As much as you may enjoy having a huge crowd of guests over on Thanksgiving, it can get rather expensive feeding all those hungry people. For family members and friends that live locally, it’s not out of line to ask for a little help in preparing a Thanksgiving dinner. Close relatives and friends certainly can bring covered side dishes, desserts, beverages and appetizers. But what do you do about those out of town guests who bring nothing but hearty appetites and stay until the refrigerator is completely empty? Preparing a Thanksgiving dinner does not have to cost an arm and a leg, but it does require a little advance planning and perhaps a little more scratch cooking than what you may be used to. So if you are looking to be cost conscious this holiday season here are some tips for fixing a Thanksgiving meal on a budget-
• Planning the menu-While the Pilgrims may have had a table loaded with dozens of entrees and side dishes, all that food really isn’t necessary. A typical Thanksgiving dinner generally consists of a large turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, two to three simple side dishes, cranberry jelly, and pumpkin pie. Whatever you choose to serve, the key to reducing costs is by keeping the menu simple and uncomplicated.
• Shopping the sales-Once you have the menu planned out, it’s time to watch the sales. Many local groceries will offer heavy discounts on certain Thanksgiving food items in hopes of luring customers into the store. Watch for those discounts on the food items that you will need for Thanksgiving, and begin stocking up. Also November is when canned green vegetables, canned applesauce, butter, canned milk, potatoes, and chicken goes on sale. You may be asking why chicken? This is because most stuffing recipes call for two or three cans of chicken broth which can get pretty pricey. Instead of buying broth, stew a chicken instead and freeze the leftover broth for the Thanksgiving stuffing. You can then use the chicken for casseroles and sandwiches. Turkeys will also go on sale in November. Many grocery stores usually offer some sort of promotion in which a customer buys a certain amount of groceries for a reduced price on the turkey. The key is to wait to buy that turkey until it’s time to make that huge grocery trip! But timing is everything; remember most turkeys are frozen and will need at least three days to thaw before they can be cooked.
• Cooking from scratch-Long before there were convenience foods, our ancestors were preparing Thanksgiving meals from scratch. Scratch cooking is not that hard and can save you lots of money when cooking for a crowd. Of course, keep in mind that not all things are practical to cook from scratch, such as applesauce and cranberry sauce. However, mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, homemade stuffing, green beans almondine, homemade gravy, and pumpkin pie (using the canned pumpkin pie recipe) are easy for even novice cooks. These side dishes can all be made using ingredients that most of us even keep in the kitchen.
• Buy the right size main dish-Depending on what your family’s chosen traditional main dish is, whether turkey, ham, or duck, make sure that you buy the right size. If you are only having four people over for dinner then a twenty pound turkey could prove to be a waste. Sure you will have lots of leftovers but if you’re trying to save money, this can be a way to do it.
• Make what people will eat-This may seem like common sense but too often creative cooks wanting to introduce a new dish at Thanksgiving spend money and time making a dish no one really wants. Remember Thanksgiving is an emotional meal with deep connections for most people. Your family and friends may really be expecting those sweet potatoes with the marshmallows on top. This is the day to indulge your guests and give them what they are expecting and it will generally help your wallet as well.
• Try serving some appetizers before the meal-This can be a cost conscious solution to having enough food. While no one is advocating skimping on dinner, having some simple appetizers such as varying meats and cheeses, or a cheese ball with tasty crackers can help stave off ravenous hunger in a cost conscious way. It doesn’t cost much to make simple appetizers and they can go a long way toward keeping your guests happy and your costs down on Thanksgiving Day.
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