Why not tell your friends that you will supply the meat, but ask everyone else to bring a side or dessert. That should take care of your budget and you could probably add burgers also. Check out big box stores like Costco, Sam's Club or BJs to save money on your burger, hot dogs and buns and the chicken. You will also save by buying your paper goods there. If you don't belong to one of those Big Box Store clubs, it might be worth joining.

I like your ideas of Hot Dogs and Chicken legs/thighs for the meats. Having plenty of bowls of condiments available for the hot dogs (e.g. ketchup, mustard, relish, grated onion) will also help give the illusion of it being as big a spread as ever.

For the sides, baked beans, cucumber salad and potato salad will probably be your cheapest. Tossed salad can get surprisingly expensive, unless you keep it to only 2-3 ingredients (e.g. lettuce, cukes and tomatoes). If you offer a couple of different dressings on the side (e.g. ranch and a vinagrette, preferably homemade) in bowls/boats with ladles, it also helps give the illusion of a larger spread than it may be. Baby carrots and dip would serve nicely as both an appetizer and a side, as well as give some welcome colour to the spread.

In addition to cookies, other inexpensive desserts are Texas sheet cakes and eclair cakes, and they are all crowd pleasers. Eclair cakes can be made either with graham crackers or with an easy cream puff base. You'll find many such recipes online.

Here is our favourite sheet cake recipe, which never fails to make a hit at gatherings:

The Absolute Best Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip Texas Sheet Cake

By Kittencalskitchen

http://www.food.com/recipe/the-absolute-...

Good luck with your party!

Do you make this yourself or buy it pre made. Making it may take it bit more time but will be much more appreciated and will cost less.

Do chicken, there is a great brine out there that is cider vinegar, garlic powder, egg whites and... Give it great flavor.

Brats, buns or no buns it is your choice.

Coleslaw and baked beans.

Water melon

Chips and dip

Brownies

Sugar cookies

I know not everything is on your list, but htis would make a good spread.

Depends on how much prep you are willing to do yourself, from your list if you are willing to make your own from scratch I would go for

Potato salad,

pasta salad

carrots and dip

Coleslaw

You can make your budget go further by for example buying mince and making your own burgers with some of it- add breadcrumbs and diced onion to make your meat go further http://101things.wordpress.com/2007/05/2... make chlli bulked up with mixed beans.

You can make chicken go further by stripping the meat of the bone and doing chicken fried rice, chicken fried noodles or chicken stir fry with vegetables etc.

Jacket potatoes.

well the best thing is do go to piggl;y wiggly and also and sams they have cheaper food never been sams

peassalad

I am having a party of about 16 people. I usually have a LARGE spread and am known for it so this year I want to cut back on the cost without others noticing. So to do this I need to make several dishes at a lower cost. So far these are the ideas I have though of choosing from. I need at least 2 desserts, 2 meats and 3-4 sides with chips on the side.

Cole slaw

Potato salad

Baked beans

Cucumber salad

Pasta salad

Hot dogs

Chicken legs/thighs

Grilled squash and zucchini

Salad

Carrots and dip

Chips and popcorn

Banana pudding

Sugar cookies

Ginger cookies

Chocolate chip cookies (Maybe a cookie tray)

Please help me figure out the least expensive meal I can.