5 Recipes To Bookmark For A Cheap & Delicious Memorial Day Menu

When Memorial Day weekend finally rolls around, it officially starts to feel like summer. In most places in the country, it's starting to get seriously warm, and the days stretch out longer and longer each day. And considering that a lot of people have a three-day weekend, it's the perfect opportunity to get outside, start up the grill, and enjoy a feast with friends and family members to celebrate. But with rapidly rising grocery prices, you may be feeling pinched when planning a picnic this year. That's exactly why we're highlighting some of our favorite affordable Memorial Day recipes that don't sacrifice on flavor — but that won't break the bank either.

We're starting with a light and refreshing appetizer that will get your Memorial Day meal off to a great start, and following it up with an entree and other dishes that can round out your spread. There's even a fun, spritzy drink you can make that will quench your thirst and keep you feeling cool as temps are on the rise. Memorial Day has never tasted so good.

Watermelon should be a highlight at any summer gathering, since you can only get a seriously delicious, juicy watermelon during the warmer months of the year. But if you want to upgrade from a basic slice of watermelon to a dish that feels a bit more elevated, these tea sandwiches are the way to go. Slices of watermelon function as the "bread," while feta, cucumber, mint, basil, and arugula make for flavorful fillings. With the saltiness of the feta and the freshness of the mint, it's a flavor combo that really works.

Plus, during the summer, watermelon is a pretty affordable fruit, and the fact that you're choosing all veggie ingredients for this course also keeps your costs down. It's such a sophisticated starter, though, that your guests will be raving before you even start up the grill or pull the main course from your picnic basket.

Recipe: Watermelon and Feta Tea Sandwiches

If there's one dish that we always default to during the summer, it has to be pasta salad. Not only is it a light and fresh salad, but it's also a pretty substantial side. While a leafy green salad has its place, it's not ideal when you're trying to feed a crowd for cheap. Since pasta is so affordable — and the veggie add-ins that this recipe calls for are too — you can make a huge batch of this stuff without worrying that you're going over your budget.

Parsley, tomatoes, and zucchini are just some of the ingredients that you'll see in this recipe, but you can totally riff with whatever vegetables you already have in the fridge. As long as you keep the dressing flavorful, this pasta salad is bound to be a hit.

Recipe: Summer Garden Pasta Salad

What's Memorial Day without burgers? Whether you tend to buy pre-made beef patties or you make your own with a special spice mix, beef can be pricey, especially if you're trying to feed a lot of people. One smart way to cut down on the cost of meat is to cut it with beans, which is just what this beef and white bean burger recipe calls for. Not only do the white beans add some affordable bulk to these burgers, but they also provide them with a rich, creamy consistency that results in a lighter burger that tastes amazing when it's hot out.

Don't skip the slaw dressing, either, which adds an incredible crunch as well as a beautiful pop of color to your burger. You may never want to go back to a plain old burger recipe again once you try this cost-effective option.

Recipe: Blended Beef and White Bean BBQ Burgers

To finish off your meal, you're going to need a little something sweet. But when it gets hot out, you probably aren't craving something that's too rich or intense. That's where this trifle recipe comes into play. Peaches, whipped cream, and pound cake make for a light, fresh-tasting dessert that's still filling enough to finish off your meal nicely.

Whether you want to use a store-bought pound cake or make your own from scratch, this recipe is quite budget-friendly, considering that you're using fruit that's in season. And once you layer everything in a trifle dish, it looks downright fancy — nobody will guess how affordable it was to make.

Recipe: Summer Peaches and Cream Trifle

But wait! Aren't you going to get thirsty after eating all of these delicious dishes? You'll need something to sip on to wash that food down, and this watermelon sangria is exactly that. Using watermelon keeps things nice and light (and pairs nicely with the watermelon tea sandwiches) but still offers a subtle sweetness that makes every sip taste so refreshing. Plus, it calls for peaches and watermelon, which you'll already have on hand if you make the other recipes on this list.

Luckily, you can also snag the booze you'll need for this recipe for cheap. Grab an affordable bottle of sauvignon blanc and some vodka, and you'll be feeling like a bartender in no time.

Recipe: Summery Watermelon Sangria