Planning a tea party but the piggy bank is empty? Never fear, dearies! It is easy to think of tea parties as being extravagent and costly, but with a little bit of planning, you can host a tea party for 8 people for less than 20 dollars!
First, the shopping list:
From the Market
Sugar 1.75 cups
Butter 3 sticks
Eggs 15 eggs
Bread 1 loaf white bread
1 package chocolate chips
1 package cream cheese
2 cucumbers
From Your Pantry
Vanilla extract
Dried dill weed
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Strawberry Jam
Tea
The Menu
Scones
We love these “Simply Delicious Scones” from FirstHomeLoveLife.com. For $4.82, you can make enough scones to serve 8 guests. Add a small jar of strawberry jam or preserves for $2.89.
Tea Sandwiches
No traditional afternoon tea party is complete without cucumber sandwiches and egg salad sandwiches. Both, fortunately, are quick and easy to prepare.
These Cucumber Tea Sandwiches from SuitableForConsumption.com have the highest price tag on the menu, at $5.92. But they are worth every cent! Use a half teaspoon of dried dill weed mixed into the cream cheese rather than fresh dill to keep the costs down.
Tricia Yearwood’s Mini Egg Salad Sandwiches are as easy on your pocketbook as they are to prepare. And, though small, they are delightfully filling! Hold the chives to keep the costs down, or opt for a sprinkle of dried chives if you have them in your spice cupboard. Total cost: $3.89
Sweets
What is an afternoon tea without a sweet dessert at the end? This Easy Brownie recipe from Chow.com is rich, super-chocolate-y and you probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry. For $2.48, this decadent treat is a must!
Tea
As a tea lover, it’s highly likely that you already have plenty of your favorite tea on hand. There’s no need to go out and buy special tea for the occasion, unless you want to. If you do not have any tea on hand, however, make it easy and economical and pick up a treasure from your grocery store aisles. One of our favorite teas is Wegman’s Cinnamon Spice Black Tea. For just over $2.00, you can enjoy a festive black tea that is lovely plain but is also fun to dress up with milk and sugar.
Sugar
Speaking of, if you have an extra $1.75, surprise and delight your guests by serving actual sugar cubes. You know my feelings on the subject.
Decor
It’s summertime, and as a result there are plenty of beautiful potential centerpieces that can be found in your yard or your friend’s. Cut some flowers from the garden or find some wildflowers. Pull out your stash of cloth napkins. Don’t worry if they don’t match. Or find and borrow simple white tablecloths, assemble a variety of tea cups and let the tea cups themselves be the decor!
Don’t let the dollar be your detriment to having a beautiful tea party. You can serve a fun, filling tea service for less than a pizza delivery. Bon appetit!
