Single Parent: Thanksgiving Meal on a Budget

Being a single parent has its share of challenges and many of them are financial in nature. It's tough being the sole provider all of the time and even more so during Thanksgiving and Christmas. Having a Thanksgiving meal is a time honored tradition that many want to share with their children but sometimes it is not a budget friendly meal. Making a Thanksgiving meal as a single parent can crimp your budget if you do not plan ahead. Even if income issues and higher prices have you wondering how to handle a special meal, you can't let that stop you from passing traditions down to your children. Thanksgiving dinner on a budget can still be filled with tradition. Here are a few things to consider as the single parent and sole provider of the Thanksgiving meal.

Single Parent Thanksgiving Meal Budget Tip #1: Share the holiday with another single parent family.

Do you have a friend in similar situation? If so, plan to have your Thanksgiving meal together giving both families the chance to have fun with others as well as enjoy the meal within the budget. Single parents can share the cooking by having another family over for the meal. Decide on the Thanksgiving menu together and divide up which family is providing each dish. This allows your food budget to take half the hit that it would since you will be dividing cost.

Single Parent Thanksgiving Meal Tip #2: Build your traditions based on what your family likes

Do you know that none of your children like turkey? Is ham a meat that you just don't enjoy? Turkey and ham are US Thanksgiving traditional meals but that does not mean your Thanksgiving menu has to include them. If you can't ditch the traditional meat entirely, perhaps reduce it in scale. If you know your family will not eat a lot of turkey for the meal, chances are you won't enjoy the leftovers either. Consider buying either turkey cutlets, or turkey legs to have the traditional meat with a lower cost than a whole turkey, and less leftovers or possible waste.

Single Parent Thanksgiving Meal Budget Reducing Tip #3: Have multiple appetizers on the menu.

Traditional appetizers don't have to hold a firm time of day for serving. Children often prefer the smaller portions of appetizers for trying new things. Appetizers like Deviled Eggs or carrot sticks with ranch dip are kid favorites and are lower in cost than many casseroles and side dishes.

Single Parent Thanksgiving Meal Planning Tip #4: Plan the menu with the family.

Thanksgiving isn't about the turkey or how many pies you make. It's about celebrating the things that make us thankful. With this thought in mind, bring your children into the planning stages, and decide together what menu items the family would like. If there is an item you do not prepare often, which the family likes a lot, this may be the time to add that as a Thanksgiving tradition. Years back, in my single parent days, I decided to try a Watergate Salad and a Congealed Salad for Thanksgiving so that my children could have something new to try. Those two salads have become a tradition at our Thanksgiving meals and were affectionately renamed the "Green Stuff "and the "Purple Stuff" by my children. I've included the recipes for these since they are a well loved tradition in our home.

Thanksgiving Congealed Salad (aka The Purple Stuff)

2 small packages grape Jell-o

2 cups boiling water

1 20-oz can crushed pineapple with juice

1 large can blueberry pie filling

Mix the above ingredients and pour into a 9X13 dish. Place in refrigerator until congealed.

Topping

1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup pecans

8 oz. sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

With a mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in sour cream. Spread on the congealed salad and sprinkle with nuts. Refrigerate until serving

Thanksgiving Watergate Salad (The Green Stuff)

1 small box Instant Pistachio pudding

1 8 oz cream cheese softened

1 small can crushed pineapple

1 8 oz container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Mix the pudding powder and the cream cheese until the pudding mix is dissolved into the cheese. Add the pineapple and its juice. Mix with a hand mixer until fluffy. Fold in the whipped topping. You can also add marshmallows or walnuts or pecans if you want. Refrigerate until served.