Budget Kitchen Shower Food!!

Re: Budget Kitchen Shower Food!!

• FayeValentine69

  

  March 2011 edited December 2011

  Wow, so you want guests to buy ALL the stuff needed?  A) that would be one heck of a shower gift per person and your bride is going to end up with a whole lot of spatulas and baking pans of the same size.  What about suggesting they buy ONE thing needed to make it.  That way, some people can choose to buy a special pan, or do something smaller if they like, or even include special spices that might be hard to find but needed for the dish?
  
  
  As for your question, I don't think you're going to be able to spend literally $20 or $30 and have enough snacks for 15 people.  A cake alone will eat up at least half of that budget.  You could, however, just do cake and punch/coffee and get away pretty cheap.  Just make sure it's not scheduled near a meal time.
  

  

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• frogurt814

  

  March 2011 edited December 2011

  I think it could be fun for guests to bring recipe cards, but I don't get asking them to buy everything needed to make that recipe.  Like Faye said, what if multiple people have cookie recipes?  The bride will end up with numerous cookie sheets, mixing bowls, mixers, etc. 
  
  Really, I think you should do the recipe cards and just have a regular shower where people bring whatever gift they want to bring.
  

  

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• FayeValentine69

  

  March 2011 edited December 2011

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_pre-wedding-parties_budget-kitchen-shower-food?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:32Discussion:aa3fa888-f3dd-48c8-826f-c8270294d76fPost:17eb3cff-56fc-4ce6-9e0f-eea5faf62f13">Re: Budget Kitchen Shower Food!!</a>:
  [QUOTE]I think it could be fun for guests to bring recipe cards, but I don't get asking them to buy everything needed to make that recipe.  Like Faye said, what if multiple people have cookie recipes?  The bride will end up with numerous cookie sheets, mixing bowls, mixers, etc.  <strong>Really, I think you should do the recipe cards and just have a regular shower where people bring whatever gift they want to bring.</strong>
  Posted by frogurt814[/QUOTE]
  
  
  I think that's an awesome suggestion.  I always hate when the host dictates the type of gift I'm supposed to bring.  I don't cook, so I would be grumpy about having to buy kitchen stuff that I don't use or know anything about, especially since I normally enjoy gift shopping for others SO much.

  

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• sister2groom

  

  March 2011 edited December 2011

  Yeah I would be annoyed at having so much dictated to me, ESPECIALLY if the food isn't fantastic. It's fine have inexpensive food (I would do baked goods plus tea, cheese and crackers, for that price range), but not if you want them to bring a mixer, and a bowl and a spatula and a cookie sheet (not that I think you should require/suggest a specific gift at even the most lavish shower).

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• lexa10 member

  

  March 2011 edited December 2011

  I understand your points, but since there are only a few guests, I don't think that she will get a ton of one thing. I know some of the guests enough to know that they will not buy everything the recipe calls for. She and fiance just moved into an apartment in January and so, she really doesn't have anything. Whatever she gets will be more than she has now.
  
  Thanks for your thoughts though!!
  

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• frogurt814

  

  March 2011 edited December 2011

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_pre-wedding-parties_budget-kitchen-shower-food?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:32Discussion:aa3fa888-f3dd-48c8-826f-c8270294d76fPost:e44a4cfd-cfa6-415f-8d4d-770ae108f864">Re: Budget Kitchen Shower Food!!</a>:
  [QUOTE]I understand your points, but since there are only a few guests, I don't think that she will get a ton of one thing. I know some of the guests enough to know that they will not buy everything the recipe calls for. She and fiance just moved into an apartment in January and so, she really doesn't have anything. Whatever she gets will be more than she has now. Thanks for your thoughts though!!
  Posted by lexa10[/QUOTE]
  If you don't want/expect people to buy everything needed for the recipe, like you previously stated, then why bother throwing a shower where you request everyone bring all of the necessary items for that recipe? Really?
  
  Lots of couples have just moved in together/will be moving in together after the wedding and need things for their new home.  They have regular showers where guests bring whatever they see fit.  Do they not need towels? Sheets? Plates? Utensils?  Why throw a shower so specific?
  
  *edited for spelling

  

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• jessicabessica member

  

  March 2011 edited December 2011

  I agree with PPs about the shower theme.  Guests are asked to bring a recipe to my shower, and then if they get a gift, that's up to them, but my aunt included a link to our wedding website with registry info, not a request for random cooking utensils (and I don't know if there's any other theme stuff...my shower hasn't happened yet).  Does the bride have a registry?  It seems like that's the best way to help her get what she needs without duplicates and to give people a range of prices for gifts. 
  
  As for the food, to keep it cheap, you should plan to do the cooking yourself.  You could make a cake or cupcakes--if you did cupcakes, you could decorate them in her wedding colors. For red and black, I thought of red and black licorice right away.  Fruit and cheese platters or cut up veggies are popular and not too pricey, especially if you cut everything up yourself and make a couple of dips.  If you're not planning to provide a full meal (which might be hard with your budget), don't throw the shower at a meal time. 
  

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• specialk84

  

  March 2011 edited December 2011

  You can bake a cake or cupcakes yourself.  Cheese and crackers are always nice.  So are fruit and veggie trays.  They're cheap if you cut them up yourself.  You can make your own dips.  Just don't plan it at a meal time.

  
  

  I don't see why the food has to be in her wedding colors.  I've never seen that done before.  Then again, there was some post yesterday about using the wedding colors to decorate for the shower, and I didn't get that either.

  
  

  As for the theme idea, I like the recipe card portion of it, and that's it.  I would not want to be told what to buy.  If I want to buy towels, I'll buy towels.

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• RebeccaB88 member

  

  March 2011 edited December 2011

  It sounds like she needs everything, so I'd just have a household shower and let guests buy off her registry.  Sheets and towels are just as important as baking pans and appliances, you know.  I do like the recipe idea, though. 
  
  For refreshments, if you have the shower in the midafternoon, all you really need is cake and punch,tea, or coffee. 

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• MrsRiveraToBe

  

  March 2011 edited December 2011

  First, it's super sweet of you to do a shower for her, and she'll appreciate whatever route you take.  Even still, I agree with most on this one.  The theme is a good idea.  However, it's my experience that most themed showers (stock the bar/entertaining, spice it up/lingere, up and away/honeymoon) are planned either when more than one shower is planned or when the bride and host discuss what the bride and groom really want/need for their future.
  
  I would say stay away from a strict theme for her shower since they just moved in together, and it sounds like they are starting from scratch.  My fiance and I have actually lived together for 4 years, but we are still living off our college collections (pathetic I know).  We haven't invested in quality kitchen/housewares because we wanted to wait until we were married and done moving for school.  I'd say, allow the couple's registry to dictate what people bring.
  
  However, don't ditch your recipe idea - it's great!  At my first shower (back home), 2 ladies wrote their favorite 10 easy dinner, dessert, and entertaining recipes each and put them in a recipe box.  Now, my friend is using the extra cards to send out with the invitations to my local/work shower.  Since I'm super busy and terrible at cooking, quick recipes that others have perfected are just what I needed.
  
  As for cheap/easy food... try two packs of lil smokies, cut one package of bacon in half and wrap smokies.  Hold together with toothpick.  Put on baking sheet and sprinkle with brown sugar.  Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 then keep warm in crock pot.  Fresh fruit with dip is always a winner (and normally cheaper when you prepare yourself).
  
  Good luck!
  

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• kristenrmu22 member

  

  April 2011 edited December 2011

  As MrsRiveratobe stated...it is very sweet of you to plan a shower for your friend. I, also, thing the recipe idea is fantastic! I do disagree with the bring what tools are needed to make the dish like most here because she may end up with 12 cookie sheets instead of 2 cookie sheets and towels, etc. There has been enough said on that topic so here are some ideas for cheap food. 
  
  Self made Cake/Cupcakes

  Serbert Ginger Ale Punch is fantastic...I am hoping for that at my shower lol (you can get cut plastic cups and paper table clothes at party city or papermart)

  A few Cheese Balls they look fantsy but are easy to make and prep prior, add crackers

  Finger Sandwiches- think chicken salad, tuna salad, or cucmber ones

  
  

   Maybe add on or two more items but really with 12-15 ppl and doing it on and off time like 3pm (put cake and light appies on invite even) you should be good with these. 

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