By Sherri Blevins
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, and one reason for that is all the delicious food we allow ourselves to splurge on during the Thanksgiving celebration. One of the not so favorite parts of the holiday is the cost of everything involved to have the perfect meal. WWW.allrecipes.com offers tips to make Thanksgiving Dinner on a budget. Most of these tips can apply to meals we make any time.
Since turkey is usually about 40 percent of the cost for a Thanksgiving meal, Jen Harwell advises smart shoppers to buy store-brand frozen turkey (with a coupon) instead of buying a fresh bird. However, it would be best if you remembered to thaw the turkey in plenty of time to cook it. Experts recommend thawing the bird one day in the fridge for every five pounds.
Harwell suggests sticking to recipes that use everyday ingredients you’d normally keep in your pantry, and when you must buy additional groceries, buy large packages and split the contents and the cost with a friend. Buying potatoes, butter, eggs, sugar, and flour with a friend at big box stores can help keep change in your pockets.
One strategy that pays off year-round is to look for coupons and weekly specials. Most stores run sales on items such as canned cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie filling, and other canned goods needed for holiday celebrations a week or two before the holiday. Be sure and look in advance for bargains.
Generic brands can be a savvy shopper’s greatest ally because they are usually less expensive than name-brand items, but they taste just as good. (I am certain exceptions do apply, but usually not.)
Harwell imparts two other suggestions: buy frozen ingredients when you can instead of fresh if you are looking to pay less, and make a shopping list and stick to it. Don’t be tempted to look at all the other bargains you see around you if you only need to shop for Thanksgiving. Another option would be to use an online grocery service to order the items from your list, drive in and have the employees load your order, and never be tempted with all the goodies inside the store.
The final suggestion from Harwell is to share the cost with family and friends by having a Thanksgiving potluck meal. This plan cuts down on the expense and lessens the load of preparing everything by yourself.
Finally, remember to be thankful for whatever you have to share at the table because it is all a blessing to enjoy.
