Budget Friendly Family Appetizers for Thanksgiving

When it comes to Thanksgiving this year many of us are keeping our budgets in mind. With Thanksgiving dinner being the main feature of the day, it is only natural to save a little money by choosing some budget friendly appetizers. Yogurt filled fruit is a traditional family favorite since I was a child. It is naturally colorful and attractive. Better yet, it's something that both children and adults will enjoy.

Yogurt filled fruit

1. Cover a serving tray with lettuce leaves of your choice

2. Arrange halved canned peaches and pears

3. Fill the cavities with vanilla yogurt or another yogurt of your choice

4. Place a cherry on top of each piece of fruit

For budget friendly appetizers I also like to take advantage of the petite cut tomatoes that you can find in the canned tomatoes section. These are cut very small and are perfect for eating as a main ingredient at room temperature. For a budget Thanksgiving I would suggest making a quick bruschetta.

Bruschetta

1. Drain a 16 oz can of petite tomatoes

2. Add in 4 cloves of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, chopped fresh basil, salt and pepper to taste

3. Slice a baguette into thin slices and toast under the broiler

4. Garnish the tomato mixture with whole basil leaves

5. Allow guests to spoon tomato mixture onto baguette toasts

One tasty variation is to cover the toasts with mozzarella cheese before toasting.

When choosing budget friendly appetizers for any time of the year I like to choose things that will mix and match so to speak. I would suggest choosing a couple of simple dips and surrounding them with variety of dippers. You mix and match to create a budget friendly wardrobe, why not try it with your appetizers.

For dips I suggest a hummus dip and a sour cream dip.

Hummus

1. Process an 8 oz can of garbanzo beans with about 3 table spoons of olive oil into a paste.

2. Then add 2-4 cloves of crushed garlic depending on your taste.

Sour cream dip

1. Mix a packet of vegetable soup mix with 16oz of sour cream

2. Allow to sit in refrigerator overnight

These two dips arranged with a tray of sliced vegetables, pita bread cut into triangles, and chips will make a very substantial looking spread of appetizers. This will also please a crowd by having things for healthy eaters and for not as healthy eaters. You can save money on your vegetable tray by purchasing more of the vegetables that are cheaper. Purchasing your vegetables at a produce stand is also excellent for someone on a budget.