Easter Dinner on a Budget
Here are my tips and simple recipe ideas for creating a delicious and easy Easter Dinner on a Budget! Main course, sides, breads and desserts that everyone will love.
Simple, delicious and budget friendly is possible.
Creating a delicious Easter dinner for family and friends does not need to be fancy, complicated or expensive, it just doesn’t. It’s easy to get caught up in the idea that holidays have to be extravagant, but it is possible to make a delicious dinner that everyone will love without spending a lot of money. Here are some of my most favourite Easter dinner recipes that are simple, yummy and budget friendly!
Start with a plan.
First, let’s start with the basics, a plan and the menu. This may seem simple and obvious, but creating a plan and menu ahead of time is our key to success! Having a plan and menu allows you to shop sales ahead of time, and it takes the stress out of wondering what to serve.
- Start by making a menu. Here is a full list of my favourite Easter recipes as a place to start. Or read on below for a more simple look at recipe ideas.
- Make a grocery list. Write it all down. If you want a printable grocery list, you can find one here in my Meal Planning Kit…just print off the page you need.
Easter Dinner Shopping Tips
These are some tips and ideas that will save you money but won’t compromise your celebration! Sometimes simple really is best.
- Buy generic or house brands (who will notice?).
- Look for sales and stock up ahead of time. Shop flyers and sales in your grocery store to help save money.
- Ham is a great budget-friendly Easter Dinner main.
- Root vegetables are affordable and classically festive! Serve mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, and/or parsnips.
Budget Friendly Easter Dinner Recipe Ideas
The Best Easter Ham
Ham is a tasty budget-friendly Easter dinner main, especially if you buy one on sale! If you’re looking for THE BEST Easter Ham recipe, this is it! This delicious ham is made with the most scrumptious butter, brown sugar, honey, mustard, and orange juice glaze. The glaze is sweet, flavourful, and perfect with the saltiness of the baked ham.
Simple Scalloped Potatoes
These Simple Scalloped Potatoes are creamy, rich, perfectly cheesy and so flavourful. This tried and true scalloped potato recipe doesn’t disappoint and makes a perfect side dish for Easter dinner. They’re budget-friendly and easy to make, you only need 15 minutes of prep time before they go in the oven to bake.
Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
Carrots are a delicious budget-friendly seasonal side dish for Easter. These Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots are sweet, buttery, and salty all at the same time. Just simmer the carrots in butter, brown sugar, and a bit of water to achieve a subtly sweet flavour! Perfect with ham.
Creamy Pea Salad Recipe
Our favourite veggie side dish with Easter ham is this Creamy Pea Salad. Sweet peas, crispy bacon, red onion, and chunks of cheese are all mixed in a creamy dressing that is absolutely delicious with ham. The leftovers are great too!
Easy 7 Layer Salad
If you’re looking for a simple salad for your Easter dinner, this 7 Layer Salad is it! This is a make-ahead salad which saves you time and stress when you’re trying to get Easter dinner on the table. This easy salad has layers of lettuce, peas, green onions, celery, green pepper, water chestnuts, bacon, cheese, sliced boiled eggs, and a creamy sour cream mayo dressing.
Creamy Cucumber Salad
This light and bright Creamy Cucumber Salad is a delicious option for Easter! This salad is made with thinly sliced fresh cucumbers and sliced red onion tossed in a creamy dressing (sour cream + mayo) with fresh dill. It is delicious and SO easy to make. You can have it on your table in 15 minutes!
Sage Butter Green Beans + Corn
Green beans and corn pair perfectly (and they’re both inexpensive veggies!), so why not mix them together to make one easy, quick and delicious side dish! The addition of the sage butter takes this easy side dish to the next flavour level.
Parker House Rolls
These bread machine Parker House Rolls are our most favourite dinner roll! They’re soft, buttery and a little salty. They pair amazingly with Easter ham, and they also make great sandwiches with leftovers. So if you’re looking for a roll that everyone will love, this recipe is it.
Bread Machine Hot Cross Buns
Another great dinner roll option are these Bread Machine Hot Cross Buns. The buns are soft and fluffy, flavourful with spices, and sweet with a sugar glaze and icing. Even though they’re a sweet bun, we do love them with ham!
The Best Carrot Cake
When I think Easter cake, I instantly think of my favourite Carrot Cake Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting! It’s tender, sweet, and so delicious! What’s not to love about a moist spice cake packed with nutritious shredded carrots and smothered in creamy frosting?
Easter Jello Whips
I love no-bake desserts, especially for occasions like Easter! If you do too, then you need to try these pretty and delicious Easter Jello Whips. If you’re looking for a really simple and pretty budget-friendly dessert for Easter, these Easter Jello Whips are made with just 2 ingredients (jello and Greek yogurt).
Now let’s set a budget friendly Easter table!
Now that you have the menu set, let’s think about setting our Easter dinner table! I love decorating my table for every occasion, and Easter is no exception! Just apply the same budget-friendly train of thought to your table setting. Chances are that over the years you have accumulated enough decorations to be able to create a beautiful tablescape with no new purchases. Our theme is simple is best, remember? Here are some of my favourite simple Easter table decor ideas to make your Easter table pretty and fun without spending a lot of money or time.
My favourite tip…share the load!
As hosts, sometimes we are hesitant to ask for help, but I’m telling you right now, it is ok to ask for help! Chances are, anyone you are inviting over for Easter dinner would love to be included in this way! People enjoy contributing. This is a great way to make your guests feel like they are part of the festivities. Side dishes and desserts are a great place to start.
Don’t forget about leftovers!
Leftovers might be the best part of holiday dinners! If you are intentional about using leftovers wisely for the few days after Easter, all that food suddenly seems much more affordable. You can make crustless quiche, a ham and cheese breakfast bake, this Creamy Ranch Pasta Salad, ham sliders, and our favourite Creamed Ham on Toast, just for a few ideas! Here are more Ham Leftover Ideas.
I hope you’re inspired for your Easter dinner planning! Have a delicious day!
