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A New Year’s Eve party for a few friends doesn’t need a catered spread. Seven appetizers and one sparkling drink are plenty for a small group, and most of this menu can be made a day or two ahead, so you’re out of the kitchen by the time guests arrive.
Pick four or five of the recipes below, or make them all for a bigger group. After the menu, you’ll find how much to make for your party size and a make-ahead plan.
Prices are from Walmart’s and ALDI’s websites for stores in Columbus, Ohio, checked in October 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.
The Menu
1. Caramelized Onion Dip
Slowly cooked onions stirred into a creamy base. Serve it with crackers, vegetables or toasted baguette slices. It can be made two days ahead.
Time: 1 hour 20 minutes (includes 30 minutes of chilling) · Serves: 8
Cost: Ingredients – $3.34 from Walmart, $2.86 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.36 to $0.42
2. Sheet Pan Pizza
One big sheet pan of homemade pizza feeds the whole group. Split the toppings so each section suits different guests.
Time: 35 minutes · Serves: 6
Cost: Ingredients – $6.03 from Walmart, $4.76 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.79 to $1.01
3. Smoky Cheddar Twists
Puff pastry twisted with smoky cheddar. They look fancy but take only a few minutes to shape, and you can shape them the day before.
Time: 25 minutes · Makes: 12 twists
Cost: Ingredients – $3.29 from Walmart, $3.23 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.27
4. Swedish Cocktail Meatballs
Meatballs in a creamy, savory sauce. Serve them with toothpicks, and keep them warm in a slow cooker all evening.
Time: 25 minutes · Serves: 10
5. Avocado Fries
Crispy on the outside and creamy inside. Serve them hot with a tangy dipping sauce.
Time: 30 minutes · Serves: 4
6. Shrimp Cocktail
Chilled shrimp with a zesty cocktail sauce. It needs no cooking on the night if you cook the shrimp the day before.
Time: 35 minutes (includes 20 minutes of chilling) · Serves: 6
Cost: Ingredients – $9.20 from Walmart, $9.72 from ALDI · Per Serving – $1.53 to $1.62
7. Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus
Asparagus bundles wrapped in bacon and roasted until crisp. They can be wrapped the day before and baked an hour before guests arrive.
Time: 30 minutes · Makes: 8 bundles
8. Pomegranate Rosé Spritzers
Light, festive and pink in the glass. Mix the rosé and pomegranate juice ahead, then add sparkling water just before serving so it stays bubbly.
Time: 5 minutes · Serves: 4
How Much to Make
- For 4 guests: caramelized onion dip, smoky cheddar twists, shrimp cocktail and sheet pan pizza.
- For 6 to 8 guests: add the Swedish meatballs and bacon-wrapped asparagus, and double the spritzers.
- As a general guide: four or five appetizers is plenty when people are grazing through the evening. Include at least one hot dish and one that needs no cooking on the night.
A New Year’s Eve Party Menu on a Budget
Here’s what the four-guest menu above costs, with a non-alcoholic drink added so everyone has something festive to toast with at midnight.
| Dish | Walmart | ALDI |
|---|---|---|
| Caramelized Onion Dip | $3.34 | $2.86 |
| Smoky Cheddar Twists | $3.29 | $3.23 |
| Shrimp Cocktail | $9.20 | $9.72 |
| Sheet Pan Pizza | $6.03 | $4.76 |
| Cranberry Spritzers | $1.47 | $1.45 |
| Total | $23.33 | $22.02 |
That’s about $5.50 to $6 per guest for a full evening of food. The totals count the amount of each ingredient the recipes use, and they don’t include crackers or vegetables for the dip. ALDI doesn’t list club soda or horseradish online, so those use the Walmart price.
To spend less, skip the shrimp and make a second batch of cheddar twists. The menu drops to about $16 to $17 and still has something hot, something cheesy and a dip.
Make-Ahead Plan
- Up to 2 days ahead: make the caramelized onion dip. The cocktail sauce can be made now too.
- The day before: cook and chill the shrimp, shape the cheddar twists and wrap the asparagus bundles. Cover and refrigerate all three.
- An hour before guests arrive: bake the twists and the asparagus, and warm the meatballs in their sauce. A slow cooker on warm keeps the meatballs hot all evening.
- Once guests are there: bake the pizza and the avocado fries. Both are best hot from the oven.
New Year’s Eve Party Questions
What food do you serve at a New Year’s Eve party?
Finger foods that people can eat standing up, with a mix of hot and cold. A dip, something baked and cheesy, a seafood option and one filling dish like meatballs or pizza covers it.
What can I serve guests who don’t drink?
Cranberry spritzers are made with juice and sparkling water and look just as festive in a glass. Fresh strawberry lemonade is another good option.
How long can appetizers sit out?
No more than 2 hours for dips, shrimp and anything with meat or dairy. Set out half at a time, and keep the shrimp on a bowl of ice.
How much does a New Year’s Eve party for 4 cost?
Our four-guest menu of onion dip, cheddar twists, shrimp cocktail, sheet pan pizza and cranberry spritzers costs about $22 to $23 at Walmart and ALDI prices, or about $16 to $17 if you swap the shrimp for a second batch of cheddar twists.
What are good New Year’s Eve party menu ideas on a budget?
Dips, puff pastry twists, sheet pan pizza and meatballs feed a crowd for very little. Save the pricier items, like shrimp, for one special dish, and make a pitcher drink instead of buying bottles.
