Need some Canada Day party ideas for July 1st without blowing the budget? It can be done, if you’re willing to put in just a little extra planning and preparation. The ingredients to a successful party typically include delicious (yet healthy) food, drink, and decorations.
We’ll delve into each of those categories to help you optimize your party budget.
Food
You’ve got a couple different options with how you approach the food that’s served at your get-together. If you choose to take care of all of the food yourself, you’ll want to consider more inexpensive (but still tasty!) options. In other words, lobster rolls probably shouldn’t be on the menu.
Traditional barbeque foods like hamburgers and hot dogs—even grilled marinated chicken—are probably going to be your best bets. Pair those with some homemade pasta salads and green salads for a perfect plate of summer food for everyone. Pro tip: scratch the pre-made salads from your list of Canada Day party ideas, as they’ll send you over budget in no time.
Another great option is to turn your party into a potluck so that your guests each bring a dish, reducing the amount of food you need to purchase for your soiree. Most people will be excited to contribute a dish, but make sure to give specific instructions. You don’t want to end up with four spinach dips or seven plates of chocolate chip cookies.
As the host, you should take care of the main dish, but the potluck format lets the guests provide the appetizers, sides, and desserts.
Drink
Drink expenses can be deceiving! It’s not uncommon to see the bar bill for a party exceed the food bill, so be extra careful with your spending in this category.
While your standard approach may be to hit the liquor store and buy bottles of several types of alcohol (plus wine and beer), we have better Canada Day party ideas to quench your thirst. Settle on a signature cocktail, or even an alcoholic punch that matches the theme of your celebration. Depending on the time of day, it could be a Caesar, a batch of sangria, or even something simple like rye and coke.
You can supplement with wine and beer, or, if you haven’t already asked guests to provide potluck items, maybe suggest they bring a favorite beer or wine to share with the group. And, remember, as host, it’s your job to remind everyone to drink responsibly!
Decorations (and supplies)
Decorations and party supplies represent another potential spending hazard. Unless you’re hosting large, monthly parties, you probably don’t need to have place settings for 30 people (or 40, or 50). You also probably don’t need to own warming trays.
Instead, reach out to your social circle in advance to see who might be able to lend you what you need. Be proactive! There’s a good chance you’ll be able to borrow most of what you need. When it comes to the party decorations, creativity should be your strategy. If you’ve got time on your hands, browse Pinterest for some fun and easy homemade decoration Canada Day ideas. If not, hit the dollar store and see how far you can stretch your budget on quirky Canada Day décor.
You’ll be amazed at how much money you can save with some advanced planning. Wishing you and yours a safe and happy Canada Day!