sushi with teriyaki chicken (about $1.40 each)
- Sushi burritos
#12: Tortilla Chips And Dip
Buy a few bags of tortilla chips, pour them in a large bowl, and serve with your favorite dip. Here are some recipes to try:
- Dill pickle queso (for those pregnancy cravings!)
- Slow cooker queso dip
- Slow cooker corn, bacon and jalapeno dip
- Slow cooker taco dip
- Slow cooker buffalo chicken dip
- Slow cooker spinach artichoke dip
- Cheesy pinto bean dip
More Cheap Food Options
Here are additional cheap recipes to round out this list of 50+ cheap recipes for a baby shower. Keep your menu short and simple, and consider some of these cheap options:
- Sandwiches
- Pasta salads
- Ham and cheese sliders
- Cuban sliders
- Deviled eggs
- Mexican tortilla roll-ups
- Potato skins with bacon and cheese
- Cheesy breakfast potatoes
- Soup or chili with fixings
- Pizza (there’s no shame in ordering delivery, especially for more informal baby showers)
- Fruit skewers (grapes, melon, strawberries and pineapple are low-cost options)
- Sliced apples with homemade caramel sauce
- Brown butter Rice Krispie treats
Don’t forget the mocktail for the mom-to-be! Check out these healthy pregnancy mocktails that everyone will enjoy.
Great list Haley! I’m throwing a baby shower in October for a friend so this is perfect timing!
Awesome! I hope you find this helpful.
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