So this week I’m right, indeed I can’t call this a recipe — instead I’ll call it a quick dinner idea! A baked potato bar is a delicious, tasty, and easy meal!
Baked potato toppings can be easily customized based on your family’s preferences. For example, my team absolutely hates sour cream. So obviously we’re not putting that on our list of top ideas, haha. We usually use bacon, but sometimes I mix it in and make a seasoned ground meat (beef, turkey, or venison) and go with tex-mex toppings instead (corn, beans, cilantro, salsa, etc). We love roasted broccoli, but again – almost any vegetable can work here (although I recommend roasting the vegetables). The sky’s the limit, and thrifty baked potatoes are an inspiration for that!
I have even served a baked potato bar when hosting large groups of people. If each family brings their favorite topping, a bag of potatoes can go a long way. Simple foods that can work with a variety of food allergies, as each ingredient is kept separate, and people can only wear what they like.
This post is part of our $10 Dinner Ideas series, brought to you by Brigette on our team! Each week, she shares easy, delicious, and affordable dinner ideas that cost less than $10 to make, use everyday ingredients, and are super quick meals.
Baked Potato Bar Menu:
- Baked potato
- Roasted Broccoli
- Ingredients: bacon, shredded cheese, butter, chopped green onion (and any other additives you want to add!)
Baked Potato Bar Ingredients:
- 6 large potatoes (about 5 lbs) (Aldi – $3.49 for 10 lbs) – $1.75
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil (Aldi – $7.25 for 33 tablespoons) — $0.88
- 1 lb bacon (or any meat of your choice) (Publix) — $3.25
- salt
- 1/3 bag of green onions (Aldi – $0.95 for 1 bag) — $0.32
- 6 tablespoons of butter (Aldi – $0.85 per stick) – $0.68
- 1-2 cups shredded cheese (Aldi – $2.79 for 12 ounces) – $1.40
- 1 lb fresh broccoli (Harris Teeter) – $2
Dinner Total: $10.28 (Serves 6)
How to Make a Loaded Potato Bar:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Wash the potatoes well and pat them dry. Prick them with a fork.
3. Place them on a cookie sheet and brush them all with olive oil. Sprinkle heavily with salt.
4. Bake the potatoes in the oven for 55-60 minutes, or until the skins have sprouted, and you can easily pierce the potatoes with a fork.
5. While the potatoes are baking, cook the bacon using your favorite method. (I cook it in the oven on a cookie sheet on a different rack than the potatoes.) Break the bacon into pieces.
6. Wash and dry the broccoli and cut it into pieces. On a new cookie sheet, spread the broccoli evenly. (If you have parchment paper, you can line the pan with it for easy cleaning, but it works fine without it.) Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
7. Roast in a 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until tender and beginning to brown. (I do this after I take the bacon out of the oven.)
8. Wash and cut the green onion.
9. Put each ingredient in a separate bowl (shredded cheese, grilled broccoli, crumbled bacon, butter, chopped green onion). Serve the baked potatoes buffet-style alongside a variety of toppings and let each person arrange their potatoes as they wish!
Baked Potato Bar ($10 Family Dinner)
A baked potato bar is a delicious, tasty and easy meal that can be customized based on your family’s preferences.
Prevent your screen from going dark
Ingredients
- 6 large potatoes about 5 lbs (Aldi – $3.49 for 10 lbs) — $1.75
- 4 Spoons olive oil Aldi – $7.25 for 33 tablespoons – $0.88
- 1 lb Bacon any meat of your choice (Publix) — $3.25
- salt
- 1/3 a bag green onion Aldi – $0.95 for 1 bag – $0.32
- 6 Spoons butter Aldi – $0.85 per stick – $0.68
- 1-2 cups shredded cheese Aldi – $2.79 for 12 ounces – $1.40
- 1 lb Fresh broccoli Harris Teeter – $2
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
-
Wash the potatoes well and pat them dry. Prick them with a fork.
-
Place them on a cookie sheet and brush them all over with olive oil. Sprinkle heavily with salt.
-
Bake the potatoes in the oven for 55-60 minutes, or until the skins are crisp, and you can easily pierce the potatoes with a fork.
-
While the potatoes are baking, cook the bacon using your favorite method. (I cook it in the oven on a cookie sheet on a separate rack than the potatoes.) Break the bacon into pieces.
-
Wash and clean the broccoli and cut it into pieces. On a new cookie sheet, spread the broccoli evenly. (If you have parchment paper, you can line the pan with it for easy cleanup, but it works just fine without it.) Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
-
Roast in a 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until tender and beginning to brown. (I do this after I take the bacon out of the oven.)
-
Wash and cut the green onion.
-
Place each ingredient in a separate bowl (shredded cheese, roasted broccoli, crumbled bacon, butter, chopped green onion). Serve the baked potatoes buffet-style alongside a variety of toppings and let each person arrange their potatoes as they wish!
Notes
We usually use bacon, but sometimes I mix it in and make a seasoned ground meat (beef, turkey, or venison) and go with tex-mex toppings instead (corn, beans, cilantro, salsa, etc). We love roasted broccoli, but again – almost any vegetable can work here (although I recommend roasting the vegetables). The sky’s the limit, and thrifty baked potatoes are an inspiration for that!
Nutritious food
Calories: 864kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 23g | Oil: 55g | Saturated Fats: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 7g | Monounsaturated Fats: 24g | Trans Fats: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 755mg | Potassium: 1960mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 983IU | Vitamin C: 140mg | Calcium: 181mg | Iron: 4mg
Do you like this recipe?
Be sure to share and save it to your favorite place below!
Frequently Asked Questions About Sweet Potato Bars:
My family likes shredded cheese, roasted broccoli, bacon, butter, and chopped green onions. You can also add ground beef, tex-mex toppings, or sour cream.
My family likes crumbled bacon the best, but you can also add shredded chicken or ground beef, venison, or turkey.
A baked potato bar is an easy, affordable, and customizable party idea! If each family brings their favorite topping, a bag of potatoes can go a long way.
You can keep them warm for 1-2 hours by placing them in a 200 degree oven, placing them in a slow cooker, or wrapping them in foil after cooking.
More Family Dinner Ideas Under $10:
Also, be sure to check out all of our easy dinner recipes here!
If you make this easy family dinner, we’d love for you to leave a review and let us know how it went!
FREE One Week Menu Plan!
Easy Dinner Recipes and Grocery Shopping Lists!
Student interaction
Mom’s® Savings Comment Policy
We love reader comments, so chime in with your thoughts below! We do our best to keep this blog fun and inspiring, so please keep your comments nice and kind. Read more information about our comments policy.
