Are you thinking about throwing a New Year’s Eve party?  Are you struggling to create a memorable (but easy and affordable) menu?  Look no more.  We’ve got you covered.

Champagne

Yes, you need champagne, but it doesn’t have cost a fortune.  There are some affordable and tasty options out there.  You just need to know where to look. Here are our suggestions:

Walmart, Target, Aldi and Major Liquor Stores

This is where you’ll find the recognizable discount sparkling wine & champagne brands.
Of the affordable, under $10 bottles, our go-to sparkling wine is Cook’s.  Both the brut and the extra dry are great for midnight toasts and New Year’s Day mimosas.
Coming in at a very close second is Barefoot Bubbly.  Offering a wide variety of sparkling styles, this is where you’ll score points with all of your guests.
For a real discount, but tasty option, we recommend Aldi’s Burlwood Sparkling Brut.  At less than $5/bottle, this is where you get more bang for your buck, especially when your guest list is longer than you anticipated.
Even serious champagne and sparkling wine fans need a little fun, so our recommendation for something a bit different is Blanc de Bleu.  Yes, it is a blue champagne, flavored ever so slightly with blueberries. At less than $20/bottle, give it a try.  We love it!
For prosecco, our go-to is LaMarca.  It’s scores well with flavor, bubbles, and price…Crisp, light, and affordable, usually under $15/bottle.
Unfortunately, last on our list is Andre sparkling wines.  They just aren’t on the same level as others.  Most, even the brut, taste the same.  Yes, they’re affordable and there is a variety of styles, but the taste just isn’t on the same level as other discount brands.

Food

This is New Year’s Eve, not an afternoon football game.  Ditch the chips & dip and carry out pizza.  The food menu doesn’t have to be expensive to be memorable and fun.  You just have to know where to find some remarkable ingredients that will save you some money and a lot of time.

Meatballs

Yes, you can buy pre-made frozen meatballs and most will run you under $10/bag.  However, there’s a tastier option at many supermarkets…fresh made, uncooked meatballs.  Go to the meat department.  Most are on styrofoam plates with the ground beef.

Next, don’t just put these in the crock pot with a bottle of bbq sauce.  Let’s do something a bit craftier. Line a cookie sheet with foil, and bake the meatballs at 425 degrees for 15 minutes BEFORE putting them in the crock pot.  Then, create a sauce that your guests will love (and ask for the recipe). Some of our favorite meatball recipes are Southwestern Party Meatballs (see recipe below) using cranberry sauce, and for beer lovers,  Stout Braised Meatballs.

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Southwestern Party Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 bag frozen meatballs OR 1 recipe of homemade meatballs
• 1 can jellied cranberry sauce
• 1 bottle chili cocktail sauce (NOT canned chili)
• 1 tsp chipotle powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

1. Cook frozen meatballs according to package directions OR for fresh meatballs in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes.
2. Place meatballs in a crockpot.
3. Stir together remaining ingredients and pour over meatballs in the crockpot.
4. Cook on high for 2 hours.

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Easy Appetizers

We’ve gone through our archives looking for our favorite appetizer recipes that will both wow and save you some money (and time).

Sausage Stuffed Jalapeno Popper Wonton Cups

This recipe will take a bit longer to prep, but the end result is nothing short of phenomenal.  This has to be our most requested appetizer.  Seriously, who doesn’t love sausage, cream cheese, and jalapenos!?!?

Chipped Beef Cheese Ball

This may not be our recipe, but it is one of our favorites.  Dried beef, cream cheese, and scallions…what a combination!

Sweet Pickled Veggies

The recipe is specifically for green tomatoes, but as we’ve discovered, the pickling liquid is perfect for mushrooms, grape tomatoes, baby carrots, and squash.  The only difference is leaving the veggies either whole or cut into bite size chunks rather than slicing them on a mandolin.

Creamy Corn Salsa

Yes, it’s salsa, but it’s not your normal, everyday, jarred salsa.  This salsa could be a meal on its own.  As we’ve discovered, it’s also great on a hot dog! Again, this isn’t our own recipe.  A friend in Texas shared it with us years ago, and we just can’ have a party without it.