Friendsgiving on a budget works best as a potluck. The host covers the turkey and drinks, and everyone else brings one dish. Split that way, nobody spends much, and the table still ends up full.
These 12 cheap Friendsgiving potluck ideas all cost under $10 to make at Walmart or ALDI, and most cost under $5. Each one travels well, feeds a group and comes with a tip for getting it to the party in good shape. There’s also a sign-up plan for 10 people and what the whole spread costs.
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How a Budget Friendsgiving Potluck Works
- The host makes the turkey. A whole frozen turkey costs about $13 to $16 at Walmart or ALDI this month. For a smaller group, a turkey breast or a roast chicken costs less and cooks faster.
- Guests each bring one dish. Use a shared list so you don’t end up with five bags of chips and no potatoes.
- Cover the basics. Aim for two appetizers, one main for anyone who skips turkey, four or five sides, one bread and one or two desserts.
- Keep drinks simple. A pitcher of cranberry spritzers costs about $1.50 for four glasses.
Appetizers
Prices are from Walmart’s and ALDI’s websites for stores in Columbus, Ohio, checked in October and November 2026. Ohio’s grocery prices are within about 1% of the national average, so you may pay more or less depending on where you live, and prices change often. Here’s how we price our recipes.
1. Caramelized Onion Dip
Slow-cooked onions stirred into a creamy base. It tastes far better than the packet kind and costs about the same.
Potluck tip: Make it up to two days ahead and bring it cold with a bag of chips or crackers.
Time: 1 hour 20 minutes (15 minutes of prep) · Serves: 8
Cost: Ingredients – $3.34 from Walmart, $2.86 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.36 to $0.42
2. Jalapeño Poppers
Jalapeño halves filled with cream cheese and cheddar, baked until bubbly. Twelve pieces for under $3.
Potluck tip: Fill them at home and bake them in the host’s oven before dinner, or serve them at room temperature.
Time: 35 minutes · Serves: 12
Cost: Ingredients – $2.95 from Walmart, $2.30 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.19 to $0.25
3. Pigs in a Blanket
Little sausages wrapped in crescent dough. Every group has someone who heads straight for these.
Potluck tip: Wrap them at home, then bake them at the host’s place so they’re warm.
Time: 35 minutes · Makes: 12 pieces
Cost: Ingredients – $3.20 from Walmart, $3.20 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.27
4. Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball
Cream cheese and cheddar rolled in dried cranberries and pecans. It looks festive on a plate with crackers.
Potluck tip: It needs to chill for an hour, so make it the night before and bring it wrapped in plastic.
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (15 minutes of prep) · Serves: 12
Cost: Ingredients – $8.19 from Walmart, $7.60 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.63 to $0.68
A Main for Friends Who Skip the Turkey
5. Lazy No-Boil Baked Ziti
Uncooked ziti, marinara and cheese baked in one pan. It’s a filling main for friends who skip the turkey.
Potluck tip: Bake it at home, wrap the dish in foil and a towel, and it stays hot for about an hour.
Time: 1 hour 10 minutes (10 minutes of prep) · Serves: 6
Cost: Ingredients – $8.01 from Walmart, $7.47 from ALDI · Per Serving – $1.25 to $1.33
Sides
6. Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Five pounds of russets, butter and milk. The cheapest way to feed a crowd, and the side everyone goes back for.
Potluck tip: Make them at home and keep them warm in a slow cooker on low.
Time: 35 minutes · Serves: 10
Cost: Ingredients – $4.58 from Walmart, $4.40 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.44 to $0.46
7. Green Bean Casserole
Green beans in a creamy mushroom sauce under crispy fried onions. The classic for a reason.
Potluck tip: Pack the fried onions separately and add them right before it goes in the oven so they stay crunchy.
Time: 40 minutes · Serves: 6
Cost: Ingredients – $3.33 from Walmart, $3.95 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.55 to $0.66
8. Sweet Potato Casserole
Mashed sweet potatoes topped with toasted marshmallows. Sweet enough to double as dessert.
Potluck tip: Assemble it at home and toast the marshmallows in the host’s oven for the last 10 minutes.
Time: 50 minutes (15 minutes of prep) · Serves: 10
Cost: Ingredients – $4.73 from Walmart, $3.52 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.35 to $0.47
9. Corn Casserole
A soft, spoonable side made from a box of corn muffin mix and two cans of corn.
Potluck tip: Bake it in a foil pan so you don’t have to take a dish home.
Time: 1 hour 10 minutes (10 minutes of prep) · Serves: 8
Cost: Ingredients – $3.56 from Walmart, $3.47 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.43 to $0.44
10. Harvest Apple Cranberry Salad
Greens, apples, dried cranberries and nuts with a simple dressing. It brings some color and crunch to a table full of casseroles.
Potluck tip: Pack the dressing in a jar and toss the salad just before serving so it doesn’t wilt.
Time: 20 minutes · Serves: 6
Cost: Ingredients – $8.00 from Walmart, $8.63 from ALDI · Per Serving – $1.33 to $1.44
Potluck tip: Cut it into squares at home so it’s ready to grab.
Time: 32 minutes · Makes: 9 squares
Cost: Ingredients – $1.11 from Walmart, $1.11 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.12
Want more side dish ideas? Our 18 cheap Thanksgiving side dishes are all priced per serving, too.
Dessert
12. S’mores Bars
Graham cracker crust, chocolate and gooey marshmallow in bars that travel well.
Potluck tip: Cut and stack them in a container with parchment between the layers.
Time: 1 hour 45 minutes (15 minutes of prep) · Makes: 16 bars
Cost: Ingredients – $6.68 from Walmart, $6.36 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.40 to $0.42
Need a second dessert? Fudgy brownies cost about $2.30 a pan and travel just as well.
What the Whole Spread Costs
If one person made every dish on this list, here’s what it would cost, plus a whole turkey from the host.
| Dish | Walmart | ALDI |
|---|---|---|
| Caramelized Onion Dip | $3.34 | $2.86 |
| Jalapeño Poppers | $2.95 | $2.30 |
| Pigs in a Blanket | $3.20 | $3.20 |
| Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball | $8.19 | $7.60 |
| Lazy No-Boil Baked Ziti | $8.01 | $7.47 |
| Creamy Mashed Potatoes | $4.58 | $4.40 |
| Green Bean Casserole | $3.33 | $3.95 |
| Sweet Potato Casserole | $4.73 | $3.52 |
| Corn Casserole | $3.56 | $3.47 |
| Harvest Apple Cranberry Salad | $8.00 | $8.63 |
| Cornbread | $1.11 | $1.11 |
| S’mores Bars | $6.68 | $6.36 |
| All 12 potluck dishes | $57.68 | $54.87 |
| Whole frozen turkey (host) | $13.14 | $15.84 |
| Total | $70.82 | $70.71 |
That’s about $70 for a dinner that feeds 10 to 12 people with leftovers, or about $6 to $7 a person. Split as a potluck, most guests spend under $5 and the host spends about $15 to $20 on the turkey. The totals count the amount of each ingredient the recipes use, so whoever shops for a dish may spend a little more on whole packages.
Who Brings What: A Sign-Up Plan for 10
Copy this list into your group chat and let people claim a line.
- Host: turkey, gravy and drinks
- Appetizer: caramelized onion dip with chips
- Appetizer: jalapeño poppers or pigs in a blanket
- Main: baked ziti
- Side: mashed potatoes
- Side: green bean casserole
- Side: sweet potato casserole
- Side: corn casserole or cornbread
- Salad: harvest apple cranberry salad
- Dessert: s’mores bars or brownies
Ask everyone to bring their own serving spoon, and have a few foil pans and zip-top bags on hand for sending leftovers home.
Tips for Bringing a Dish
- Ask about the oven. The host’s oven will be full of turkey. Bring dishes that are already hot, served cold, or need only 10 minutes to finish.
- Keep hot food hot. Wrap a hot dish in foil and then a thick towel, and carry it in a cooler with no ice. It stays warm for about an hour.
- Use a slow cooker. Mashed potatoes, meatballs and dips stay warm on the low setting all evening.
- Use foil pans. They cost about a dollar, and you won’t have to wait to get your dish back.
- Label anything with nuts or dairy. A sticky note on the lid helps guests with allergies.
- Don’t leave food out too long. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
The Same Ideas Work for Any Holiday Potluck
Office parties, church dinners and family get-togethers in December all work the same way. The best dishes to bring are ones that are cheap to make in a big batch and taste good warm or at room temperature: a dip, a casserole, a pan of cornbread or a tray of bars. Any dish on this list costs under $10 and feeds a crowd. For more ideas, see our 20 cheap soups, stews and chilis. A slow cooker of chili is one of the easiest potluck dishes there is.
Friendsgiving Potluck Ideas: Your Questions
What should I bring to Friendsgiving on a budget?
A side dish that feeds a crowd for very little. Cornbread costs about $1.11 a pan, jalapeño poppers about $2.30 to $2.95 for twelve, and mashed potatoes about $4.50 for 10 servings.
How much food do I need for Friendsgiving?
Plan on about 1 to 1½ pounds of whole turkey per person, plus four or five sides. With a potluck, ask each guest to bring a dish that serves at least six to eight people.
Who pays for the turkey at Friendsgiving?
Usually the host, since it cooks at their place. If the group wants to split it, a whole frozen turkey costs about $13 to $16 at Walmart or ALDI this year, so it’s about $1.50 each for 10 people.
What is the cheapest dish to bring to a potluck?
Cornbread, jalapeño poppers and pigs in a blanket all cost about $3 or less. Mashed potatoes and corn casserole are also cheap and feed a crowd.
What can I bring that doesn’t need an oven?
Caramelized onion dip, the cranberry pecan cheese ball, the apple cranberry salad and s’mores bars are all made ahead and served cold or at room temperature.
