Throwing a Memorial Day get-together in a recession doesn’t have to mean just putting out a box of store-brand Ritz crackers. Over at CNBC, Celebrity chef Guy Fieri shares a few simple tweaks for serving up a feast this weekend without having to go into hock.

You can satisfy the same desire for flavor of pricier food by serving it as an appetizer or on the side instead of main course. Consider passed platter baby back ribs for example, instead of making them the showcase.

Speaking of the main course, you can dress up plainer and cheaper fare with unexpected toppings. Along with hamburgers, roll out a topping bar of bacon strips, a few different cheeses, arugula, romaine lettuce and sliced yellow tomatoes, and several different kinds of mustards. Boom, gourmet hamburger bar on a budget.

For chicken, try cooking in batches with different of marinades and sauces to add variety for not that much coin.

And don’t think we’ve forgotten about vegetables. To save money and headache, you can take one kind of vegetable and serve it up in several different ways. Take a bulk lot of asparagus and make a marinated asparagus salad, grill some asparagus, and make a simple sautéed batch.

Are you hosting a Memorial Day party this weekend? What steps are you taking to entertain on a budget?

Party on a budget: Guy Fieri’s 5 Memorial Day tips [CNBC]

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