How to serve Thanksgiving dinner on a budget

High grocery prices continue to strain household budgets as families begin planning their Thanksgiving feasts.

“Groceries are expensive. Gas is expensive,” Jamie Lettis, an associate editor at Washington Consumers’ Checkbook, said. “This time of year gets so busy, and things move so quickly, that it’s never too soon to start thinking about a plan for Thanksgiving.”

To keep costs down, Lettis said to keep the menu flexible and build the meal around items that are on sale. That could mean swapping the traditional turkey for a less expensive protein.

“If your local store has prime rib on special right now, you could buy one of those, throw it in the freezer, and do that instead of a turkey,” she said.

Shopping around can help you take advantage of deals and avoid a hefty grocery bill all at once. Consider checking prices at discount grocery stores and warehouse clubs, then spread the purchases out over the weeks leading up to the holiday.

“You can pick things up little by little,” she said. “Then when it comes time to cook, you’ve already got most of what you need.”

Another way to cut costs is to ask guests to contribute by bringing a favorite side dish.

“Thanksgiving is one of those times where it’s neat to have lots of stuff on your plate,” she said. “We don’t really care if it goes together. It’s just delicious and we want to eat as much as we can.”

Lettis also recommends choosing store brands over name brands and doing more food preparation at home. For example, buying a block of cheese and grating it yourself can cost less than purchasing pre-grated cheese.

Above all, she said planning ahead can help you avoid unnecessary purchases and extra trips to the grocery store.

“The best thing you can do is to have a plan and to start soon,” she said. “A list and a plan will keep you organized and stop some of those impulse purchases.”

For more information, visit checkbook.org .

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