Delicious Friendsgiving on a Budget: How to Feed 10 for Only $70 with Minimal Effort

Friendsgiving is a fantastic way for friends to gather, share food, and create memories without the stress of a traditional Thanksgiving. Occasionally, they do this as therapy after time with family, but that is another post on another blog. If you want a great Friendsgiving but don't have experience cooking (or don't want to cook), Sam's Club offers some great options. This Friendsgiving feast from Sam’s Club feeds 10 people for about $70 with very little cooking involved. The budget includes two prepared party trays for before the meal, and a menu of chicken with stuffing and mashed potatoes, baked ham, and pumpkin pie. Ask the guest to bring a bottle of wine or other beverage, and you have an ideal Friendsgiving!

Add a bit of wine or other favorite beverage to this meal, and you have a Friendsgiving!

Planning a Friendsgiving on a Budget

The key to a successful Friendsgiving on a budget is combining a few homemade touches with convenient prepared foods. This approach saves time, reduces stress, and keeps the meal tasting fresh and satisfying. Instead of a large turkey, which can be expensive and intimidating to cook, the group chose rotisserie chicken paired with homemade stuffing and gravy. This choice allowed them to enjoy classic holiday flavors without the hassle.

Shopping List and Budget Breakdown

Here’s the shopping list that made this meal possible, along with approximate prices:

• Rotisserie Chicken (with homemade stuffing and gravy) — $10

• Member’s Mark Yukon Mashed Potatoes — $7

• Member’s Mark Uncured Carver Ham — $14

• Pumpkin Pie — $6

• Whipped Cream (from Aldi) — $2

• Hormel Gatherings Tray — $13.50

• Veggie Tray — $14.50

• Yeast Dinner Rolls — $4

  
  

A quick trip to Aldi for whipped cream, celery, onion, butter, and herbs rounds out the ingredients needed for the homemade stuffing and gravy. The total cost for the Sam’s Club items is about $65, with the Aldi extras adding just a few dollars more.

Preparing the Meal with Minimal Cooking

The beauty of this Friendsgiving menu is how little cooking it requires. Most of the heavy lifting comes from assembling the stuffing and making the gravy, which can be done ahead of time.

Step-by-Step Preparation

• Day Before: Prepare the stuffing using the recipe and guide in our post:

  Chicken Dinner with Stuffing and Gravy under $5 (serves 4)

  (You will prepare the gravy as you reheat the rotisserie chicken on the day of your Friendsgiving.) This allows the flavors to meld and reduces day-of stress.

  

  

  

• Morning of Friendsgiving: Bake the ham until heated through and reheat the rotisserie chicken.

• One Hour Before Serving: Make the homemade gravy from the pan drippings and reheat the mashed potatoes.

• Set Up: Arrange the Hormel Gatherings tray and veggie tray for guests to snack on as they arrive. Serve the remaining veggies alongside the main meal.

  
  

This plan keeps cooking simple and manageable, even for those who don’t spend much time in the kitchen.

Baked ham on a serving platter

The Menu That Feels Homemade

This menu offers all the comforting flavors of a traditional holiday meal without the stress or high cost. Here’s what you’ll serve:

• Baked Chicken with Dressing and Homemade Gravy

• Baked Ham

• Mashed Potatoes

• Dinner Rolls with Butter

• Fresh Veggies from the tray

• Pumpkin Pie with Whipped Cream

  
  

Guests will enjoy a hearty, satisfying meal that tastes like it took hours to prepare, but really came together with ease.

Tips for a Smooth Friendsgiving

• Prep Early: Making the stuffing the day before saves time and lets the flavors develop.

• Use Quality Prepared Items: Sam’s Club offers great options like their Yukon mashed potatoes and uncured ham that taste fresh and homemade.

• Keep It Casual: Friendsgiving is about enjoying time together, so don’t stress about perfection.

• Add Fresh Touches: The veggie tray and whipped cream add freshness and balance to the meal.

• Set Up Buffet Style: Let guests serve themselves to keep things relaxed and easy.

  
  

Friendsgiving dessert table with pumpkin pie and whipped cream

Enjoy a Stress-Free Friendsgiving That Feeds Everyone

This Friendsgiving plan shows that you don’t need to spend hours cooking or break the bank to host a memorable meal for 10 people. With a few wise shopping choices and simple preparation, you can serve a delicious, homemade-tasting feast for around $70. Whether you’re a college student or want to keep things manageable, this approach lets you focus on what really matters: sharing good food and good company.