Today Cathy Isom has some money-saving tips to help make your Thanksgiving meal a little more affordable. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
Thanksgiving Dinner Savings
Still a few weeks away, but that Thanksgiving meal might give you a stomach ache thinking about how much this big holiday meal is going to cost you. The average price of a Thanksgiving dinner for 10 was $50.11 last year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. 
And that cost includes only classic items, such as turkey, stuffing, peas, cranberries, sweet potatoes, buttered rolls, pumpkin pie, a relish tray of carrots and celery, milk and coffee. If you tend to serve more people and offer a wider range of dishes — and alcoholic beverages — then you can bet the cost of Thanksgiving dinner can be much higher. Some things you can do to make your holiday meal more affordable:
- Get an Accurate Guest Count – so that you don’t buy more food then you’ll actually cook.
- Stick to Traditional Thanksgiving Fare – because chances are your local grocery store will have everything you want on sale.
- Plan a Menu With Dishes People Enjoy so you’re not tossing uneaten food.
- Shop Your Pantry and base your Thanksgiving menu on what you already have in the pantry, refrigerator or freezer.
- Opt for do it yourself desserts over store bought. You might even be able to make desserts with leftover Halloween candy.
- Ask Guests to Bring Side Dishes
- Buy a Discounted Turkey – Compare turkey deals from several grocers in your area to determine which one offers the best discount.
- Supermarkets offer turkeys at a reduced price per pound or for a flat discount of up to 50 percent with a minimum purchase. Some stores may even offer free turkeys when you spend certain dollar amounts – or purchase a ham. Another way to save money on your Thanksgiving turkey is to buy a frozen bird rather than a fresh one.
- Shop at the Lowest-Priced Supermarket – use grocery coupons or apps for extra savings – and compare with prices at the big warehouse club stores – such as Costco.
Lastly, don’t wait until the last minute to do your Thanksgiving meal shopping because you don’t want to miss out on sales – and some ingredients tend to sell out quickly!