Thanksgiving on a Budget

Thanksgiving Dinner is an all-time favorite at our house. My kids start dancing and breaking out in song when they see anything remotely resembling mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and oh yeah, the turkey. 

We have a smaller version of that meal throughout the winter and there are rarely leftovers.

But, having lived through some really tight times, I am aware that hosting a big holiday dinner can pinch the wallet. You want to be hospitable. You want to splurge. But, if you’re really serious about sticking to a budget, that can be a tough thing to pull off.

How do you do Thanksgiving on a budget?

While November is traditionally the month for fantastic stock-up sales, I’m not really seeing that in my local stores. I haven’t for awhile now. 

In the good old days it was easy to snag a free turkey or even one for five bucks. That’s unheard of these days, especially now that the cost of turkey has increased by a chunk of change.

Likewise, potatoes, onions, baking ingredients, and other traditional ingredients, are not yet low enough in price for me to call them bargains. 

So, again, how do you do Thanksgiving on a budget?

1. Consider your priorities.

Thanksgiving Dinner is a big deal. For some families it’s the one time that you get together in the year. 

For hobbits like mine, it’s an occasion for feasting. The Thanksgiving meal includes some of our favorites of all the year. 

But, that doesn’t mean you have to go all out and make everything. Instead ask yourself what are non-negotiables on the meal plan and what can you omit without a riot?

One year on Facebook, I suggested opting out of turkey  in favor of a less expensive main dish. 

I figure the Pilgrims would have eaten whatever was readily available. They were blessed to have turkey (if they actually did serve turkey) and I’m blessed to get chicken legs for just 99 cents/pounds.

Some folks had no problem with it, others thought it was near blasphemy to lose the turkey. My son, the gourmand, merely shrugged his shoulders.

Lesson learned: Find out what matters to YOUR family.

Now, fourteen years later, I make a slow cooker ham and a turkey breast and everyone is happy. 

This year, my priorities are finances and fitness, so I won’t be going overboard on desserts which will push both of those priorities to their limits.

2. Make a Thanksgiving menu plan and a grocery list.

Don’t think that you can run to the store and just grab whatever. It certainly can be done, but you’ll pay more than you should or even want to. 

Instead, write a thorough menu plan right down to drinks and appetizers. Compare your menu to what you already have on hand. Could you swap a few recipes to save money and use what’s already in your fridge, freezer, or pantry?

Double check your list and see if you could serve a lower priced alternative.

• Instead of a fancy charcuterie board, make a simple relish tray.
• Consider that maybe two desserts would be just as good as four. 
• Does anyone really like pumpkin pie? If you only serve it due to tradition, consider saving some money by opting out.
• If the main dish protein is pricy, fill out with lots of Thanksgiving side dishes the kids love.

Include your family in this process. For the last few years I’ve prepared a google survey to send to my kids and dinner guests. They get to vote on things like dessert and let me know their preferences.

In this way I truly can find out what matters to my family and I don’t spend money on things that don’t.

Audit yourself so that you are planning a pleasing feast that won’t make you a pauper.

Once you figure out what you want to serve, create a grocery list, consulting your pantry and freezer as you go. You may not need to buy as many ingredients as you think if you know you can shop your kitchen first.

3. Find the best price — on most things.

Unless you have endless time and gas at your disposal, you realistically can’t get every good deal there is. Nonetheless, scan your grocery stores’ flyers and narrow down what the best prices are in each store. 

This is pretty easy to do since most stores post their prices online.

Find the store with the best deals for most things on your list. Shop there to get the biggest bang for your buck. 

While you’re there, be ready to flex. Keep an eye open for markdowns and manager specials. Don’t be afraid to buy a generic equivalent or a different brand ingredient for menu items that are lower in priority.

Remember to use store digital coupons and cash back apps, like Ibotta. Every drop of savings helps!

4. Accept help.

If you are hosting a big dinner with guests who are offering to contribute to the meal, let them! There’s no rule that says you have to do it all yourself. 

The Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people both contributed food to the feast. Folks love to share food and lighten the load on the hostess. Let them.

Some might balk at this idea, but I think you need to reconsider. What’s at stake?

• If it’s your pride, better to nip it in the bud.
• If you are a control freak, then choose what they bring.
• If you love to cook, invite them to bring something that doesn’t matter to you, like beverages.

Money is tight; so be reasonable.

5. Be mindful of leftovers.

Thanksgiving Dinner can add up to quite a cost, especially when you make more courses than normal. Don’t let a bit of it go to waste.

Remember that wasted food equals wasted money. Save money when you avoid food waste.

This applies to the prepped food leftover from the holiday weekend as well as half-used ingredients that you bought to make those dishes.

Freeze what you can and then meal plan the next few meals around what’s left. Consider:

• Make soup with leftovers for a tasty weekend meal.
• Prep an easy single crust pot pie.
• Freeze whipped cream in dollops to use in hot cocoa throughout the holiday season.
• Turn leftover cranberry sauce into Kate’s amazing oatmeal jam bars.

Avoiding leftovers in the first place can help you save money, too.

6. Remember, “Enough is as good as a feast.”

I am the first one to admit how easy it is to go overboard at the holidays. This year, however, I’m focusing on keeping things simple.

It really doesn’t matter if you have three kinds of breads, four different appetizers, and ten desserts. Thanksgiving is not about impressing!

Rather, it’s about enjoying the bounty you’ve been blessed with. Some years there is plenty, and some years there isn’t.

And that’s okay. Enough is as good as a feast.