Wanna know the double whammy about preparing Thanksgiving dinner?
In addition to requiring half a day of preparation (or more if you count the planning phase) only to be devoured in about 20 minutes, it’s also kind of expensive.
Actually, let me rephrase that – it’s very expensive. With the cost of the average Thanksgiving dinner approaching $50 – a total that seems low, if you asked me – it’s important to find ways to cut corners on cost without cutting corners on taste.
I paid a visit to the buffet of inspiration known as the internet to round up four Turkey Day dishes and ideas guaranteed to reduce your grocery bill this Thanksgiving.
The free turkey
The bird is the most expensive course on the menu (a 16-pounder will cost somewhere between $10 and $15). Cut this cost by taking advantage of the “free turkey” offers available at many grocery stores when you cash in your member rewards points.
Mashed potatoes
It’s just potatoes, milk, butter and some salt and pepper. If this meal costs more than 50 cents per serving, you’re doing something wrong.
Green bean casserole
No Thanksgiving is complete without this American classic. But it’s easy to spend $15 or more on this dish, which is why I recommend simplifying it by sticking to the Campbell’s recipe. Just six ingredients and you’re done.
Bring your own side dish/dessert
One of the easiest ways to cut costs is by asking guests to bring a side dish or dessert.
To make it fun, challenge them to bring something made with an old family recipe or something that reminds them of Thanksgivings from their childhood.
Just be sure to coordinate what everyone is bringing or else you’ll wind up with five pumpkin pies and six sides of creamed corn!
How do you save on Thanksgiving dinner?
I also make my own homemade biscuits, corn on the cob fresh from farmers market (buy it in summer July-August when it is still cheap and freeze it).
Seyma, Yum! That sounds delish! I love food that’s homemade!
I Use the Campells Reciepe every year and its always a hit and saves tons
Sounds great, Darlene! I’m in charge of my Thanksgiving dinner this year so I need to start planning!
The pie looks so wonderful!! We had our Thanksgiving here in Canada on Oct 7, but now I’m wanting turkey and pumpkin pie again!
Your article is just what I needed to read. I always try to cut cost because I have a large family. Thanks so much.
The only thing I don’t cut corners on is the turkey. We buy ours from a local butcher who sources it from local farms. The rest of the feast we try to source locally as much as possible and avoid commercially canned foods. When we want to save money on holiday meals, we go to a local restaurant for their famous fried chicken and peanut pie. Really, the issue isn’t so much the foods themselves, but the quantities that are prepared. If you look at it as cooking for a few days, then it doesn’t break the bank so badly. There are tons of awesome things to do with leftovers besides sandwiches.