How To Budget For A Delicious Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving is all about bringing people together. If you are planning on hosting an amazing meal at your home, you may want to consider planning early. With all of the ingredients and table settings you will need, chances are good you will spend a significant amount on this meal. How can you keep your costs in line? These tips are sure to allow for the importance of this meal without the costs.

Focus on a Simple Meal

While there are plenty of new recipes to try out and a wide range of different side dishes you want to make, what tends to be important to those in attendance is the simple things. Use a family recipe for the turkey. Choose the sides that people love and expect. And, avoid over the top dishes that may not go over well with most of your guests.

Encourage Others to Pitch In

Thanksgiving is not just about the meal. It is also about every member of the family being appreciated, thanked, and shared. One way to encourage the meal to be more meaningful is to encourage people to contribute. Perhaps everyone else can bring a drink or a dessert while you handle the big meal? This allows everyone to participate and keeps costs a bit lower.

Make it from Scratch

For some people, it is easier and less expensive to buy just about ready-made foods and dishes. However, it can be very affordable to buy the individual ingredients and make these dishes from scratch. To buy enough prepared mashed potatoes, for example, you’ll spend significantly more buying a frozen option than buying a bag of potatoes and butter.

Turn to the Kids for Decorations

For some people, the decorations are also a key component of the meal. It helps make the entire home feel festive. Instead of buying expensive tablecloths and flowers, let the kids go to work on it. They can create an individual placemat for each person at the meal. Let them add candles and other simple things to help make the space more relaxing and special.

Make the Most of Leftovers

You can stretch your dollar even farther if you make sure those leftovers are used up throughout the coming days. Repurpose items into casseroles or freeze them in portions for fast meals during the busy holiday season.

Most importantly, make the most of your time together. Put your feet up and relax a bit. When everyone contributes, the costs stay under control. And, the meal is far more meaningful and memorable.