Thanksgiving is filled with family, friends, good food and football. But it can also be filled with expenses — especially if you’re having Thanksgiving dinner at your house. The good news is there are plenty of ways to cook and enjoy a delicious budget Thanksgiving dinner.
No need to worry, though. The Thanksgiving holiday also offers ample ways to save. Here are eight of them:
Decide How Much You Need
Don’t buy enough food to feed an army if you don’t have an army coming. Plan your grocery list and menu so that everyone gets enough, of course, but you don’t need leftovers for a week.
Also, figure out who will eat what. If you have vegetarians or vegans coming, you don’t need turkey; many vegetarians would rather eat a simple pasta or warm braised lentils. Vegetarian food is often cheaper simply because pasta and lentils are less expensive than meat. If you have two or more vegetarians coming, plan an entree for them and cut down on the size of the turkey or ham you’re getting.
Don’t Make Traditional Foods No One Ever Eats
Traditional Thanksgiving meals are wonderful but there are always those dishes that no one actually eats. Cranberry sauce serves as more of a visual than a real food for many people. Lots of people don’t like sweet potatoes, especially in a casserole with marshmallows or walnuts. Mince pie can be an ordeal to be survived rather than a sought-after dessert.
If you find yourself tossing out most of a particular dish every year, you’re safe leaving it off the menu. If people ask for it, you can always add it back next year.
Make it Potluck
Bringing dishes to share is a Thanksgiving tradition in many families. This shares the cost of food in a fair and equitable way.
If your cousin can’t cook, suggest they pick up some nuts, dried fruit or chocolate to snack on before the big meal starts. You can circulate a sign up sheet or you can assign dishes you know people make. A cheese and olive platter is another quick and cheap appetizer even the less kitchen savvy can whip up and bring to your dinner.
Stick to Your Grocery List
Once you know what you need to get, make a list. Then, stick to the list once you hit the grocery store. Avoid impulse purchases!
Many stores have tons of holiday-themed goodies around Thanksgiving. Reaching for the persimmon-flavored chocolate, or the sugar cookies in the shape of a turkey, is a sure way to jack up your grocery bill.
Look for Sales
Of course, one of the most important ways to ensure you’ll have a delicious budget Thanksgiving dinner is to look around for deals on holiday food. Chains like Aldi’s routinely have lower costs than other grocery stores. If you’re a Costco member, shop there for savings. Many places start advertising sales on turkeys right after Halloween. If your local grocery store has a promotion on turkeys, don’t hesitate to buy. Many organizations also have drawings for free turkeys.
Don’t neglect coupons. Sites like Groupon can save you significant cash on food and decor for the holidays.
Go for Inexpensive Wine and Liquors
If your family usually has wine or liquor with Thanksgiving dinner, scour stores for sales here as well. Wine and liquor costs can add up quickly if you go with the most expensive varieties. Many people, though, actually prefer wine in a box, which costs roughly $2.50 per glass. Others swear by Trader Joe’s venerable Two-Buck Chuck, a good wine at an affordable price.
The potluck method also works well for wine, beer and liquor.
Choose Simple Decor
Many people love holiday decorations as much as the food. Thanksgiving can be an excuse to go all out on decor, but if you’re not careful, the price tag can quickly multiply.
You don’t need tons of decorations for a beautiful Thanksgiving. A simple tall candle or two will add warmth to the table. A centerpiece of gourds, or a cornucopia basket, is inexpensive and seasonal. No need for special holiday plates. It’s the company that counts, not how it looks.
Freeze and Reheat Leftovers
A budget Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t stop when you turn off the oven. Remember, no one needs to throw out leftover food. Almost everything left over from Thanksgiving dinner can be frozen for later eating. As a result, you’ll need fewer groceries for the week after, resulting in follow-on savings.
You can use leftover turkey and ham in soups, salads and pasta dishes. Leftover vegetables can become the central vegetable in future meals. Pies and other desserts can become the stuff you munch on while looking over your Black Friday loot or planning Cyber Monday purchases.
Thanksgiving can take a toll on your bank account — but it doesn’t have to. Taking advantage of these tips will ensure that you have a reasonably priced holiday that’s fun, food-filled and festive.
Photo Credit: grayclee
Using leftovers rather than just throwing away is an important thing to do. Additionally, I’d suggest the possibility of having guests chip in – each buy a certain part of the meal, or someone buys drinks, etc. That way, the cost is spread and can be done much more cheaply.
I’m with Martin on this one. We always ask guests to bring pies and the pre-dinner snacks. Saves a bundle!
In NJ if you buy $400. worth of groceries in the run up to Thanksgiving Day at Shop Rite you get a free turkey or ham. Most families will spend this much in the 2 month or so period and they can get a free turkey. My Mother lived alone and never spent enough to get a turkey so I used her card number after I got my free turkey because I have to buy a lot of groceries so we got two free turkeys. Anyone living in a senior complex could buddy up with a neighbor and use one card for all their groceries for a free turkey. I always have my free turkey cut (at no charge!) by the Shop Rite butcher down the center and wrapped in two packages. Two households who pooled their purchases to get a turkey would each get a free turkey half this way. Use every bit of the turkey and at the end make stock from the carcass and scraps by putting the bones, water, a chopped onion and a diced carrot in a stock pot and simmering gently for a couple of hours. Strain, discard solids and chill the broth in refrigerator. A layer of fat will surface and harden on top. Do not remove the fat until ready to use the stock as this airtight seal protects the stock from spoiling.
Love these tips, Karen! Especially the one about asking the butcher to cut up the turkey into pieces. As for making stock, I’m already on board with that one; I make sure to cook a delicious stock for eating after Thanksgiving!
If it’s your year to host, and you don’t like your relatives, only serve Fruitcake!
I think you may be on to something, Bill!