How to cook holiday meals. Inexpensive holiday menu for your table

On the eve of the holidays, we gather our thoughts to prepare delicious and original holiday salads. Long gone are the days when for the holiday we prepared only herring under a fur coat, Russian salad, and Greek salad, although this set of salads is always win-win and successful. Therefore, hostesses are increasingly looking for new salads on the festive table - recipes with photos, simple and tasty.

If you don’t know how to prepare new salads for the festive table, you have come to the right place! I bring to your attention interesting and proven original salads on the festive table, recipes with photos that all your guests will 100% like, and after the celebration, the guests will line up with a pen and a notebook to write down the recipes.

So, what are holiday salads like? There can be only one answer - delicious, and with a traditional composition. After all, you must admit that not everyone likes salad recipes for the festive table where there is an exotic combination of strawberries and ham, pears and blue cheese, or melons with herring.

Therefore, it is better to save recipes for such salads for a romantic dinner on St. Valentine, and for family holidays like a birthday or New Year, it’s better to cook delicious new salads for the festive table that all guests will like. I hope you choose the most delicious salads for your holiday table (recipes with photos). All the delicious salads presented on the site for the festive table (recipes with photos) have been personally tested by me, and will not let you down at a crucial moment.

Salad with beef tongue and mushrooms

Salad with beef tongue - very tasty and satisfying, men will appreciate it as an ideal snack for strong drinks. In the recipe, I used pickled butter mushrooms, but any fried mushrooms, such as champignons, will also work. See recipe with photo.

Salad with tuna and rice "Drop of water"

Dear friends, today I want to introduce you to the beautiful and very tasty Drop of Water salad. This is a salad with tuna and rice, fresh cucumber and canned corn, as well as hard cheese. Thanks to such a selection of ingredients, it turns out juicy, which is why, I think, it has such a name. See recipe with photo.

Salad "Pineapple Bouquet", of course, deserves the most honorable place at any celebration. This salad with chicken and pineapple and mushrooms is incredibly tasty. Be sure to decorate your holiday table with them! It does not cook quickly, but it is very beautiful and satisfying. Recipe with photo .

Chafan salad: a classic recipe with chicken

Looking for new salads on the holiday table - recipes with photos from the last 2 months? Pay attention to Chafan salad! All the ingredients are laid out on a large dish, in the center of which is a sauce of sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic and dill. Then, just before eating, all the ingredients are mixed. See recipe with photo.

Layered salad Bride with chicken

Do you like original salads on the festive table (recipes with photos)? Salad "Bride" with smoked chicken, processed cheese, potatoes and pickled onions - exactly what you need!

Salad Obzhorka: a classic recipe with liver and croutons

If you like recipes for simple and inexpensive salads, then my today's Liver Oatmeal Salad undoubtedly deserves your attention. I suggest trying to cook Obzhorka salad - a classic recipe with liver and crackers. How to cook salad "Obzhorka" with liver

Salad "Tenderness" with ham and cucumber and cheese

Dear friends, I want to bring to your attention a rather simple in terms of preparation, but such a tasty and beautiful Tenderness salad with ham and cucumber and cheese. It really has a very pleasant taste, not sharp (as happens if hot peppers or garlic are included in the salad), but calm, really gentle. But at the same time, thanks to the cucumber, which brings lightness and freshness, and the sweetness of canned corn, this salad cannot be called boring either. Recipe with photo see.

Salad with egg pancakes

Very tasty and original salad! If you do, you won't regret it. Salad with egg pancakes is suitable for everyday menu and for a festive table. I would call this recipe basic. Additionally, you can add canned corn, boiled eggs or grated hard cheese to the salad. Recipe with photo.

Salad with crab sticks and Chinese cabbage

New salads on the festive table with crab sticks are very popular - both because of the taste and availability (compared to the same shrimp, for example). One of my favorite combinations is crab sticks, Korean-style carrots and cucumber. Haven't tried this?

Salad with crab sticks, corn and Korean carrots

I love new salads for the festive table - when preparing them, you can experiment as much as you like: with ingredients, dressing, serving ... One of these is a cocktail salad with crab sticks, corn and Korean carrots - light, tasty and very appetizing. See the recipe with step by step photos

Salad with chicken and Chinese cabbage

It turns out a very successful combination - satisfying, but at the same time fresh and unobtrusive. Another ingredient gives the salad a slight piquancy - Korean carrots. So I wholeheartedly recommend it: a cocktail salad with chicken and Chinese cabbage is ideal for guests, perfect for everyday life, when the soul wants an unplanned holiday. Recipe

Salad "Salmon under a fur coat"

How to cook salmon salad under a fur coat, look

Salad with walnuts and chicken "French mistress"

Ingredients:

• boiled chicken fillet (gram 300)
• 2 onions
• 1 cup light raisins
• 1-2 carrots
• cheese (gram 50)
• 1 cup walnuts
• 1-2 oranges
• sugar
• mayonnaise

Cooking:

Layer all the ingredients

1 layer: finely chopped boiled breast

2 layer: pickled onions (half rings, a little sugar and salt, a drop of vinegar, pour over boiling water)

3 layer: steamed raisins

4 layer: grated carrots

5 layer: cheese on a grater

6 layer: chopped nuts

Lubricate each layer with mayonnaise

Top with diced oranges.

Ingredients:

• smoked chicken 200 g
• fresh cucumber 150 g
• mushrooms fresh champignons or oyster mushrooms 150 g
• onion 1 pc
• boiled eggs 4 pcs
• mayonnaise or sour cream to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• green onions (any greens) to taste

Cooking:

Mushrooms and onions cut, fry a little, cool.

Cut the meat and cucumber into thin strips, grate the eggs, chop the greens.

Lay in layers from bottom to top:

chicken, cucumber, mushrooms with onions, greens, eggs.

Brush with dressing, salt and pepper to taste.

Decorate as desired.

Salad "Little Red Riding Hood" with pomegranate

How to cook salad "Little Red Riding Hood" with pomegranate

Salad with mushrooms and meat "Lukoshko"

A very original puff salad, everyone who tries it really likes it.

Laying out the layers:

Green onion or dill

Pickled champignons or mushrooms

Boiled potatoes, grated

Boiled chicken or pork, finely chopped

Finely chopped pickled cucumbers

Another layer of potatoes

Korean carrot

grated cheese

Green onion or dill

As with any layered salad, let it brew in the refrigerator.

The savory combination of Korean carrots, mushrooms and pickles goes well with chicken and mushrooms.

Salad with squid and red caviar "Emperor"

How to cook salad "Emperor" can be viewed

Salad "Cornucopia" with red caviar, salmon, and shrimps

How to cook the Horn of Plenty salad

Festive table in a hurry

Recently, I had to assemble a festive table in haste. There was little time for cooking - only 2.5 hours + another 1 hour - for a quick run to the store for everything you need. I did. It turned out very tasty, the guests were satisfied.

I will tell you how you can allocate time, have time to collect the table and not get very tired. And what to cook for guests in a hurry.

What should be on hand

• Good knives (a sharp small one and 1 large one are enough for me);
• Cutting board (can be 2);
• Grater (large and small);
• Several bowls for cooking and mixing dishes;
• Spices (which you usually use);
• Apron;
• Dishes for table setting (plates-forks-spoons-glasses-glasses-glasses and utensils for tea-coffee: cups-saucers-plates for cake-teaspoons), napkins, a jug for drinks (for compote, juice), tablecloth.
• Dishes for serving dishes to the table and tablespoons (for laying out salads and other dishes);
• Utensils for cooking (pots, pans, kettle).

In addition, the house needs clean hand towels, toilet paper, soap. Maybe slippers if you and your guests usually wear them.

I cooked in a foreign country. Therefore, I took with me: an apron, spices (dried basil) and a grater (suddenly not in the house). If you go to cook in someone else's house and are not sure if there are convenient knives there, I advise you to definitely grab your own, proven ones.

What can you buy in the store

We proceed from the fact that time is running out. Therefore, complex salads, for which you need to cook and cut a lot of different ingredients or lay them out in some special way, are not suitable for us. They can be taken, but only ready-made. Yes, I know that ready-made salads are evil, but we have an urgent men's birthday. Here - either everything from the supermarket's cooking, or we still have time to cook some of the dishes ourselves, giving the table a homely look.

With our own hands, we will only do what is prepared quickly. The principle of distribution of forces is as follows:

1. A few homemade quick and easy meals.
2. Some prepared food (1-2 salads, 1 meat). This is to guarantee something to feed if we do not have time to cook.
3. Snacks - something that will be a delicious addition to dishes or diversify the table, but does not require cooking (sausage, cheese, olives, cherry tomatoes, fruits, sweets and other snacks).

I write only what I chose for a particular birthdayfor 7-8 people. And you are guided by the situation.

Shopping list

Of the spices, I had only dried basil (in cutlets and cucumbers, but you can do without it). Check if there is salt at home. Otherwise, it must be added to the list.

Ready-to-cook meals

• Salads with mayonnaise to choose from: – 700-800 g- Olivier (almost a win-win, most of the guests love him, we bought him). Herring under a fur coat is also an option, women love it. You can take any other delicious salad that you have already bought here and are sure of its quality.
• Meat baked / fried: – piece by piece, according to the number of guests. We took meat in French. Can be replaced or supplemented with chicken thighs or legs (baked in the oven or on the grill). Choose something traditional, beautiful and fresh.
• Vegetable salads - 400 g(not all of them will). Instead of vegetable salads, we bought 300-400 g of pickled champignons with onions. Options: cabbage salad or sauerkraut if you like spicy: Korean salads (algae, mushrooms, pork ears), Georgian cabbage (large pieces in beetroot juice). Spicy and fresh diversify the taste sensations of guests.

Semi-finished products

• Minced meat (we have delicious pork and beef, pork and chicken and chicken) - 700-800 g.

canned food

• pickled cucumbers(gherkins) - 1 can(not necessarily, we have not opened, and there are so many). You can - pickled tomatoes;
• Mushrooms (salted are tastier than pickled) - 1 can. We did not buy, we managed with those from cooking;
• Olives and olives – 1 bank;
• Pineapples - 1 can(480 g). This is for a salad with cheese and garlic.

Vegetables fruits

• Cherry tomatoes (fresh) 500 g (packing). Put a whole branch on the table. They are very well eaten between times, like grapes (you can take and / or grapes - both on a salty and sweet table). Choose those cherry tomatoes that sit firmly on a branch, they are fresh (those that have fallen off have been standing for a long time).
• fresh cucumbers - 5-8 pieces(medium size). This is for quick salted cucumbers;
• Potato - 2-2.5 kg(a whole cellophane bag);
• Lemon - 1 piece;
• Garlic - 1 head;
• Onion - 2 heads(in salad and cutlets);
• Dill - beam.
• Tangerines, grapes, any seasonal fruits and berries. We had 1 kg of tangerines.

Sausage, cheese, minced meat, fish, eggs

• Boiled sausage (doctor's) - 0,5 a small loaf;
• Sausage Boyarskaya(type of ham) - 0,5 a small loaf;
• Cheese Black Prince(Belarusian) - 250 g. The taste is good, traditional;
• Cheese (some ordinary, like Russian, in a salad) - 100 g;
• Processed cheese (Friendship or Orbit) - 1 piece;
• Eggs - 1 ten(large);
• Herring in oil - 1 package;

• Mayonnaise (The dream of the hostess turned out to be quite normal) - 1 small package (200 ml);
• Vegetable oil for frying(you need a little, maybe you have a quarter of a bottle at home).

The drinks

Remember that you always want to drink at a plentiful table and 1 glass of compote or juice will not be enough for a guest (consider that everyone will drink 2-3 glasses).

• Alcohol: wine, martini, vodka - whatever you like. We have 1 bottle each: white and red wine (dry and semi-sweet), martini bianco. We drank a little, but everyone had a choice. Focus on your company.
• Juice - 2-4 liters(orange, grapefruit, apple, multifruit, tomato) - whatever you like. You can - a three-liter jar of homemade compote.
• Mineral water - 2 bottles 1.5 liters each.

• Tea - package. Perhaps coffee (we got by with regular Ahmad tea);
• Sugar - package lumpy (refined) or 0.5 kg of ordinary bulk.

Hercules or semolina- it lies right next to it (you will need a couple of handfuls in cutlets). I took a package of hercules, then the owners will cook porridge from the leftovers.

Sweet

• Cake - 1 piece(we had 800 g of honey and sour cream, the most common, similar to homemade).
• Candies - 500 g. I bought by weight, 3 types - Gulliver (cool, large), Mishka (good) and some ordinary ones. You can just a box or do without sweets.

Bread

Take everything in slices, remember that we have no time.

• Black or custard - 1 loaf / loaf;
• White bread or loaf - 1 piece.

What dishes were on the table (menu)

• Cutlets (cooked) - 12-14 pieces came out (depending on size);
• Meat in French - 7 pieces;
• Salad Olivier - a large salad bowl;
• Pineapple salad with cheese and garlic (cooked) - 1 medium salad bowl;
• Stuffed eggs - 2 plates, Jewish cream cheese salad with garlic (cooked);
• Sliced ​​(sausage 2 types and cheese) - 2 plates;
• Olives and olives;
• Herring with onions;
• Pickled champignons;
• Mashed potatoes). I did it with olive oil, there was no cream or sour cream at home. It came out delicious.
• Cherry tomatoes;
• Korean-style tomatoes (cooked in advance).

Procedure

Stewed cutlets

Hard boil eggs- Cook 9 pieces, the tenth raw - in minced meat. Put in cold water, bring to a boil, cook for 10-12 minutes. Cool in cold water.

• Prepare minced meat for meatballs: Break 1 egg into minced meat, add oatmeal (1/2 or 2/3 cup), grate a couple of garlic cloves (fine grater) and 1 onion (large grater) into it. Add a pinch of basil. Salt. Knead. Let it stand while we peel the potatoes - just the flakes will swell, absorb excess moisture.
• Salted cucumbers cook and then peel potatoes(put in water, set to boil 40-50 minutes before the guests arrive). Quick preparation of salted cucumbers in slices: wash, cut off the tips. Cut each cucumber in half and rugs into 4 slices. Slices (as they are cut) are thrown into a container or jar and salted on top. A few sprigs of dill and 2-3 cloves of garlic - chop, add to the cucumbers. Close the lid and shake vigorously for 2-3 minutes. Then leave at room temperature until serving (under a tightly closed lid). You can shake it periodically (when you remember them - shake them, they will be better salted).

  

  Pickled cucumbers

• fry cutlets- heat the oil in a frying pan, form cutlets and fry them on both sides until a small crust appears. Fried - put in a pan, at the bottom of which a layer of oil is poured. When all the cutlets are in the pan, add 2/3 cups of cool water, cover with a lid (or slightly open it if there is no steam outlet in the lid so that the water gradually evaporates) and simmer over low heat until cutlet smells appear (30 minutes) . Be careful not to burn.



Eggs stuffed with salad

Stuff eggs- Peel hard-boiled eggs, cut in half. Take out the yolks, mash them with a fork. Add finely grated: processed cheese and 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped onion (1/2 head). Mix. Season with a little mayonnaise. Stuff the eggs with the resulting salad (in 1 egg - 1 teaspoon with top). It is not necessary to tamp, let them be with a slide. I decorated with dill and a piece of sweet pepper (yes, we didn’t buy it, I found it in the owner’s refrigerator, but this is not necessary). 4 eggs fit on a dessert plate (7 halves in a circle + 1 in the center), I had 9 (18 halves), the extra was squeezed in somehow. Before serving, each plate can be placed in a plastic bag (so that the bag does not come into contact with the eggs from above, let air in). And refrigerate until serving.

• Cut sausage and cheese. I cut the sausage loaf lengthwise into 2 parts and then into thin semicircles across the loaf. You probably cut the same way. Put the cuts on plates, insert them into bags and also put them in the refrigerator so that the cuts do not deteriorate and do not get windy.
• Making Pineapple Salad. Put pineapples in a bowl (pieces or cut rings into slices), grate cheese (hard, like Russian) there - a coarse grater, garlic (2 cloves) - a fine grater. Closer to serving, mix, season with mayonnaise.

Along the way, you need to set the table - entrust this to someone from home or run around yourself in between cooking. Set a table, cover with a tablecloth, arrange plates, lay out napkins (put additional ones in a napkin holder), forks. Put glasses and glasses. Bring drinks to the table. Put the bread on a plate (cover with a napkin or also put it in a bag for now).

• Assemble the table: gradually lay out all the prepared dishes in salad bowls and plates and transfer to the table. You can immediately put bowls with olives and olives (they will not deteriorate); pickled cucumber-tomatoes; put the herring in the herring box, add the onion cut into semicircles to it (half of the stuffed eggs remained). Cutlets will just reach, potatoes will be cooked (drain water, salt, add oil, ceiling). I also cut a lemon for tea (I sprinkled the circles with sugar to make it tastier, but - whoever likes it). Remove salads and cuts from the refrigerator right before guests arrive so that they do not spoil.

Everything! Bon Appetit!

Quick holiday table in haste.

Before the onset of this significant date, the heart invariably stops with joy in anticipation of gifts, fun, friendly meetings. But some people don't like their birthdays for various reasons. Someone due to the fact that they are at least a year, but they are getting older. And some, especially economical subjects, are busy calculating how much it will cost them, and from the announcement of the estimate, their mood deteriorates. Life so develops that everyone is periodically forced to save. But this is not a reason to deprive yourself of the holidays. Therefore, we will try to answer the question: how to inexpensively set the table for a birthday?

Where is the tradition from?

When did people start celebrating birthdays? There are two versions. According to the first, the tradition was based on Roman rites in honor of the gods. The pagans laid plentiful tables, congratulations sounded, various gifts were given. This hypothesis is more recent. And the second version says that the roots of the tradition go back to ancient times, when there were beliefs about the special vulnerability of a person on his birthday. It was believed that any wishes or curses have a double effect on such dates. Therefore, with offerings, ancient people tried to appease the spirits so that they would not harm the newborn.

Name day of Mukha-Tsokotukha

Birthdays gradually turned into personalities, but for a long time no one paid attention to the date of the birth of children and women. The first woman whose birthday was celebrated on a grand scale was the beautiful Cleopatra. It was not customary for the common people to record and celebrate women's birthdays.

The Greeks and Egyptians often and pathetically celebrated the birth dates of the gods, as well as the pharaohs and kings. Sometimes, on the occasion of the birth of the pharaoh, prisoners were released from prisons. In ordinary families, it was practiced to celebrate only the birthday of the head of the family.

The position of Christianity on this issue at first was extremely tough: life is given to a person to atone for sins, so he is not up to fun. Later, the church softened somewhat and allowed baptisms with name days. But the Soviet system was against name days and, figuratively speaking, trampled on the tradition with its iron boot. Even the famous birthday fly was ordered to be removed from the works of old Korney.

By the way, name days were very popular in Russia: they baked a loaf, brewed delicious beer, cooked pies and sang songs. Of course, the peasant holidays were much more modest than the royal ones: sometimes the amount spent on the name day of the crowned person could be used to build several luxurious palaces.

Surprise Cake

It is clear that ordinary people have always dreamed of deliciously and inexpensively setting the table for a birthday. But what's a holiday without cake? Few people know where this indispensable attribute of birthdays came from. If you dig deeper, it is believed that the idea itself came again from the times of paganism, when sacred altars were lit in pitch darkness in honor of the ancient gods.

But the Germans introduced the tradition. They created a common ritual for celebrating a child's birthday. To do this, they prepared a delicious cake, in which various iconic objects were hidden, candles were placed on top according to the number of years of the hero of the occasion, and, having woken up the child with the dawn, they sang healthy songs to him. It is noteworthy that the cake was not eaten until evening, until the whole family gathered at the table. The child had to think of something cherished and blow out the candles at a time. Familiar, right?

Jam Day: their manners

In different countries, such holidays are treated differently. The most reverent attitude of the majority of the inhabitants of the planet to anniversaries. But some nationalities celebrate just odd or non-circular dates. Traditions are also different: in Italy, spaghetti will be an indispensable dish on the table of the birthday boy (so that he lives long), and in Latin America they always break a piñata with gifts loaded into it.

The British, who have lived to be 80 years old or more, are personally congratulated by Her Royal Majesty. But the most unlucky birthday people live in Japan: instead of children, their parents are congratulated, and it is generally customary to give gifts only after the age of 60.

Economy table rules

If the birthday hostess nevertheless decided to gather close people under her hospitable roof, but wants to measure needs with opportunities, then there is a way out.

Setting a table for a birthday at home is inexpensive, very tasty, and even so that it looks presentable - an absolutely doable task. To do this, you must follow the simplest rules:

1. The menu must be thought out in advance. It's good to delve into cookbooks, look through magazines. It is necessary to pay attention to the ingredients: it is cheaper to buy seasonal products, so the menu is selected accordingly. If the hostess wants to set the table for her birthday at home inexpensively, recipes with photos are especially welcome, because you can immediately see how the dishes will look on the table.
2. Accurately calculate the number of invitees (considering, of course, a few uninvited guests). You can cook hot portions, but in this case, the birthday girl will not have peace. It’s better to make a common dish with a margin.
3. The first courses in the birthday menu, as a rule, are not included. The exception is exotic gourmet soups.
4. If a traditional celebration is planned, then it is quite possible to set the table for a birthday at home inexpensively. Recipes for budget meals can be found in any source to your taste. But cold and hot appetizers, main course (meat or fish), salads and dessert must be included.

Alcoholic drinks are also an important attribute of the festive table, as they increase the degree of mood, pardon the pun.

Modest cut and luxurious roll

Many families adhere to classic long-term traditions and set the table with favorite dishes that guests know by heart. But this approach has its own benefit: people will never leave hungry and are guaranteed to be satisfied.

Meat, cheese and vegetable cuts belong to the standard cold appetizers. This classic approach has never let anyone down. The main thing is the variety of varieties in the composition of the cut. Everyone knows that it is with cold appetizers that any feast should begin. This is the so-called organizational moment: after all, it is useless to hope that no one will be late. And while waiting, the rest of the guests will be able to eat well so as not to drink on an empty stomach.

For those who want to set the table for a birthday at home inexpensively, Korean snacks are perfect: get a little bit of everything (pre-tasting the dishes) and place them on small plates on the table. Homemade pickles and marinades are also in great demand among guests.

There are express recipes for the dedicated on how tasty and inexpensive to set the table for a birthday: a cold roll and an appetizer with the romantic name "Raffaello". The first is prepared as follows:

• a sheet of thin pita bread is smeared with a mixture that includes: mayonnaise, garlic, dill and grated cheese;
• top with thinly sliced ​​ham;
• then the steps are repeated;
• roll pita bread in the form of a roll;
• wrap the product in cling film and put it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Serve such an inexpensive, but original dish by cutting it with a very sharp knife into portioned pieces.

Appetizer "Raffaello" will require the following ingredients:

• crab sticks;
• garlic;
• hard cheese;
• mayonnaise;
• cashews (but you can use walnuts to save money).

A walnut kernel is rolled into a mixture of cheese, fat mayonnaise and garlic. Next, the frozen crab stick is rubbed on a fine grater. In grated crab meat it crumbles with a surprise: the dish is ready. Including with the help of this recipe, you can reveal the secret of how to quickly and inexpensively set the table for a birthday. To make such balls look festive, they are laid out on fresh lettuce leaves.

You can also use seasonal dishes. The budget version of the menu is compiled in the summer. For example, eggplant tongues or fingers. The second option is more expensive, since it has very little, but meat is included.

Delicious hot appetizers

The hostess, asking herself the question of how tasty and inexpensive to set the table for her birthday, should not forget about hot snacks. They follow the cold when everyone has gathered at the table and it's time for the first toasts. They should not be many, and they are prepared shortly before serving. This is a light meal with small portion sizes. An example of such a snack can be easy-to-cook meat balls:

• traditional, minced meat is made, with the addition of a raw egg;
• the finished layer of dough is rolled out and cut into strips;
• meat balls are wrapped with threads of dough like a ball;
• the dish is baked in the oven until cooked.

This appetizer looks very presentable.

Now it is not a problem for the hostess to set the table for a birthday at home inexpensively, the recipes just jump out of magazines, cookbooks, and Internet portals. Here, for example, is a dish similar to julienne, which is prepared ridiculously quickly, but tastes simply charming. We present to the attention of the housewives champignons in sour cream sauce.

The dish is prepared like this:

• peeled mushrooms are added to carefully sautéed onions and carrots and stewed for about 10 minutes;
• later sour cream, seasonings are laid and everything is stewed until tender.

The simplest dish can be made beautiful if you sprinkle it with grated cheese and herbs on top, and serve it in ceramic pots.

Salads for a date

If you set out to set the table for a birthday at home inexpensively, then you can’t do without salads. For a traditional approach, Olivier, herring under a fur coat, Mimosa or Caesar are suitable. You can use the simplest option, which will require products such as:

• green pea;
• ham;
• pickled champignons;
• mayonnaise.

This salad is suitable when guests are literally on the doorstep or come unexpectedly. After all, nothing needs to be prepared in advance, all the components are simply mixed.

Salads with seafood can look original, they especially appeal to the female half of the guests.

Main meal serving

A very important moment when, after an artistic exclamation: “Fedya! Game!" on the table appears, for example, a baked appetizing duck stuffed with dried apricots and apples. But the question was how inexpensively to set the table for a birthday, what does the game have to do with it? So it is not necessary to bake the duck, the same can be done with chicken. You can use not the whole bird, but its legs or wings. If you marinate them well, and even roll them in honey, you get an excellent dish with a delicious crispy crust.

In general, before planning the main serving, you need to ask yourself what your guests like more: meat or fish? Only then can you prepare the coveted main course. Of course, fish is several times more troublesome than meat, but either pike will become truly festive and will be remembered by guests for a long time. It is not bad to serve chops, meatballs, medallions or steaks to the festive table. One thing can be said with certainty - meat must be present on the table.

As a side dish for main dishes, you should choose potatoes in any form: mashed potatoes, french fries, fried, boiled with herbs.

What about compote?

To set the table for a birthday inexpensively, recipes are not all that a hostess needs. Drinks are also important. Of course, you can not do without compotes, juices, carbonated drinks, maybe even crocks. And what about alcohol? It is important to take into account here that not everyone drinks strong alcohol, therefore champagne, as well as other wines, is an obligatory attribute on the festive table.

Desserts require tea or coffee. As a sweet, of course, in the classic version they serve a cake with candles, but how to set a festive table for a birthday inexpensively? After all, cakes are quite expensive. There is a way out: either bake a cake with your own hands, or purchase cakes, cookies or sweets. By the way, a confectionery product prepared personally is better than any purchased product, because the hostess puts her soul into the dish.

Mistress Secrets

To set the table for a birthday at home inexpensively, but at the same time make it unforgettable, you need to know the main secret: competent serving and decoration of dishes. This is not worth your time.

What you need for serving and decorating:

1. Tablecloth. The classic version is white, but other colors are allowed.
2. Tableware. Cutlery and glasses should be polished to a shine. For a solemn occasion, it will be useful to get your best service from the bins.
3. Do not forget about cloth napkins according to the number of guests. They can be laid out beautifully in waves or in the form of shapes.
4. Decorate dishes with herbs, bright berries, like cranberries, peas, olives. For curly and fruit there is a special knife, it would be nice to buy it. If you ask yourself the question: how to set the table for a birthday inexpensively, recipes can be very surprising. And not only with not too expensive and tasty dishes described in them, but also with a presentable appearance. This is due to the fact that the dish is decorated correctly, because when looking at food, appetite should come.
5. You should not conduct a lot of culinary experiments, let everything be familiar, with the exception of one or two dishes.

A festive table should not be complete without a variety of vegetables and fruits. If the alcohol is planned to be strong, then take care of a hearty and plentiful snack.

Little birthday boy

How to inexpensively set the table for a child's birthday so that he is delighted, probably many mothers think.

Actually, it's quite easy. There are several tips, using which you can make an unforgettable celebration for your child and his friends:

• paper dishes of bright colors - safe and beautiful, and you don’t need to wash anything;
• decoration of the room with balls, paper garlands;
• small dishes - mostly canapes, salads in bowls, lavash rolls with various fillings, chicken croquettes - children do not really like to overeat, unless, of course, these are sweets;
• water drinkers can be offered home-made lemonade, fruit drinks, juices, compotes and milk-fruit shakes;
• desserts are preferably from cottage cheese;
• salads are best seasoned with sour cream and yogurt.

Everything is suitable for canapes: ham, cheese stars, pepper slices, olives, corn, shrimp. The sweet version is done like this: bananas, grapes, kiwi are pricked on skewers.

From boiled chicken, tomatoes, sweet peppers and hard-boiled eggs, you can make a delicious salad by decorating it in the form of a hedgehog with fly agarics on its back. Lettuce is laid in layers: chopped chicken → tomatoes → grated eggs → crushed peppers. Each layer is smeared with sour cream and yogurt dressing. The hedgehog should be sprinkled with grated carrots, and the muzzle should be marked with egg white. The eyes and nose are made from olives and prunes, and fly agaric from eggs and tomatoes.

It is important to create a festive atmosphere and provide the opportunity for the kids to actively move.

Alternative Ideas

Finally, you can offer a few ideas when there is neither time nor desire to spend time in the kitchen, and the soul needs a holiday. You can set the table for a birthday at home inexpensively and tasty by purchasing prepared food from a cookery or restaurant. This option is especially suitable for a young advanced company. You can order pizza, grilled chicken and salads. Japanese dishes are a little more expensive.

There is also an interesting and modern option - a buffet table. But he is subject to certain rules:

• division into disposable portions;
• dishes should be mostly on skewers;
• you can lay out all kinds of goodies on one large table;
• the main dish should be in baskets or make pancakes, after cutting them;
• if chicken legs are served, then the bone is wrapped with a napkin.

Alcoholic drinks must be uncorked, and glasses and glasses must be provided to guests. But a huge plus will be that the birthday girl does not need to constantly change plates and appliances.

The most interesting option would be a birthday in nature. Happy people born in the summer months know what that means. Outdoor picnic, barbecue, barbecue, air and sun - what could be more tempting? But here there are nuances:

• salads with mayonnaise - not recommended picnic dishes;
• meat must be marinated in advance;
• take care of drinking water;
• sandwiches and side dishes can be taken from home.

And what a delicious pilaf on a fire or potatoes baked in ashes!

But whatever the birthday person chooses, the main thing is a festive mood and loved ones nearby.

A difficult question for most housewives: what to cook for the holiday table? After all, I want the dish to be not only tasty and beautiful, but also new, not beaten. The best recipes for such treats are collected below.

Snacks on the festive table

The choice of unusual snacks on the festive table is huge. Among all the existing recipes, every culinary specialist will find the ideal one for himself.

Pancake bags with chicken and mushrooms

Ingredients:

• pancakes - 10 pcs. ready;
• chicken fillet - 300 - 350 g;
• peeled mushrooms - 0.2 kg;
• grated cheese - a glass;
• sour cream / classic mayonnaise - to taste;
• butter;
• salt, spices and smoked cheese braid for tying pouches.

Cooking algorithm:

1. Cut the onions and mushrooms into smaller pieces, fry them in butter.
2. Boil the meat, cut into small pieces. Send to fry.
3. Add sour cream/mayonnaise to the pan. Salt, add spices. Soak for a couple of minutes.
4. Rub the cheese.
5. Spread the stuffing from the pan over the pancakes. Sprinkle with grated cheese on top.
6. Tie the delicious pouches with strips of smoked cheese.

Before serving, warm the snack in the microwave.

"Mushrooms"

Ingredients:

• boiled eggs - 3 pcs.;
• cheese and ham - 100 - 150 g each;
• cherry - 12 - 14 pcs.;
• fresh cucumbers - 2 - 3 pcs.;
• fresh herbs - 1 bunch;
• homemade mayonnaise and salt.

Cooking:

1. Grind eggs, cheese, ham with a grater. Salt as needed.
2. Add mayonnaise, mix everything.
3. Blind from the mass of the legs of "mushrooms". Set each on a circle of fresh cucumber and put the blanks on a plate covered with chopped herbs.
4. Make hats from cherry tomatoes and drops of mayonnaise.

Refrigerate and serve to guests.

Roll "Crab"

Ingredients:

• thin pita bread - 2 pcs.;
• boiled eggs - 3 pcs.;
• processed and hard cheese - 150 g each;
• garlic - 5 teeth;
• greens - 1 bunch;
• mayonnaise, salt.

Cooking:

1. Boiled eggs, two types of cheese and finely rub the garlic. Mix with mayonnaise and chopped herbs. Salt at will.
2. Divide the resulting filling into two portions.
3. Spread two pita breads with it in turn. Lay them on top of each other and roll up.

Cool the appetizer, covering it with a film, then cut into portioned pieces.

What salads to prepare for the holiday

From salad recipes for the holiday, it is better to choose those that do not have quickly spoiling and soaking ingredients. If the appetizer is with crackers, then the latter are best served separately with the dish.

With meat and crackers

Ingredients:

• any boiled meat - half a kilo;
• Chinese cabbage - half a kilo;
• cucumbers (fresh) - 4 pcs.;
• peeled champignons - half a kilo;
• dry garlic and yesterday's white bread - for crackers;
• butter;
• lettuce leaves;
• mayonnaise sauce and salt.

Cooking:

1. Rinse the lettuce leaves and lay them on a beautiful dish.
2. In a separate bowl, send boiled meat cut into thick strips. Chicken and pork are best suited for such an appetizer.
3. Send thinly chopped cabbage to the meat.
4. Finely chop the mushrooms and fry them in oil until light brown.
5. Then, on the remaining fat, lightly brown the diced yesterday's bread. Sprinkle with dry garlic as you go.
6. Cut fresh cucumbers into cubes.
7. Mix all prepared products. Salt. Fill with sauce.

Put them on a plate with lettuce leaves.

"Anthill"

Ingredients:

• chicken fillet - 250 - 280 g;
• tomato - 1 pc.;
• cucumber - 1 pc.;
• raw potatoes - 2 pcs.;
• garlic - optional;
• bow arrows - 3 - 4 feathers;
• hard cheese - 50 - 70 g;
• salt, mayonnaise sauce;
• quality vegetable oil.

Action algorithm:

1. Boil the chicken until fully cooked. Cool it directly in the broth for greater juiciness of the meat. Cut into small arbitrary pieces.
2. Mix the chicken with slices of tomato, grated cheese and chopped cucumber in the same way. Season everything with salted sauce mixed with crushed garlic.
3. Put the composition on a flat plate with a slide.
4. Cut the potatoes into very thin long strips. Fry the product in small portions in hot oil until golden brown and crispy.
5. Cover a slide of lettuce with potato straws.

Complement the appetizer with finely chopped green onions.

"Rainbow"

Ingredients:

• hunting sausages - 250 - 300 g;
• red salad pepper - 1 pc. (large);
• fresh strong cucumber - 1 - 2 pcs.;
• canned corn grains - 1 tbsp.;
• red onion - 1 head;
• boiled eggs - 3 pcs.;
• mayonnaise sauce - ½ tbsp.;
• French mustard - 1 dessert spoon;
• salt and spices.

Cooking:

1. Cut the sausages into slices.
2. Cut all vegetables and eggs into cubes. Drain liquid from corn.
3. Mix all.
4. Dress the salad with a mixture of sauce, mustard, salt and spices.

What is the main difference between an ordinary table and a festive one? Everyone will say: a lot of salads and bright design. Let's also add: and some non-ordinary, interesting, "key" hot dish, a kind of "highlight of the program." Festive hot dishes are a whole art that every housewife should master. Preparing for the holiday, any hostess first thinks about what she will have a hot dish on the festive table, and only then - salads, drinks and all that. With salads, it is desirable to be creative. After all, even the most ordinary salads can sparkle with new colors, if you approach them with imagination. The use of new ingredients can change your holiday dish beyond recognition. Recipes for festive dishes allow you to experiment with products, their combinations and colors. Not only a festive salad, but also any second dish on the festive table must be bright. Do not skimp on unexpected moves, try to combine more ingredients of different colors. Just look at the illustrations of real holiday dishes! The photos of these masterpieces are fascinating! Be sure to consider the experience of chefs who have already prepared dishes for the festive table. Recipes with photos of their creations can make your task much easier.

Delicious holiday meals are not necessarily festive meat dishes. After all, many people do not eat meat at all, or they prefer vegetables and fruits. You can’t deprive these guests of the holiday, make lenten festive dishes for them, the list of which is also quite large. After all, the main thing here is how to arrange and submit. Carved vegetables and fruits, original boiled egg and carrot roses, beautiful flowers and real mushroom fields - your imagination can be limitless.

Of course, no one cancels meat dishes for the festive table. They need to be given special attention in order to try to surprise guests, to create a real festive atmosphere. It is the festive meat dishes, along with some special birthday cake, that can become the very “highlight of the program”. Special decorations require festive dishes for a birthday. Beautiful inscriptions, drawings, figurines, etc. are appropriate here. But the main thing is that these are delicious dishes. You should not put ordinary snacks on the festive table. Also, very simple dishes on the festive table are not suitable. After all, this is a holiday, you need to surprise and delight guests. Recipes for dishes on the festive table just differ in their special taste and special design. Therefore, when preparing for the holiday, we advise you to study and prepare those festive dishes, the recipes with photos of which you will find on the site and which you will especially like in appearance.

And here are some more "holiday" tips: - take the time to decorate the table. It's even very exciting. Guests will appreciate your efforts, and you yourself will get a great mood. To help you, the list of colors of products for decorating dishes:

Red color is given by tomatoes, cranberries, sweet peppers;

Pink, raspberry - beetroot, cranberry juice;

Orange - carrots, bell peppers, tomato;

White - rice, egg whites, cottage cheese, sour cream;

Lilac, blue - grated egg white, rice, colored with red cabbage juice;

Burgundy - beets;

Yellow - egg yolks, corn, lemon;

Violet - egg whites tinted with red cabbage or red cabbage itself;

You need to decorate salads just before serving, so that the products do not flow and look fresh and appetizing;

Try to give different salads different colors;

Dishes on the festive table are served in various options and ways. Original - salads on slices of bread, wrapped in pita bread, in portioned baskets.