How to Save Money
on Thanksgiving Dinner
Thanksgiving is just 3 weeks away, and if you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner, it’s likely that you’ll be hitting the grocery stores soon. Although the cost of a Thanksgiving meal is usually a lot higher than your average family meal, that is mainly due to the quantity of food you’ll be cooking (especially if you have guests), and not because the ingredients themselves are particularly expensive. It is possible to save money on Thanksgiving dinner if you follow the simple tips shared by Dawn Papandrea, an author for Living on the Cheap. 

What is the average cost of a Thanksgiving meal?
According to Farm Bureau’s 2020 survey of classic items found in a traditional turkey dinner, the average cost of a home-cooked Thanksgiving meal for 10 people is around $5 per person. That’s actually pretty affordable. 
 
How much should I budget for Thanksgiving?
While the average price for a 10-person feast is $50, you can put Thanksgiving dinner on the table for a lot less. With a little planning and careful shopping — and using the tips below — you can feast like a king and still stay within your budget. (And if you are hosting others this year, ask each family to bring a dish. That will save you both time and money.)
 
Comparison shop for turkey
You’re pretty used to comparison shopping online by now, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t apply that practice to the star of the show (and the most expensive item on the table) — the turkey. Prices on Thanksgiving groceries like turkey and canned veggies can vary significantly from store to store, so it pays to compare costs.

Save on staples
Lucky for you, mashed potatoes, yams, stuffing and corn casserole all use inexpensive ingredients that can really fill up your table with comfort food goodness. Take the time to scout out your local grocers to see where to score the deepest discounts on these items.
 
Trim costs on trimmings
Whether you’re serving roasted broccoli, honey-glazed carrots or sauteed brussel sprouts as your signature veggie dish, buying whole produce will save you up to 40 percent on the prepackaged stuff. Yes, you’ll have to do the washing, chopping and prepping, but that’s all the more love that will go into your meal.
 
If your favorite side dish or dessert features an out-of-season fruit or vegetable, however, consider buying frozen instead. Frozen produce is cheaper than fresh, and because it’s flash-frozen at peak ripeness, you still get all the flavor and nutritional benefits. That goes for cranberries, too! For larger crowds, it could pay to buy oversize bags at stores like Costco and freeze what you don’t use.
 
To keep the price of Thanksgiving dinner from creeping up, be sure to decide exactly which side dishes you can’t live without, and only purchase the ingredients for those. Most of us tend to make so much food at Thanksgiving we can’t eat all the leftovers. Keep the Thanksgiving budget on track by sticking to those side dishes you really love. 
 
DIY desserts
Ultimately, boxed stuffing and canned gravy won’t break your Thanksgiving budget, but where you really need to focus your do-it-yourself skills is on dessert and baked goods like pumpkin pie and cheesecake. Prices at the bakery are marked up 100 to 300 percent, which will send your grocery costs soaring.
 
Also, stick to generic when it comes to flour, sugar, brown sugar, etc. These are single-ingredient items that a brand name can’t produce any differently than a store or off-brand, says Woroch, and it will cost 30 percent less.
 
Finally, if you’re having guests, you could always ask that they take care of those extras that add up, like the wine, a kid-friendly dessert and/or a couple of pre-feast appetizers. With proper planning and the willingness to store hop a bit, you could create a Thanksgiving masterpiece that won’t cut into your Black Friday shopping budget. Happy eating!
 
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