The festive season has arrived — and with it comes an abundance of food. Plenty of food.
From turkey and cranberry sauce to glazed ham and mashed potatoes to beef tenderloin and sweet potato casserole. So much to eat.
With all those culinary delights (and potential disasters) come many choices. Some folks focus on calories — which is sensible — while others approach holiday meals from a cost perspective.
How will you pay for all this fare? More importantly, where can you pick your financial battles? Where does it make sense to be frugal? Where should you loosen the purse strings and indulge a bit?
Many home chefs could use guidance this year on ways to save time and money — and when it’s acceptable to spend a little extra.
That’s why we’re here to help.
Save vs. Splurge: 11 Questions to Help Plan Your Thanksgiving Dinner
1. Is Anyone Actually Going to Eat the Cranberry Sauce?
Is there a more divisive Thanksgiving staple than cranberry sauce? You either despise it or adore it. Some insist on homemade. Others can’t get enough of the canned, wobbly version.
Ocean Spray reportedly makes 70 million cans of cranberry sauce, using roughly 200 cranberries per can, according to Food & Wine magazine. It’s their top-selling item by a wide margin.
If you want this classic on your table, what’s the best approach for a contentious condiment?
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A 14-ounce can of Ocean Spray jellied cranberry sauce rings in at $1.98 at Walmart and yields about six servings — or likely more. (Who really consumes a full serving?) Whether you’re feeding six or a crowd of 18 — three cans totaling $5.94 — that’s extremely economical.
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A bag of fresh cranberries can cost about as much as a can that serves six. If making cranberry sauce from scratch is worth the additional effort and cost for you and your guests, go for it. Otherwise, the canned option will suffice.
2. How Many Casseroles Is Too Many Casseroles?
Some Thanksgiving spreads look like a turkey crashed a casserole convention. There’s a bird, some mashed potatoes and gravy, and a long row of casseroles in every hue and vegetable permutation.
Maybe you’re devoted to your green bean casserole, and that’s fine. Or perhaps you’ve always made casseroles or invited guests to bring them and don’t want to break tradition. Do what feels right for you.
We’re not knocking casseroles. We’re suggesting that the turkey’s supporting cast could be chosen more selectively, or trimmed back a bit.
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There’s nothing wrong with classic casseroles, like this cheesy corn casserole or this healthier green bean casserole. They’re straightforward to prepare and economical thanks to inexpensive ingredients.
If your Thanksgiving typically leans heavy on casseroles, consider limiting them to one or two and save by reducing overall quantities or reallocating your casserole budget to higher-quality ingredients.
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If you simply must have more casserole action, consider combining dessert and casserole — try a cheesecake-style casserole. Or stay savory and upscale with a crab brunch casserole that calls for a pound of crab meat, or this decadent four-cheese truffled mac and cheese. That’s basically a cheese casserole, right?
3. Is There a Faster, More Foolproof Way to Cook a Turkey?
A plain roasted turkey is perfectly fine. Some cooks have perfected the classic roast, so why mess with success?
But the standard roast can go wrong quickly, leaving your centerpiece drier than Uncle Joe’s jokes.
What are some alternative methods?
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If you want to save time, hand the turkey over to professionals. There are many places to buy a fully cooked turkey or an entire prepared meal. You might even save cash by avoiding the risk of ruining the most costly dish.
Retailers like Aldi and Walmart have reduced prices on Thanksgiving basics. Walmart, for example, has sold turkeys at 88 cents per pound. Last year, the average was $1.49 per pound. You may even score a free or deeply discounted turkey from certain grocers.
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Go all out with a fancy recipe like chef Tyler Florence’s bacon-wrapped turkey with sage and cornbread stuffing. If you’re comfortable with safety measures (fully thaw a frozen bird!), and don’t mind indulging in extra calories, deep-frying your turkey is relatively simple and yields an exceptionally tasty centerpiece.
4. Do You Want Leftovers? If So, What Will You Do With Them?
Sometimes the leftovers outshine the original meal. The question is — what will you do with them? Deciding about leftovers before shopping lets you either cut your budget or spend more to prepare extra portions.
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If you’re not a leftovers person (and many people aren’t), skip making extra and be intentional about quantities. That could mean reducing side dishes or foregoing an extra dessert.
Our friends at Bon Appetit recommend planning 1 to 1.5 pounds of turkey per guest. For eight people, a 10- to 12-pound turkey usually suffices for the initial meal. That seems like a lot until you factor in bones and inedible parts.
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This is where it gets creative. Sure, you could stick to the classic turkey sandwich, but what about an amazing turkey gumbo using a pound and a half of leftover turkey and smoked sausage? Or a hearty turkey chili?
Don’t overlook mashed potatoes and stuffing: fry up mashed potato pancakes on Friday morning or try these fried stuffing bites paired with cranberry-pesto.
Depending on how many people will consume leftovers, remember to buy a few extra pounds of turkey.
5. Who’s Cooking — and Who’s Handling Cleanup?
At some Thanksgiving gatherings, everyone has an assigned task. If you’re not cooking, you might be on cleanup duty or setting the table and pouring drinks.
At other events, as soon as the last bite is eaten, one group starts clean up while another disappears to the living room to watch football.
Your choices about saving or splurging depend on which of these scenarios matches your event.
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This is primarily a time issue, not solely a financial one. If a handful of people are handling everything, consider outsourcing parts of the meal. Ask guests to bring dishes. Use disposable plates. Purchase a pre-cooked turkey or dessert and concentrate on a few signature sides.
Or if you’re determined to deep-fry the turkey, outsource sides to a local restaurant or caterer. If you want to avoid cleanup entirely, order a fully prepared meal.
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If everyone contributes and you’re not left doing it alone, be grateful for the assistance and reward your helpers with an impressive feast. Cook more items from scratch. Expand the menu. Treat them to an elevated appetizer spread.
Indulge with luxurious mashed potatoes alongside homemade cheddar scallion biscuits. Enhance your turkey with an apple cider and ginger brine.
6. Stick to Tradition or Try Something Different?
Why must it be turkey? Sure it’s tasty, but there’s no rule that mandates turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing and cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving.
If you’re tired of the same menu year after year, why not switch things up this time? We have some alternatives.
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You can ditch the turkey and still save money. A party-sized frozen Stouffer’s lasagna from Walmart feeds many for less than $17. A slow cooker pot roast can feed eight using a few pounds of affordable chuck roast. Pork tenderloin is often budget-friendly, and a simple baked garlic pork tenderloin recipe can be very appealing.
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If you want an upscale alternative, consider a roasted rack of lamb with a brown sugar-rum glaze. For red meat enthusiasts, an espresso-crusted beef tenderloin with truffle sage risotto is pretty indulgent. Or opt for a comforting homemade lasagna bolognese.
7. What Drinks Should You Offer?
Don’t treat beverages as an afterthought. Whether you want to economize or splurge, you can present delightful drink options for your guests.
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To keep costs low, skip alcohol and serve simple tea. (And don’t forget the sugar if you’re in the South.) Or make a budget-friendly celebratory drink like a nonalcoholic fall sangria using sparkling apple cider, fruit and cinnamon.
If you want to offer alcohol without breaking the bank, look for good red wines under $18 and white wines under $15.
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If you’re willing to spend more, impress guests with handcrafted cocktails. Kick things off with a cranberry margarita or a maple old fashioned during a cocktail hour.
Food & Wine suggests a Four Graces Pinot Noir as an excellent Thanksgiving pairing. End the evening with a sweeter libation like a pumpkin spice White Russian or a caramel apple martini.
8. How Will You Spend Your Time?
Ask yourself whether you’re allocating your time in the way you want on Thanksgiving. Time — as much as money — can be a source of stress when preparing the big meal. Consider these options.
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Not everything must be made on the day itself. What can you prepare in advance? Fruit pies can be assembled and frozen, then baked later. Dinner rolls and mashed potatoes can be frozen and reheated.
Preparing dishes ahead of time saves on day-of stress and frees you up to relax and enjoy your guests.
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If you want to splurge on time savings and oven space, organize a potluck. Assign guests dishes to bring but keep a list so you don’t end up with seven similar casseroles (see No. 2).
The Pioneer Woman offers plenty of potluck suggestions. If you’re hosting, you’ll likely want to handle the turkey unless a guest is well-equipped to take it on.
9. Who Do You Really Want at Your Table?
This isn’t a trick. Much like serving the same turkey each year, many of us invite the same people annually — even that eccentric relative who monopolizes conversations and brings up politics.
Why put yourself around people you don’t enjoy on a day meant for rest?
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Here’s an idea: keep the gathering very small. No extended family — just your chosen people.
Save yourself stress, cut costs, and limit attendance to those you genuinely want to spend time with.
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If mom will be upset if you don’t invite everyone, then go ahead and host the whole crew — but find a compromise. Consider a family game night on Black Friday or a relaxed come-and-go appetizer party the weekend after.
The aim is to keep the atmosphere light, fun and flexible.
10. How Will You Accommodate Different Diets?
We’re not talking about your college cousin who lives on chicken fingers and tater tots. You may have vegetarians, vegans or guests with gluten or dairy allergies.
So how do you keep everyone satisfied and safe?
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Ina Garten’s approach, highlighted in Bon Appetit, is sensible: “I never make something just for one person, because then they feel like they’re not part of the party. This way, they’re just choosing some of the menu but not all of it.”
Her tips include making a cornbread stuffing for gluten-free guests or keeping vegetables plain (no ham hocks in the green beans). You’ll save time by preparing one adaptable dish and money by swapping ingredients, like choosing roasted green beans instead of a casserole with extra additives.
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Garten advises against making a single-person dish, but you could create something so delicious and inclusive that even staunch meat lovers will try it.
Carla Hall’s buttermilk biscuits are crowd-pleasers. A vegan pecan pie made with coconut oil and tapioca flour suits dairy-free and gluten-sensitive guests. For gluten-free diners, a paleo-style green bean casserole with crispy onions is a hit.
11. What About Desserts?
Of course you should offer desserts. But you don’t need to overextend yourself or stress about baking an elaborate apple or pecan pie from scratch.
Keep desserts simple.
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There’s nothing wrong with buying ready-made desserts. Whether it’s a 38-ounce frozen apple pie from Walmart for about $5.63 or a pumpkin pie from Cracker Barrel for $13.99, you have options.
If dessert isn’t your thing, someone in your group will likely volunteer. Or take a semi-homemade route using store-bought pie crusts to avoid a floury mess.
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If you’re the family’s baking virtuoso, by all means make your own desserts. But it’s okay to keep things simple here too — you don’t have to make crust from scratch unless you want to.
Ina Garten’s deep-dish apple pie with store-bought vanilla ice cream will impress guests. Or keep portions small and indulgent with mini pumpkin cheesecakes.
Ultimately, you can make thoughtful choices — about saving money or time — that help you enjoy the holiday rather than spend it anxiously waiting for the last guest to depart.
Keep these questions in mind this year, and you’re likely to have a Thanksgiving to remember!
Alan Morris is a senior writer for Savinly.
If you’d rather skip some of the prep, consider ordering prepared thanksgiving dinners to save time and stress.
