Imagine Homes Blog

Think you can’t have Thanksgiving dinner on a budget, without sacrificing all the ingredients for your favorite dishes?  Think again.  We’ve scoured the Internet to find simple, yet delicious recipes and helpful tips to help you deliver a dreamy dinner, under budget. 

First, here are some tips to keep in mind as you plan your meal:

1. Buy what is in-season.  For example, brussel sprouts are at their prime in November. 
2. Make everything from scratch.  Convenience or pre-made foods are sometimes cheaper, but they are often laden with unnecessary sodium, sugar, and other unhealthy ingredients.  You can bake your own dinner rolls from scratch for less than those expensive bakery breads.
3. Know what to buy frozen, fresh, or canned.  Swap a fresh $5 pumpkin for canned pumpkin that’s less than 2 bucks.  For many items, it’s no compromise on flavor.
4. Stick to your shopping list.  The supermarket and specialty grocery stores can get crafty with their holiday displays, but don’t give in!  Making a list and sticking to it can save you cash (and heartache at the register).
5. Prioritize your dish list.  You really don’t need 12 side dishes, each with their own sauce.  Make cuts.  We promise no one will really notice.
6. Don’t get super-technical with a recipe.  If it calls for several different spices, usually you can choose just one and your recipe will turn-out just fine.
7. Make it a potluck.  Don’t feel embarrassed by asking other people to chip-in.  It can be a great way to make the meal special and personal for everyone involved!

Now, on to the best part: the food.  A brine-cured roasted turkey, a layered mashed potato casserole, creamed onions, cranberry pie, and more are included in this meal.  The best part?  You can make it for about $7 a serving!  Looking for more recipe inspiration?  Try these great videos! 

Let us know which recipes you choose!  We can’t wait to start cooking.  Happy Turkey Day!