How to Host Brunch on a Budget: A Complete Guide

How to Host Brunch on a Budget: A Complete Guide

When planning a day with friends, going out for brunch may seem like the perfect idea. However, with social distancing in strong effect, the long line, service times and high prices can make you think otherwise. Together, all these factors may leave you and your friends feeling a bit more stressed than when you left the house. In the interest of saving time and money, hosting a small brunch get-together at home might be the perfect option. While hosting a brunch doesn't always come cheap, there are several different ways that you can put together an award-winning event without breaking the bank. Cheap brunch meals, fruit-infused waters and DIY cocktails are just a few of the many ways you can host a successful brunch without dipping into your savings account. Continue reading to discover a few of our favorite ways to host brunch on a budget.

Cook Egg-Based Meals

For many, eggs are a staple when it comes to brunch food. And thankfully, they're pretty affordable too! What we love most about eggs is that they can be worked into several different dishes. Hard boil eggs for a quick snack, serve them as an omelet, work them into your favorite waffle recipe, or enjoy them poached on top of a fresh greens salad. Check out these delicious egg-based meals to serve at your upcoming brunch:

Whole Wheat Baked Egg Tarts

How to Host Brunch on a Budget: A Complete Guide | Bob's Red Mill Blog A savory brunch item made with whole wheat flour crust, these Whole Wheat Baked Egg Tarts are the perfect addition to your table. Plus, because they're made in individual-sized portions, they'll make each of your guests feel special.

Gluten Free Chorizo Egg and Sausage Breakfast Biscuits

Gluten free and oh-so-delicious, these Chorizo Egg and Sausage Breakfast Biscuits are the perfect brunch food to whip up for your next gathering. To save time on the big day, you can make them in advance. Whip up a batch of biscuits a day or two before your brunch, freeze them and heat them the morning of!

Enforce BYO-Something

Whether you choose to serve cocktails at your party, or need help putting the dessert table together, ask your guests for help! Just because your hosting doesn't mean that you have to be responsible for everything. Turning your bunch into a potluck-like gathering is a great way to get everyone involved and relieve yourself of some of the work. After all, planning a brunch is not easy, and you deserve some help! Searching for a dish that you can bring with you when you see your friends next? Try out these Thanksgiving Stuffing Muffins. The perfect way to ring in the fall festivities; these muffins are full of seasonal ingredients and fresh herbs that will leave your mouth watering.

Fill the Space

When it comes to throwing a successful brunch on a budget, the trick is to make it look like you don't have a budget at all. When putting together your brunch space, create a setting of abundance. Whether that means a full table, lots of food or many decorations, forming a flawless and lively area will ensure that everyone feels welcome and comfortable.

Serve Sweet and Savory Options

Everyone's taste buds are different. While some individuals might enjoy a savory brunch dish, others may be craving sweets. Make sure you satisfy everyone's cravings by providing both sweet and savory options to choose from. Having trouble deciding what to serve? Here are two of our favorites that cover both ends of the spectrum.

The Sweet: French Toast

How to Host Brunch on a Budget: A Complete Guide | Bob's Red Mill Blog French toast is a delicious and easy brunch recipe that can be made with minimal ingredients. The two main ingredients in French toast are eggs and bread, both of which are easy on the budget. Depending on how you like your French toast, you can choose to keep it simple or add spices like cinnamon, vanilla or even a pumpkin spice blend. Here's a delicious Gluten Free French Bread recipe that you can use as a tasty french toast base.

The Savory: Omelets

If you're looking to go a more savory route, then we'd suggest making an omelet. Omelets are a great way to ensure that your ingredients go a long way. Simply fill your omelet with fresh vegetables or tasty leftovers like cheese and potato, and viola! You've created a dish that will surely feed a small group of friends. For the perfect egg-free omelet recipe, make this Chickpea Flour Omelette with Chipotle Grilled Tomato. Nutritional yeast and chickpea flour are used in this recipe to mimic the same eggy flavor you are used to without the animal products. Vegan and great for you, it's a dish that your guests are sure to enjoy.

Spice up the Water

When hosting a brunch, you'll want your beverages to look just as great as your meals. While you may not have the budget to offer everyone a fresh, homemade smoothie, you'll likely be able to ensure that everyone has cold water to enjoy. For a fancy spin on iced water, add your water to a large pitcher and infuse it with a combination of fresh fruits like strawberries, lime and lemon. Combine it with a bit of mint, and you'll have created a beautiful and great tasting drink that your guests will love.

Serve Regular Coffee

How to Host Brunch on a Budget: A Complete Guide | Bob's Red Mill Blog While your guests will surely sip on the infused water you've provided, they'll likely crave coffee as well. Because brunch is held early on in the day, it is also the time when individuals crave the most caffeine. When it comes to coffee, keep it simple. We wouldn't worry trying to serve the fancy stuff like whipped lattes. Instead, offer your guests regular coffee with a bit of cream and sugar. They'll be grateful for the caffeine, and you'll save a lot of money.

Make Cocktails Ahead of Time

Planning to have alcohol at your brunch? While a self-serve station might seem like less work, it also means an open bar. Instead of worrying about how much alcohol vs. juice you'll need, mix up a few pitchers of mimosas before your guests arrive. This way, you have control over how much alcohol is used and won't have to stress about running out later on.

Keep the Personalized Decorations to a Minimum

When preparing for your brunch on a budget, we're certain that you've spent some time searching the internet for personalized decoration ideas, place settings and flower arrangements. While this kind of decor might be a great touch, it's not necessary. Your brunch table will likely be full of food, drinks and soon, people! Instead of worrying about what to fill the space with, focus on making sure you have enough room for your guests. While a table stacked with flowers might look nice at first glance, it can be hard to work around, especially when everyone is eating and trying to carry on a conversation while sitting across from each other.

Include the Staples: Pancakes and Waffles

How to Host Brunch on a Budget: A Complete Guide | Bob's Red Mill Blog When planning out your brunch menu, don't forget to include the staples, like pancakes and waffles. While these food items might cost a hefty penny at your favorite breakfast spot, they're much more affordable to make at home. ipe, make these Sourdough Pancakes. Or, if you're a fan of waffles, treat your guests to these Gluten Free Vegan Yeast Waffles.

Skip the Fancy Foods

As long as you've covered the basics, there's no need to include an array of fancy foods. Salmon, avocado, and caviar are all foods that you can omit from your brunch menu. Though they may be delicious, they are often quite expensive and can throw you off the budget rather quickly. Sticking with the basics will ensure that your guests enjoy a tasty and filling meal. They'll likely be having such a great time and conversation that they won't even notice these foods missing from the menu.

Portion Control

When purchasing the dining ware for your brunch party, opt for the smaller size plates and cups. Serving your brunch on small plates will prevent your guests from over drinking and from grabbing more food than they're likely to enjoy. Because they consume less, you won't need as much food and therefore won't spend as much money.

Choose the Tunes

To take your brunch up a notch, make sure you have some music. Mood-boosting, morning appropriate music will help set your gathering's mood and keep everyone in high spirits. It will also make you look like an extremely prepared host! Remember, hosting brunch doesn't have to be hard or expensive. By following these cheap brunch ideas and recipes, you can host an expensive-looking brunch on a budget that you and your wallet are comfortable with. From using eggs to your advantage to preparing cocktails ahead of time, there are countless ways you can ramp up your brunch game in a cost-effective manner. Know of a budget brunch idea that we didn't mention? We'd love to hear about it. Share how you stick to your budget while hosting brunch in the comments below.  
Bob's Red Mill
November 06 2020

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