Tasty and Cheap Thanksgiving Meals

Even though we celebrated Thanksgiving weeks ago, our neighbours to the south are just getting ready for their celebration. When you’re on a shoestring budget, hosting a big Thanksgiving dinner can seem like an impossible task. Turkeys are expensive, vegetables are out of season, and desserts can be time-consuming to make. But don’t fret my pet, where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Here are five ways to make a cheap thanksgiving meal:

Serve affordable appetizers

If you can’t afford to spend big on the main event (like a turkey), offering up appetizers can be a great way to still be the host with the most without breaking the bank. Slice up some seasonal vegetables like carrots, celery, and tomatoes and serve with a Guinness and Cheddar dip.

Search for the recipe and throw it together a couple days ahead of time. While you might spend a bit more on ingredients for the dip, you’ll be saving a bunch by accompanying it with veggies or a French baguette cut up for guests. Your guests will be less likely to overeat at dinner and you’ll look like a thanksgiving superstar.

Use Walmart’s price match guarantee

When you want to buy a turkey, it pays to shop like a pro. Write out what courses you want to cook and keep an eye on the flyers well ahead of time if you really want a cheap Thanksgiving. Clip coupons and use Walmart’s price match guarantee. If you buy your ingredients at Walmart and find a competitor offering a better deal than what you paid within thirty days, you can take the flyer to customer service along with your receipt and they’ll give you the difference. Google “Walmart price match guarantee Canada” to find out more.

Serve sensational side dishes

If you can’t afford a 20-pound turkey, it can be worthwhile to prepare some cost-effective side dishes. Serve up green beans with pecans and maple vinaigrette for 98 cents a serving. Make herbed apricot-pecan stuffing for about $1.40 a serving. Really bring it home with some garlic-shallot mashed potatoes coming in at $1.27 a serving.

There are so many great options out there, there’s no reason you can’t serve a five-star meal without the high-end price tag.

Don’t go overboard on wine

There’s no need to try and impress your guests with fancy wine. There are plenty of really nice wines that go for about ten bucks per bottle. Get a white and a red and you’re good to go for the evening. You can use this guide for the best wines for under $10 or just go to your local wine store and ask the staff. You’ll have some nice options for your dinner and it will only cost you $20, helping you keep to your cheap Thanksgiving budget.

Serve an alternative to turkey

Turkeys can get expensive, especially around this time of year. If you want to branch out, look no further than the other white meat: cook a pork roast. Add apples and cinnamon to make it seasonal and you’ll be a hit with your guests.

You can also look up tasty and cheap Thanksgiving recipes for roast chicken, ham, lamb or seafood. You can also serve up seasonal jambalaya, eggplant parmesan, or even a spaghetti pie. Pick your Thanksgiving budget favourite and host the most epic Thanksgiving dinner ever.

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