Wedding catering costs somewhere between $1800 and $7000 on average with some people spending up to $13,000.

If you’re trying to throw a wedding reception, family gathering or special event and don’t want to spend that kind of money, there are many inexpensive meals for large groups that you can serve.

Are you hosting a family reunion, wedding, holiday get-together, or just a big family dinner? Stop stressing over how you’re going to feed everyone. Keep reading to learn how to create meals for large groups with ease.

Meals for Large Groups: Easy and Inexpensive

What are some easy group dinners that won’t break the bank? Let’s take a look.

1. Use Multiple Slow Cookers for a Soup Bar

Borrow slow cookers from friends or neighbors and make various types of soup. Set it up for self-serve to make things easier.

To keep costs down, make only one soup with meat, maybe chicken soup, and make vegetarian options, like broccoli and cheese and minestrone.

2. Fajita Bar

Put out tortillas, peppers, onions, mushrooms, chicken or beef, tomatoes, zucchini, etc. and allow your guests to put together their own fajitas. Have sides of rice and refried beans and voila, you have a meal.

Add guacamole, salsa, and chips to make it a party!

3. Mac and Cheese

This is one of the best dinner ideas for large groups. Who doesn’t love ooey, gooey macaroni and cheese?

You can make large trays to feed a crowd. Pasta is very inexpensive and makes a lot!

You can make it ahead of time and pop it in the oven at the time of the event.

4. Sliders

Buy small rolls in bulk packages. Put the bottom halves in a baking dish and top with your fillings. Place the top halves of the rolls on top to bake.

Some different slider options:

Ham and cheese
Chicken parmesan
Cheeseburgers

The cheese will melt in the oven and hold the sliders together.

5. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Get a couple (or more) pork tenderloins and cook them in the slow cooker with some barbeque sauce. Shred up the pork after it cooks for a few hours.

Serve with rolls, coleslaw, and a salad for a complete meal.

6. Baked Ziti

The Italian version of mac and cheese…also a crowd favorite! You can boil the ziti ahead of time and mix with the tomato sauce. Add meat if you desire.

When you are ready to cook it, sprinkle with lots of mozzarella and grated parmesan and pop it in the oven.

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