Tips for a Cheap and Easy Thanksgiving Dinner

Photo by Mr. T in DC

Some of us love to host Thanksgiving dinner and some dread it. Whether you're a lover or a hater, we can always appreciate reducing the cost and stress of turkey day, particularly in these hard economic times.

Since this holiday is all about giving thanks, here are 13 tips I've learned from hosting Thanksgivings past:

1. Don't worry about decorations. Martha Stewart may have an unhealthy fixation on homemade centerpieces, place cards, napkins and such, but that doesn't mean you need to waste time and money on these extras. Your family and friends are sharing a Thanksgiving meal because it's a lovely tradition, not because they want to see your handiwork. Besides, once you get the turkey, various fixings and place settings on the table, there's rarely room left for such fripperies.

2. Delegate, delegate, delegate. Think of yourself as the CEO of Thanksgiving. You're being kind enough to open your house to everyone and  shouldn't have to do all the work by yourself. You're more or less stuck cooking the turkey, but most guests are happy to bring a dish, especially if they have a favorite or signature dish. Unless you have a giant oven or microwave, hot dishes should be brought to your house while still warm. And don't forget to make sure guests supply the wine!

3. Take an early headcount. Ask for definite RSVPs before you begin planning so you don’t end up making too much food and spending extra money. Make only as much food as you need for the people attending.

4. Involve the children. Rather than deal with ironing your best linen tablecloth, ask the children to each make and bring a few hand-decorated placements. This could start a new tradition and make it less stressful when wine and gravy gets dripped all over the table.

5. Get a free turkey. Many supermarkets offer free turkeys to customers who spend a certain amount of money during a promotional period. It's usually not difficult to spend the amount needed to earn a turkey because the shopping period lasts long enough for you to have made several grocery buying trips.

6. Buy a bigger turkey. Larger turkeys are cheaper per pound and make endless leftovers (unless you have a large, ravenous family). Dissect the turkey after dinner into tin-foil packets of white and dark meat and pop them in the freezer. Simmer the bones with chopped carrot, celery, parsley and thyme for a consommée you can use with leftovers. I like to freeze the consommée in ice-cube trays and bag the cubes to be melted as needed. Keep the cubes good and cold, however, or they'll stick together.

7. Buy the turkey early. Grocery stores are already selling turkeys at rock-bottom prices to lure customers into their stores. Make room in the freezer for your early Tom and avoid last-minute prices. Remember, a large turkey requires roughly five days to defrost in the refrigerator, so you'll need room in the fridge as turkey day draws closer. (It's really not safe to defrost a turkey on the counter.)

8. Shop early. Buy anything you can a few weeks in advance and freeze or store as appropriate. Cook anything that can be frozen ahead of time to save time later. Shopping early allows you to make purchases before all the sale items are gone. If you end up waiting until the last minute, it may be worth your while to shop several different stores to hit their loss-leader sales.

9. Make the best use of coupons. Naturally, you'll want to research coupons online and in newspapers. You can save big by shopping at grocery stores that double or triple coupons.

10. Shop warehouse clubs. Shop early as the clubs are usually packed close to the holidays. Alternately, shop early in the morning a couple days before Thanksgiving to avoid the afternoon rush.

11. Buy only what you need. Pull out all the recipes you'll use for the Thanksgiving dinner and make a check list of specific amounts and items you'll require. When unprepared, we often end up buying way too much of particular ingredients.

12. Use a turkey bag. Cooking the turkey in one of these bags means you don't have to continually baste and the bird cooks more quickly, stays moist and will stay hot when removed from the oven to warm up or cook other dishes.

13. Help others. If you really want to save money and experience the true meaning of the holidays, consider volunteering at your local soup kitchen. You'll both help those less fortunate and get a free meal. Include the whole family. We're never too young to learn to give.