Even if you’re running behind this year, a budget Thanksgiving dinner is still possible! While advance planning is always the best way to save, a few simple tricks can reduce the burden if you’ve left it to the last minute or recently been recruited to host Thanksgiving.

The Turkey

It’s not too late to get a deal on the day’s main feature – grocery stores across the country are still offering deep discounts on frozen turkeys. The trick is getting it thawed on time since you’ll pay twice as much for a fresh turkey. Check out the Butterball calculators to determine the best size turkey as well as how long it will take to defrost.

Refrigerator defrosting takes several days and any turkey worth its salt is too large for the microwave. You’ll need to use a cold water bath to quickly and safely thaw the bird. For the cold water thaw, immerse your (packaged) turkey in ice-cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes, and soak for 30 minutes per pound.

Side Dishes

Whether you’ve been asked to bring a covered dish to a larger meal or need to serve the whole meal, there are a plenty of inexpensive options. You just have to be a little more flexible with your Thanksgiving menu. We tend to get caught up in serving the same things year after year, but branching out a bit can save your budget and often allows you to find new family favorites.

Use Ingredients On Hand for Thanksgiving Meals

I like to use the ingredient search on Allrecipes.com that use what is on hand or on sale each week. The festive corn I make throughout the year was first discovered when I searched for a Thanksgiving recipe to use up the cream cheese & corn I already had in the fridge. Simple recipes, like this pineapple stuffing, will cost less, since there are fewer ingredients to buy.

Never go to the store without a grocery shopping list, even for Thanksgiving, but leave some wiggle room in it. My list included ingredients for “green bean or corn casserole” and a fruit/veggie tray with no specifics—this way, I was able to make choices in the store based on what was least expensive and come in under budget.

Plus, you still have an opportunity to properly budget your time—our Thanksgiving timeline will help you get dinner on the table with time to spare!

Photo Credit: rockinfree