Baked Potato Bar ($10 Family Dinner Idea)

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 loaded baked potatoes arranged on a wooden table including whole russet potatoes, fresh broccoli, green onions, shredded cheddar cheese in a zip top bag, sliced bacon, butter, salt, and a can of cooking spray

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)

Crispy baked potato split open and filled with steamed broccoli, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green onions, and crispy bacon pieces, served on a white plate outdoors.

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.

Six russet potatoes coated in oil and sprinkled with salt arranged on a metal baking sheet.

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.

Several strips of bacon cooking on a metal baking sheet.

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.

Close up of fresh broccoli florets spread across a metal baking sheet.

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.)

Close up of roasted broccoli florets spread across a metal baking sheet with baked potatoes in the background.

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!

Glass bowls and plates filled with baked potatoes, chopped green onions, shredded cheddar cheese, crispy bacon pieces, and steamed broccoli arranged on a wooden table.

Baked Potato Bar ($10 Family Dinner)

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A baked potato bar is such a fun, tasty and simple meal that can be easily customized based on your family’s preferences.

Course dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword easy dinner, family favorite, gluten free, potatoes, weeknight dinner

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Servings

Calories 864kcal

Author Brigette

Cost $10.28

Ingredients

6 large potatoes about 5 lbs (Aldi – $3.49 for 10 lbs) — $1.754 Tablespoons olive oil Aldi — $7.25 for 33 Tablespoons — $0.881 lb bacon or any meat of your choice (Publix) — $3.25salt1/3 bag green onions Aldi — $0.95 for 1 bag — $0.326 Tablespoons butter Aldi — $0.85 per stick — $0.681-2 cups shredded cheese Aldi — $2.79 for 12 ounces — $1.401 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

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!

Nutrition

FAQs about Baked Potato Bar:

What are good toppings for a 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.

What kind of meat for a baked potato bar?

My family likes crumbled bacon best, but you could also add shredded chicken or ground beef, venison, or turkey.

What to serve for baked potato bar?

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.

What are baked potato bar ideas for a party?

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.

How do you keep baked potatoes warm for a potato bar?

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.