Whether you're hosting a huge family get-together, a small Friendsgiving, or a dinner for one, it's an expensive and stressful holiday! But no worries, I'm here to help.
Search for "cheap Thanksgiving" and you mostly find resources to save on airfare. "Frugal Thanksgiving" helps a bit more. But the main tips are a bit unrealistic. Here are some of the tips, my thoughts on them, and my own advice (plus plenty of links to recipes, of course)....
Another common suggestion is to skip the alcohol! That's fine if you and your guests don't drink. But for most, drinks help you socialize a bit, not to mention get through all the stress. Here's where asking guests to bring something IS a good idea (but be prepared for those who don't "BYOB" and still want to imbibe). I also recommend buying more affordable mixers. Yes, some guests might get mad that it's a "rum and cola" instead of "rum and Coke", or that the OJ is store-brand frozen. But if you're paying, the choice is yours! Another good idea is to make punch. Here is a list of Thanksgiving punch recipes you could try.
Yet another ridiculous suggestion I saw on many a site? Skip the turkey (or turkey substitute). Seriously! Is "Thanksgiving" and "turkey" not synonymous? lol. Here are my tips, starting with real turkey: Buy only what you need. Most sites suggest 3/4-1 pound per person (or 1 1/2 pounds if you're planning leftovers). That means a meal for 10 would call for 7 1/2 to 10 pounds (15 with leftovers). But if you have a lot of sides, you might be able to get away with less than that. So skip that giant bird, unless you're feeding an army.... Also, look for sales and/or coupons (I couldn't find any online that weren't expired, but check your paper) - or better still, combine sales and a coupon. Then compare the price per pound, including the store-brand. And don't forget to check store promotions! Some places give a free turkey if you spend a certain amount in one trip. If you're cooking for only a few people, a turkey breast might be the better option. If it's two (or just you), you could go to the deli and get a couple thick slices of turkey, since even the smallest breast might be too much. Put it in a pan with a small amount of broth and season with poultry seasoning (or sage) and pepper, then cover and bake. And I've served guests frozen "turkey slices in gravy" before, so keep THAT idea in mind too. And make sure to start your turkey thawing in the fridge at the right time, here's a chart.
If you're going the meatless "turkey" route, your best option is to make your own. If you're making a seitan "turkey", make it as far ahead as possible (just finish reading this first! lol). After the initial cooking, just cool it, wrap in plastic wrap then foil, and freeze it (up to 6 months). Thaw in the fridge at least overnight (the larger it is, the longer it'll take). You can also store seitan in the fridge for 3-5 days. I wouldn't recommend making a tofu "turkey" more than a couple days ahead (don't freeze it! Tofu's texture changes in the freezer). If you're going to buy one, look for coupons (here's $1 off Quorn, Tofurky offers coupons once you request a password) or sales. Also, it's possible to find a store brand (I've heard good things about Trader Joe's "turkey", but there isn't a store in my area). To make things easier, here's a trick that I KNOW works for the Quorn Turk'y Roast: Thaw for 15 minutes and carefully cut off the wrapper, then put into a slow-cooker. Mix some "chicken" style broth with a bit of soy sauce and nutritional yeast (for depth) and some poultry seasoning. Pour it over until the roast is just covered. Then cook on low (I've cooked as little as 4 hours, as long as 11). For one or two people, try Tofurky deli slices! I separate them, then roll them into a tube shape, put them in a pan (making sure they support one another, and stay rolled) and pour a small amount of broth over. Season with poultry seasoning and black pepper, cover with foil, and bake until heated through.
With the sides, one main tip given on frugal sites are to cut down to only a couple sides. This IS good advice to an extent. Though more side dishes means people eat less of the main dish, so keep that in mind! Plus holiday meals are all about variety. So decide what dishes scream "Thanksgiving" to you, and make as many as will fit in your pre-determined budget.
Another tip is to make everything from scratch. In my previous posts, Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving Part II, I touch on this (recipes and all). But don't forget that making things from scratch takes more time. If you're already overwhelmed, a box of instant mashed potatoes could be a better choice than fresh. If you haven't pre-made your own stuffing mix or pie crust or whatever, it might be worth it to buy it from the store. Sometimes spending a tiny bit more on something that saves you a lot of extra time (and stress) is worth it. Oh, and here are 5 Cheap Thanksgiving Side Dishes you could try.
Speaking of store-bought: Again, compare prices. Consider generics. And don't forget dollar stores! Some people might balk at the idea, but not me! You can get fried onions for casseroles, nuts for various recipes, even pumpkin quite a bit cheaper, without sacrificing quality. That said, not everything should be picked up at the dollar store. Here's a video of an hilarious Dollar Tree Thanskgiving menu!
Something I do is make ahead what I can. You can make rolls, partially bake them, then freeze them (which I mentioned in a previous post). I've heard of people making sides a couple days ahead. But I'm iffy on that. I assemble my cheesy potatoes the night before, cover with waxed paper and then foil, and refrigerate (then remove the waxed paper before baking...it's only there to keep the food from "eating" the foil). I make green bean casserole in a Pyrex pan with a lid, just not adding any fried onions (stir them in just before baking, then top as suggested). I cut vegetables needed the night before (chopped onions and celery for stuffing in zippered bags, then a plastic bowl. Carrot and celery sticks (if I'm serving) in zippered sandwich bags with just a tiny bit of water). And any broth I need (for stuffing, gravy, "turkey", etc) gets mixed up and stored in an airtight container the night before. Theoretically, you can freeze pies, but they just aren't the same. So make them the night before, just make sure to cool completely before you cover!
In regard to appetizers, the tips range from acceptable (focus on fresh veggies or chips with dip, accenting with cheeses or meats) to the extreme (serve bread and butter...or NO appetizers). Here's a list of 50 cheap appetizers (Keep in mind, some contain meat. Using a substitute will affect the cost, so unless you've got extra in your budget, skip them). Another idea is to use dollar store items to pad your appetizer tray. Crackers, nuts, olives, pickles, sometimes even cheese can be had for cheap (combine them with a veggie tray and chips, and you're good!). And I've actually made Fiesta Pinwheels using Dollar Tree ingredients (except the sour cream), and people still loved them! :-O
With desserts, the recommendation seems to be to make ONE. This is actually good advice, if you can. And since most people think of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, there you go. If you want to make more than one dessert, keep in mind that fruit pies are cheaper than something like pecan pie. And if you use fresh fruit instead of canned filling, you may be able to save (though if you find canned filling on sale, it can be cheaper). With out-of-season fruits (like blueberries) either frozen fruit or canned filling will probably be your better bet. And don't forget that sometimes buying a pre-made pie will be cheaper! Add up the cost of your ingredients, if it costs less to buy the same number of pies from the bakery (or freezer), go for it. Just check ingredients if you're Veg*n or have allergies.
Here's a video on how to feed 6-8 people for $25 by shopping at Target (though it was filmed in 2016, so the prices may vary).
What if you're dining alone? Yes, you can still cook up a huge feast and then freeze the leftovers (I do it all the time). Or you can scale back. Stuffing mixes and instant mashed potatoes often give instructions on making 1-2 servings. If you want green bean casserole, why not try this mini version? Make up a batch of mini cheesy potatoes (substitute cream of mushroom [I have links to homemade regular and Vegan on my first Thanksgiving post, linked above] for the soup, if Veg*n) to freeze ahead of time, then cook enough for just you! Here's a site that gives a (turkey-based) Thanksgiving dinner for one (the sweet potato "casserole" looks particularly good [just use gelatine-free marshmallows if you're Veg*n]. And here's a (pretty elaborate) "VEGAN THANKSGIVING DINNER FOR ONE". Instead of skipping dessert, you could just buy a mini pie from the store, or try your hand at a mini pumpkin pie, pecan pie for one, or sweet potato pie for one!
What if your main focus is to save time? Well, that doesn't necessarily have to cost a lot either. Try these tips for throwing Friendsgiving (even if it's a family get-together). If you're Veg*n, here are some tips from me: With the wine pairings, focus on the sides when selecting wine. For the stuffing bites, either omit the sausage or use some chopped up Veg-friendly links and use vegetable broth. With the sweet potato skins, you could use a Vegan Worcestershire sauce or just buy your favourite veg-friendly BBQ sauce, then use your favourite "chicken" and "bacon" substitutes (or omit one or the other). The gravy for the microwave mashed potatoes, use Vegan Worcestershire sauce and a Vegetarian "chicken" broth. And with the turkey and cranberry baked sliders, just use Tofurky slices! This site also has a couple cute and simple decorating ideas.
Speaking OF decorating, go cheap! You can buy garlands of autumn leaves, scarecrows, turkeys, etc at dollar stores (I've gotten some great finds at Dollar Tree!). Buy some decorative pumpkins, and cut a hole in the top just big enough to squeeze dollar store tealights into (make sure it's a tight fit, so the candles stay at the top). And here are "10 Cheap and Easy Thanksgiving Centerpieces".
That's it for now! This entry is a lot longer than I'd originally planned, but hopefully you'll find it useful. Until next time....