How to Plan a Frugal Easter Dinner (Free Printable Meal Planner!)

Easter will be here before we know it. Planning ahead can help save you money and reduce stress. With these frugal Easter dinner tips and a free Easter dinner menu planner printable you’ll have the dinner planned in no time.

I love the holidays. I love to decorate, plan special meals, and spend time with my loved ones. I can also stress out about the details if I’m not careful.

Over the years I’ve learned that planning ahead makes all of the difference. For Christmas, I start planning months ahead of time because there is so much to do. We don’t do as much for Easter so I don’t need to start too early but I still want to be prepared.

Tips for Having a Frugal Easter Dinner

One thing that being prepared does, other than of course reducing stress, is to save you money. You are able to look for better deals and do a bit more yourself which can really add up to a lot of savings.

Keep it Simple

Leftovers are great but we want to be mindful of how much leftover food we really want to have around. Look at your guest list, if you are having eight people you likely don’t need five side dishes and eight desserts.

Pinterest can also make you think the dishes have to be super fancy but sometimes simple is just as good, or even better. Talk to your guest and find out their Easter favorites, they likely aren’t the super fancy dishes.

A potluck is also a way to simplify things. That’s how my extended family handles most holidays and works really well. You can use a site like Perfect Potluck to help you keep track of who’s bringing what.

If you are sending out invites try Paperless Post. You can create online invitations so there is no mailing involved. It’s quick and easy.

Use Apps for Coupons and Cash-Back

Many grocery stores now have apps with mobile coupons. Target, Sprouts, Whole Foods, and many others all offer this option. It makes using coupons so easy.

You also can use apps like Ibotta to get cashback from your purchases. And for items purchased online be sure to use Rakuten for coupon codes and cash-back.

Shop Online

Using online stores like Thrive Market and Amazon Prime Pantry can help save you money, especially on natural food. If you are looking for natural Easter candy or baking supplies check out Natural Candy Store.

Don’t forget to check Rakuten for coupon codes and to get cashback on your online purchases.

Skip Disposables

If possible use real dishes. It will save you money and is better for the environment. If you don’t have enough see if a guest or two would mind loaning some. If you have a small crowd, cloth napkins may also be a good option.

Plan Your Menu

Having a detailed menu plan and shopping list is key. Using the free Easter dinner menu printable, which you can get below, will help you stay organized. You can keep it in your planner or home management binder.

When planning your menu be sure to see what you already have on hand. No point in buying things you already have. Also, use sale ads as inspiration for dishes. The more sale ingredients you can use the better.

If you want to be extra organized you can get my Easter planner. It’s a digital download so you will get it right away so you can print it off and get started. It’s great for looking back at the next year to remember what worked and what didn’t.

Get a Free Printable Easter Menu Planner

This free printable Easter menu planning sheet can help you keep everything organized. If you want to keep it with you while you are cooking I recommend putting it in a page protector so it doesn’t get wet or dirty. I love this trick for recipes and planning sheets I’m using while cooking!

Additional Easter Resources