Eleven Ways to Save Money on Thanksgiving Groceries

No matter what sources I check, it seems the average cost of a Thanksgiving dinner for ten in 2007 was about $42.26.. I don't know about you, but I think I spend far more than $42 to put Thanksgiving dinner on the table. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberries, miscellaneous vegetables, dinner rolls and butter, pumpkin pie and the whipped cream to go with it, maybe an apple or pecan pie or cherry pie, milk, coffee, and perhaps wine to toast the holiday... can this be done without taking a huge bite out of a week's paycheck? Individually, each item is not horrendous in price, but all together in one lump... ouch. A bit of advance planning can help.

* Grocery stores often offer a free turkey for spending a certain amount of money during their promotion period. Don't spend extra just to get the turkey but take advantage of the offer if you're spending the money anyway.
* Use coupons (found online or off) for items you actually use. There's no savings if it's not something you use. Try to shop where coupons are doubled.
* Check grocery store sale papers weekly to find bargains. Buy canned, packaged, and frozen foods ahead of time if they're on sale. Watch for soft drink sales and stock up when the price is cheap.
* Shop dollar stores for olives, pickles, salad dressings, canned sweet potatoes,
marshmallows, and brown sugar.
* Boxed stuffing mixes are often less expensive than buying all the ingredients to make your own. Not traditional, maybe, but cheaper. Check store brands and use broth made from boiling the turkey giblets instead of water. Whichever way you go, avoid buying the pricey packages of bread cubes for stuffing.
* If there's a bread outlet near you, look there for dinner rolls and specialty breads. Don't get these too far ahead of time unless you have freezer space.
* Don't fix more than you need. Holiday dinners are notorious for having too much food. Are there certain dishes that are barely touched or favored by just a few? Consider eliminating that food or fixing just a small amount.
* Ask guests to bring a favorite dish or dessert. Pitch-ins are acceptable, even on holidays.
* Do you need appetizers? The meal itself should be more than enough.
* Don't fix a gazillion desserts. I've found that most kids would rather have ice cream or cookies than pies or other rich desserts.
* If you choose to have a variety of desserts, make them instead of buying them ready made. If you're pie crust challenged, using the ready made shells is still the cheaper option.

Know how many people you'll be feeding and plan accordingly. Don't cut your supplies short but don't buy more than you think you'll need. Take a list and stick to it. Check all recipes for ingredients as you make your list. If Thanksgiving dinner is really stretching your budget, cut back on non-essentials and remember the real reason for the holiday is to give thanks for what we have.