In our communities in eretz yisroel, the rabbonim and organizations that help pple weekly put food on the table, have come out over the past couple of years asking us to please cut down on the mishloach manos etc. and focus on giving for matonos la-evyonim. It is a true kiddush hashem.
amichai: The Rabbonim in the N.Y. metropolitan area have had takanos on mishloach manos too. People have cut down and I for one am happy to see the change.
I don’t think you have to spend much at all. If the purpose is to increase kinship and friendship, then spending more for less people, or minimal for more people, id go with minimal for more people.