We’re already a family of seven, so “cooking for a crowd” is pretty much our normal—especially since four out of five of our kids are boys who can put away a lot of food. Add grandparents, friends and extended family to Thanksgiving, though, and suddenly the grocery bill can get a little ridiculous. With grocery prices on the rise, we’re always looking for places to save.
Start With a List
Our Thanksgiving menu stays mostly the same year to year, but we usually add a few new recipes for fun. I make the menu early and turn it into a shopping list, giving me several weeks to watch for sales instead of buying everything at once.
We’re limited where we live, with Bashas’, Walmart and Safeway as our main options. But we travel to the Phoenix area regularly, so before Thanksgiving I’ll also shop Costco, Sam’s Club, Aldi, Fry’s and WinCo.
Watch the ads! WinCo has often offered a free turkey with a $125 grocery purchase, while other stores run BOGO deals or discounts on staples like butter, cheese and potatoes. If it’s on my list, on sale and will keep, I buy it early.
And don’t automatically assume a whole turkey is cheapest. Our Safeway often has boneless turkey breasts for $1.99 a pound, and bone-in breasts can be even cheaper. You might pay more per pound than a deeply discounted whole turkey but spend less overall with less waste.
Make What You Actually Like
This sounds obvious, but don’t make something just because you’re “supposed” to serve it at Thanksgiving.
Nobody likes turkey? Make ham, a roast or even rotisserie chickens plated with roasted vegetables. Hate stuffing? Make pasta instead. There’s no prize for the most traditional Thanksgiving table—especially if half of it ends up in the trash.
Have a Leftover Plan
Extra food sounds great until day four, when everyone is sick of leftovers and you order pizza.
My kids love Thanksgiving stuffing waffles. Extra turkey gets frozen for soup, and mashed potatoes become “patty cakes” or shepherd’s pie.
And those pumpkin and apple pies? Breakfast and late-night pregnancy snacks for the next few days.
Sometimes Buying It Is Cheaper
I love making things from scratch but sometimes buying prepared food wins. Costco pies are huge and often cheaper than buying the ingredients—and that’s before putting a value on my time. Do they taste as good as homemade? Of course not, but sometimes I have to make hard decisions.
When someone asks, “What can I bring?” let them! Drinks, rolls, appetizers and desserts can spread out the expense. My kids love sparkling cider, but buying enough for a crowd gets expensive. That can go on someone else’s list.
And if Thanksgiving dinner is stretching your budget beyond what you can manage, check local food banks and community organizations for holiday meal assistance.
A great Thanksgiving isn’t about how much food you put on the table. It’s about having enough to share with the people sitting around it.
