Budgeting a dinner party: cost per head and where to save
A dinner party does not need a big budget, but it does need a number. Without one, the shopping cart grows quietly and the host ends up sighing at the receipt. A little planning keeps the evening generous without the stress.
Set a cost per head
Start with the total you are comfortable spending, and divide by the number of guests (include yourself). For example, if you want to keep it to $120 and you are hosting eight, that is $15 a head. That number should cover food and drinks, but also napkins, candles and anything else you need to buy.
Choose your number honestly. Many hosts find it useful to set a range: a low target and a stretch limit.
Where the money goes
A rough way to think about it is three buckets.
- Main dish: about 40 to 50 percent
- Starter, sides and dessert: about 30 to 35 percent
- Drinks and extras: about 15 to 25 percent
This is only a guide, not a rule. If drinks are mostly water and one bottle of wine per two guests, the main can take a bigger share.
Smart choices on the main
The main course is the biggest cost, and the easiest place to save without anyone noticing.
- Choose slow-cooked cuts. Chicken thighs, pork shoulder, beef chuck or short ribs cost less per kilo than steaks or tenderloin and taste richer when braised.
- Whole chicken is cheaper than pieces. Roast two for a table of eight. Use the carcass for stock.
- Fish: frozen fillets and in-season local fish are often kinder to the budget.
- Vegetarian mains such as baked pasta, a big lentil stew or a vegetable tart can be both generous and cheap. Add good cheese and herbs.
- Plan portions. A rough guide is 150 to 200 g of meat per person if there are sides, and 100 g of dried pasta or 70 g of dry rice per person.
Where to save
- Buy in season. Squash and root vegetables in autumn, tomatoes and corn in summer, citrus in winter. Seasonal produce tastes better and costs less.
- Make rather than buy. Dips, dressings, bread and desserts cost much less made at home than store-bought.
- Use what is in the pantry. Rice, beans, canned tomatoes, pasta and spices stretch a menu.
- Shop sales and flyers two days before and choose the main from what is cheap.
- Go to a market or discount grocer for herbs, onions, carrots and potatoes.
- Skip the premium extras like smoked salmon canapes. One good starter beats five mediocre ones.
- Ask guests to contribute. A bottle, a dessert or a salad is an easy ask and usually welcome. Say so on the invitation.
- Drinks: pick one wine, one beer or one cocktail, plus water and a non-alcoholic option, rather than a full bar. A pitcher of something punchy goes a long way.
Where to spend
Money goes further when you put it where guests taste and notice.
- Good bread and decent olive oil
- Fresh herbs for the finish
- One really good cheese instead of three average ones
- A proper dessert, since it is the last thing guests remember
- Candles and a clean table. Cheap, and they change the whole feel of the room.
A sample menu for eight at about $15 a head
- Starter: a warm lentil and carrot soup with crusty bread
- Main: braised chicken thighs with tomatoes and olives, roast potatoes
- Salad: shredded cabbage and apple with lemon dressing
- Dessert: baked apples with cinnamon, a scoop of ice cream
- Drinks: two bottles of wine, sparkling water, ginger tea
Prices vary by city and season, so total your own list at the store before you commit.
What can go wrong
- Last-minute extras. Leave a small buffer, around 10 percent, for the thing you forget.
- Waste. Keep the portions realistic, and plan for leftovers: freeze the soup, turn the chicken into sandwiches.
- Allergies and dietary needs. Ask early so you do not have to buy something separate at the last moment.
- Overbuying drinks. Unopened bottles can often be kept for next time.
For more ideas on hosting well, see our dinner parties section.
A table full of friends does not check receipts. Spend your effort on warmth, and let the budget quietly do its job.