Thanksgiving is a special family time. With so many people gathering together, budgeting your money to have a nice meal is essential. There are som great ways to save money and have a great meal! Whether you planned your meal already or not, these tips will help you save some money this Thanksgiving!
Serve Soup
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Starting a meal with a nice soup is an excellent way to fill up on something cheap and festive. You want your family and guests to fill up on the cheaper items first so that you can skimp on the more expensive stuff. So don’t get carried away and make a fancy, expensive soup with many ingredients!
A simple cream of potato or zucchini soup is a perfect way to start an elegant meal and is also very cheap and filling. Soup is also easily frozen as leftovers.
Serve Bread and Dips
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A yummy (homemade) bread or rolls is a good, filling way to start the meal and use some simple dips to start the meal. You can elevate any plain bread recipe with some roasted garlic or herbs. A simple tahini or hummus dip (which can be homemade) to dip the bread in will get the meal started.
Lighten Up the Sides
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Many traditional side dishes are based on pretty cheap items—sweet potatoes, potatoes, stuffing, etc. To make the vegetables lighter, cut down on the margarine, butter, salt, and oil.
The cost savings may be minimal, but the lighter version will be easier to swallow and encourage guests to eat more of these vegetables. A lettuce salad or tomato salad is another easy, cheap side dish.
Shop Around for Turkey
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While it is not practical to shop around for the best deal on each ingredient- especially if you cook all week!- pick the most expensive or used ingredient and find a deal.
For Thanksgiving, this will probably be Turkey. If you save $1 a pound on a ten-pound turkey, you will save $10. That is worth driving a little extra for! Also, watch for grocery stores offering coupons or deals on other more expensive ingredients like nuts throughout the week.
Cut Down on Drinks
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Soda, punch, and juice all cost money and will quickly drive your bill up! Consider serving water, homemade lemonade, or sumac juice to reduce costs and make your meal healthier.
Some lemon slices or fresh mint in a water pitcher make a festive addition to your table with very little cost.
Pumpkin vs. Pecan?
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While it may not be worth it for you to cut down on all expensive ingredients or dishes (Thanksgiving is one time a year, after all!), it may be worth cutting down on the more expensive dishes on the menu.
For example, you can serve a smaller piece of pecan pie next to a larger slice of pumpkin pie. The more expensive the ingredient- the more sparingly you should use it.
Use Those Leftovers!
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It goes without saying (but we are saying it anyway)—save leftovers. After an exhausting day, take the time to properly pack up and refrigerate or freeze leftovers.
Don’t leave all food to be eaten the next day. Instead, freeze some dishes for those days when supper is not happening. Instead of ordering pizza, pull some leftovers out, and you will be grateful you took the time to freeze them!
6 Foods to Avoid in 2024
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As the world wakes up to healthier food options, more and more people are choosing foods that can increase their overall health. There are so many different options out there, so it can be confusing and overwhelming to know which ones to choose and which ones to avoid. Perhaps the best way to start on a healthier food journey is to cut out all the unhealthy foods that don’t add any nutritional value to your diet. Read on as we discuss six unhealthy foods to avoid if you want to live a healthy life.
12 Foods You Can Eat a Lot of Without Gaining Weight
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Are there foods you’ve always avoided in the hope that they don’t mess with your weight? While some foods are high in calories and can make you gain weight, a restrictive diet isn’t always the answer. Interestingly, some foods you could be avoiding could be the key to loosing weight. These are some of the foods you can eat without gaining weight. Most of these foods have fiber, protein, and good fats to boost satiety and sustain energy throughout the day. Let’s discuss 12 foods you can eat a lot of without gaining weight.
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