So this week I really, really cannot call this a recipe — instead I’ll call it a quick easy dinner idea! A baked potato bar is such a fun, tasty, and simple meal!
Baked potato toppings can be easily customized based on your family’s preferences. For example, my crew absolutely hates sour cream. So obviously we don’t include that on our list of topping ideas, haha. We usually use bacon, but sometimes I mix it up and do seasoned ground meat (beef, turkey, or venison) and go with tex-mex toppings instead (corn, beans, cilantro, salsa, etc). We love roasted broccoli, but once again — almost any vegetable can work here (although I do recommend roasting the veggies). The sky is the limit, and the frugal baked potato is the inspiration behind it all!
I’ve even served a baked potato bar when I’ve hosted large groups of people. If each family brings their favorite topping, a bag of potatoes can go a long way. It’s an easy meal that can work with a variety of food allergies, as each ingredient is kept separate, and people can put on only the things that 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 family-friendly dinner ideas that cost less than $10 to make, use everyday ingredients, and are super quick meals.
Baked Potato Bar Menu:
- Baked Potatoes
- Roasted Broccoli
- Toppings: Bacon, Shredded Cheese, Butter, Chopped Green Onions (and whatever other toppings you want to add!)
Ingredients for Baked Potato Bar:
- 6 large potatoes (about 5 lbs) (Aldi – $3.49 for 10 lbs) — $1.75
- 4 Tablespoons 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 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
Total for Dinner: $10.28 (Serves 6)
How to Make a Loaded Potato Bar:
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Thoroughly wash the potatoes and pat them dry. Prick them with a fork.
3. Put them on a cookie sheet and rub them all over with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt.
4. Bake potatoes in the oven for 55-60 minutes, or until the skins are crisp, and you can easily pierce the potatoes with a fork.
5. While the potatoes are baking, cook the bacon using your preferred 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 in a single layer. (If you have parchment paper, you can line the pan with it for easily cleanup, but it works fine without it.) Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
7. Roast in the oven at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until tender and starting to brown. (I do this once I’ve taken the bacon out of the oven.)
8. Wash and chop the green onions.
9. Put each ingredient in a separate bowl (shredded cheese, roasted broccoli, crumbled bacon, butter, chopped green onions). Serve the baked potatoes buffet-style alongside the various toppings and let each person top their potato as desired!
Baked Potato Bar ($10 Family Dinner)
Ingredients
- 6 large potatoes about 5 lbs (Aldi – $3.49 for 10 lbs) — $1.75
- 4 Tablespoons 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 green onions Aldi — $0.95 for 1 bag — $0.32
- 6 Tablespoons 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.
- Thoroughly wash the potatoes and pat them dry. Prick them with a fork.
- Put them on a cookie sheet and rub them all over with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt.
- Bake 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 preferred method. (I cook it in the oven on a cookie sheet on a different rack than the potatoes.) Break the bacon into pieces.
- Wash and dry the broccoli and cut it into pieces. On a new cookie sheet, spread the broccoli in a single layer. (If you have parchment paper, you can line the pan with it for easily cleanup, but it works fine without it.) Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Roast in the oven at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until tender and starting to brown. (I do this once I’ve taken the bacon out of the oven.)
- Wash and chop the green onions.
- Put each ingredient in a separate bowl (shredded cheese, roasted broccoli, crumbled bacon, butter, chopped green onions). Serve the baked potatoes buffet-style alongside the various toppings and let each person top their potato as desired!
Notes
Nutrition
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FAQs about Baked Potato Bar:
My family loves shredded cheese, roasted broccoli, bacon, butter, and chopped green onions. You could also add ground beef, tex-mex toppings, or sour cream.
My family likes crumbled bacon best, but you could also add shredded chicken or ground beef, venison, or turkey.
In addition to the above toppings, you could serve it with chili, shredded Mexican chicken or shredded bbq pork, or a favorite salad on the side.
A baked potato bar is an easy, affordable, and customizable idea for a party! If each family brings their favorite topping, a bag of potatoes can go a long way.
You could keep them warm for 1-2 hours by putting them in a 200 degree oven, on low in the slow cooker, or wrap them in foil after cooking.
More Ideas for Family Dinners Under $10:
- Whole Wheat Pancakes
- Chicken Alfredo and Roasted Carrots
- Breakfast Sandwiches
- Chicken Alfredo Soup and World’s Easiest Biscuits
- Lazy Lasagna Casserole
- Kielbasa and Cabbage Skillet
- Easy Chicken Noodle Soup with Easy 30 Minute Dinner Rolls
- Meat and Potato Crust Quiche with Flax Muffins
- Chicken Fried Rice
- Creamy Tortellini Soup and Pumpkin Crescent Rolls
- Homemade French Bread Pizza
And, be sure to check out all 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 turned out!
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We used to do potato bars for the church youth group (over 100 in attendance most nights). It was always a hit. I would wrap up potatoes in aluminum foil and cram my oven full of potatoes. When they were cooked I’d move them to a large cooler to let then rest and keep them warm. We always had plenty of toppings to go on them but the kids loved them as they are customizable.
I also used to have a potato bar when my kids were all still at home. It’s a good way to use up leftover chili (you know, it’s not enough to feed the family but it’s plenty for whoever wants it to put on a potato).
I’m thinking I need to do this next time my grandkids come for a visit. Thank you for the great idea and reminder.
I love that! Thank you for sharing!
This sounds crazy but hear me out: I’ve started making my own nacho sauce instead of a jar or Velveeta and it’s really simple. You buy a bag of powder on Amazon called sodium citrate — it’s not as chemically as Velveeta or as it sounds. You scald a cup of milk, add 2 tsp of the powder and slowly add two cups of whatever cheese you like — we use sharp cheddar, and whisk. Bam, nacho sauce. It’s really good and it doesn’t separate or clump. It’s delicious. (Also, it’s gluten free) It would be a delicious addition to this potato bar!
Oh! This is so great to know! Thank you for the tip!
The hospital I worked at served this and was a hit. Sour cream was another topping. We put on the toppings we chose ourselves.
Love it – thank you for sharing!
Such a great way to meet dietary preferences when guests come over, too! I steam/pressure cook yukon gold potatoes in Instant Pot and offer a wide selection of non-meat or dairy items (salsa, lettuce, black beans, chopped onions, chicves) along with pulled pork, and sour cream, butter, shredded cheese, and salt and pepper. True crowd pleaser!
Love this! Thanks for sharing!