Our tips on how to have a great Thansgiving on a budget.
Plan your menu ahead, and with the people who will be attending.
To avoid cooking things that won't get touched, plan your menu based more on who's coming than tradition. Also let others bring their specialties or helper items like soft drinks and snacks.
Don't stuff the turkey.
Well, not before roasting it anyway. Cooking the turkey without stuffing means that it will cook more evenly, and the inner parts won't be gunked up with starchy sludge. Leftovers will be easier to use for turkey salad and other recipes. If you must stuff it, put in the stuffing after you've already roasted it just for presentation purposes. It'll be easier to remove. An unstuffed turkey also takes less time to cook, which will save you a little on your gas or electricity bill.
Do you really need a whole turkey?
If you're feeding a small family or everyone has a preference for the same part, don't get a whole turkey. If everyone only likes breasts, just get breasts. If it's legs, get legs. You might spend the same if you're feeding more people, but at least nothing will go to waste.
Another thing, some people would really rather have chicken or roast beef, lamb, or pork. Turkey may be traditional, but if you really want to have an enjoyable meal, make something your family or guests actually like.
Make your own stuffing/dressing.
Packaged stuffing and dressing mixes are much more expensive than old bread. Chop it into cubes, spread it on a baking sheet, drizzle it with a little olive oil or butter, and bake it on 400 F until it's a little toasted. Then you can fry some veggies and pour on some broth and there you have a nice stuffing.
Divide and freeze leftovers.
Divide leftovers into portions you would use for a single serving or recipe, and freeze them. This way you'll have them handy and not have to worry about how you're going to use a whole pound of leftover cranberry sauce at once or something.
