Inflation and financial difficulties could cloud the first holiday meal of the season. According to the latest Consumer Price Index from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, food prices are on the rise. They rose 10.9% over the past year. According to a survey conducted by LendingTree, the number of Thanksgivings hosted this year is likely to be at a record low. This year, only 26% of Americans will be hosting Thanksgiving. That’s a 45% drop from last year. The bird flu has caused turkey production to drop and expectations to fall, which in turn is pushing prices higher. There are still ways to have a great Thanksgiving without breaking the bank.
1. Save on Turkeys
Consider serving only the turkey legs, wings or breasts instead of the whole turkey, depending on how many people you will be serving. You can also use leftover pantry items such as pasta, soup, green beans in a can, or frozen vegetables. You could serve a Thanksgiving alternative.
2. Consider All Your Options
Think about the canned or frozen food section when you are looking for ways to reduce the cost of your Thanksgiving dinner. Fresh is better, but it can be more expensive. How many people can tell if the pumpkin filling in a pumpkin pie is made from fresh pumpkins? The same goes for vegetables that are frozen! Green bean casserole is unlikely to be noticed as being made with frozen vegetables.
3. Select the right deals for your shopping list:
Check out the weekly grocery flyers you receive in the mail. It’s possible that an item that you want to use in your Thanksgiving dinner is significantly cheaper at a store you don’t frequent. You should look for the best deals, but do not buy just because something is on sale. This can lead to a waste of money. Take a raincheck if you are not going to use the items or don’t need them.
4. Shop early for the best deals
You have to be a fool if you’ve never been shopping on the Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving. Instacart discovered that the top 10 items purchased were on the Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving. Don’t delay! To avoid the hassle of fighting the crowds and making the trip on the day before, buy your large items as soon you can. You can then collect your staples over the following weeks to ensure that you have everything you need to prepare.
5. Turn Celebration into Potluck:
You don’t have to prepare all the food just because you are hosting. Consider a potluck instead of you taking on the entire responsibility for the preparation. Have guests bring a dish like a potato salad, mashed potatoes or even dessert while you prepare the turkey and other dishes. You can avoid going over budget by having guests bring a side dish like mashed potatoes, salad or dessert. Meanwhile, you prepare the turkey and a few other dishes.
