How can you do Thanksgiving for cheap?
Thanksgiving can be so expensive if you let it be:
- Large family get-togethers
- Fancy menu items
- Showing off for critical in-laws
If you’re not careful, Thanksgiving can be a real budget blower. But it doesn’t have to be!
Here are some quick tips to make this Thanksgiving both cheap and easy 😉
Concentrate on the Sides
Turkey is often the leading player, but the sides are where it’s really at.
Thanksgiving sides often consist of easy vegetable dishes like mashed potatoes, roasted carrots, or green bean casserole.
Concentrate on easy and healthy vegetable-laden sides to keep the budget down and prep simple.
Go Potluck-Style
Reading through social media posts each year, I see so many people who host Thanksgiving freaking out about ensuring there’s something for everyone.
“My daughter is vegan!”
“Our grandson is allergic to dairy!”
“Maria won’t eat anything with garlic!”
They try to do everything for everyone and wear themselves out in the process. Instead of trying to do it all, have everyone do a little.
We always grew up with a potluck-style Thanksgiving. Whoever was hosting coordinated with everyone to ensure the basics were brought; then, you could bring whatever you wanted.
By letting everyone bring something of their own, you ensure they get to eat what they want/need. And the host can release some of that pressure.
Consider Turkey Alternatives
Turkey is often the most expensive part of a Thanksgiving meal and prices are going up this year due to avian flu. (We learned about it on a trip to the zoo.)
If you don’t want to scrounge for turkey (or just don’t like it) think about turkey alternatives.
- A roasted chicken
- Pot Roast
- Beef Wellington
- For a smaller meal, maybe just a turkey or chicken breast
Or you could even go plant-based this thanksgiving. Mr. Bean has been 100% vegan for the last 9 years. We’ve tried vegan “Turk’y” alternatives and some are pretty decent, but he still prefers to skip the turkey altogether and just load up on sides anyways.
Shop Sales
Throughout the month of November, stores go nuts with sales on common Thanksgiving foods. Watch your local ads and take advantage of them.
I even like to stock up, when it’s in the budget, on items I know we will use all year.
My daughter, Jelly Bean, loves cranberry sauce and requests it with chicken throughout the year. I refuse to pay the higher prices for it year-round, and that’s if I can even find it. Instead, I stock up on 6 or so $1 cans in November to get us through til next year.
Cook From Scratch
Of course, that ready-made Thanksgiving meal at the grocery store or nearby restaurant is so quick and easy, but man is it expensive!
Yes, cooking from scratch takes a bit of work, but it can save you a boatload of money compared to pre-made.
Because of my RA, I get tired very quickly. Instead of trying to make everything on one day, I prepare for Thanksgiving throughout the week.
- Pre-chop veggies and onions
- Make the pies the day before
- Pre-make my mushroom soup to just mix into the green beans (Yes, I make mushroom soup from scratch due to dairy allergies in the house, it’s surprisingly easy)
That way, Thanksgiving day is mostly just throwing everything in the oven to finish cooking and watching the Macy’s Day Parade.
Use What You Already Have
Before every shopping trip, I always “shop my kitchen” to see what I already have. Do the same thing for Thanksgiving.
There’s no need to go out and buy a bunch of stuff for the “perfect” Thanksgiving. See what you already have and work with that.
- If you already have a bag of Brussel sprouts in the freezer, there’s no need to go get a new bunch of fresh ones. Maybe, just change how you cook them for your preferred texture.
- Do you have a bag of baby carrots sitting in the fridge? Use that instead of going out to get fancy-colored ones for roasting.
- Have a bag of russet potatoes sitting in your cupboard? Skip the trip for mini roasting potatoes and just mash those suckers.
Look at what you already have available and Thanksgiving meal plan around that.
Wrap-Up
There are so many ways to keep Thanksgiving cheap and easy. Don’t worry about making the fanciest meal ever, just enjoy the time of year. Nobody is judging how fancy your dinner is. And if they are, they suck and can do it themselves next year.
I hope you have a great Thanksgiving. And enjoy reworking those leftovers!