Cheap Christmas Party Finger Food Ideas on a Budget!

Okay, so Christmas party finger food, right? Let me tell you, I’ve been there, done that, and learned a few things along the way. Last year, I volunteered to handle the finger foods for our office Christmas bash, and it was… an experience. Not bad, just… a lot.

First off, I started by Googling “easy Christmas party finger foods.” Obvious, I know, but you gotta start somewhere! I saw a bunch of stuff – mini quiches, Caprese skewers, spinach artichoke dip – looked fancy, but honestly, I was aiming for crowd-pleasing and relatively low-effort. I’m no chef, you know?

I decided to keep it simple. Meatballs were a must. Everyone loves meatballs. I bought a big bag of frozen meatballs (don’t judge!), heated them up in a crockpot with some BBQ sauce and grape jelly. Yeah, grape jelly. Trust me on this one. It’s a sweet and savory thing. Just dump it all in and let it simmer. Easiest thing ever.

Next up: pigs in a blanket. Classic. Again, store-bought mini sausages wrapped in crescent roll dough. I did try to make my own dough once. Never again. These are so much simpler and quicker to make. Just unroll, wrap, bake until golden. Done.

Chips and dips were a no-brainer. I grabbed a couple of different kinds of chips – tortilla, potato – and some salsa, guacamole (store-bought again, time is money!), and a French onion dip. Put them in bowls with spoons. People love to scoop.

I wanted something a little healthier, so I chopped up some veggies – carrots, celery, cucumber – and put them out with some ranch dressing. Honestly, the veggies were the last to go, but some people appreciated them being there. At least I felt like I offered something remotely healthy.

Oh, and deviled eggs! I always forget about deviled eggs. Boiled a dozen eggs, peeled ’em (that’s the worst part, seriously), cut ’em in half, scooped out the yolks, mixed ’em with mayo, mustard, a little bit of paprika, and then spooned it all back in. I felt fancy sprinkling extra paprika on top. They were gone in minutes. Should have made more.

The biggest lesson I learned was portion control. I underestimated how much food people would eat! Next time, I’m definitely doubling or even tripling the recipes. Also, presentation matters. Even if it’s just chips and dip, putting them in nice bowls and arranging them nicely makes a difference.

Here’s a quick rundown:

• Meatballs: Frozen meatballs, BBQ sauce, grape jelly, crockpot.
• Pigs in a blanket: Mini sausages, crescent roll dough, oven.
• Chips & Dips: Tortilla chips, potato chips, salsa, guacamole, French onion dip.
• Veggies & Dip: Carrots, celery, cucumber, ranch dressing.
• Deviled Eggs: Eggs, mayo, mustard, paprika.

It wasn’t Michelin star stuff, but everyone seemed to enjoy it. Plus, it kept me from losing my mind trying to create something super elaborate. Good luck with your Christmas party!