I was at the grocery store this week starting to think about Thanksgiving, and I swear the turkey prices looked higher than last year — and the side dishes aren't cheap either. It got me wondering if it's really worth going all out on a big turkey again this year. Are you scaling back the menu, splitting the costs with family, or switching to something cheaper like chicken or ham? Curious what everyone else is planning for Thanksgiving dinner this year.
A lot of families split it potluck-style: the host does the turkey and everyone brings one side, which spreads the cost a lot. Grocery chains also often run turkey deals in the weeks before Thanksgiving (sometimes free or very cheap with a minimum purchase), so it can pay to wait and compare weekly ads. For a smaller group, a turkey breast or a ham is usually cheaper than a whole bird and leaves fewer leftovers.
Worth comparing the cost per serving, not just the price per pound: a whole turkey is mostly bone, so the cheap sticker price shrinks once you count the usable meat. If the group is small, a bone-in turkey breast or a couple of roast chickens can come out about the same and cook much faster. And the sides are where costs quietly pile up, so picking three or four favorites instead of ten makes a real difference.
We're leaning toward scaling back a bit this year too. The potluck idea sounds really sensible — one person shouldn't have to carry the whole cost of the turkey plus all the sides. For a smaller group, a turkey breast honestly makes more sense to me, and keeping the menu to a few favorites instead of ten dishes would help a lot. I still love the big family dinner, but it shouldn't have to break the budget to feel special.
We're scaling back a bit too — the turkey itself is one thing, but the sides add up fast once you count stuffing, potatoes, cranberries and dessert. We're keeping a smaller turkey and just doing our favorite sides instead of the full spread.
One way to keep Thanksgiving costs down: many grocery chains run turkey promos in mid-November where a frozen bird is very cheap with a minimum purchase, so it's worth watching the weekly flyers. If the group is small, a turkey breast or a roast chicken is often enough and cuts both cost and cooking time. Potluck-style, where every guest brings one side, also spreads the bill around nicely.
We're in the same boat — the turkey itself is only part of it, once you add sides, drinks and dessert it really adds up. The potluck idea mentioned above sounds like the best middle ground to me, so nobody's stuck with the whole bill. For a smaller group I'd also lean toward a turkey breast instead of a whole bird — less waste and a lot less stress in the kitchen.
Un consejo práctico: muchos supermercados ofrecen pavo gratis o muy barato si gastas cierta cantidad en compras durante noviembre. También ayuda dividir el menú entre invitados, que cada uno traiga un plato. Y si la familia es pequeña, una pechuga de pavo o un pollo asado sale bastante más económico que un pavo entero.
We're doing a smaller version this year too — probably a turkey breast instead of a whole bird, and just our favorite sides rather than the full spread. The potluck idea mentioned above really helps as well; it keeps the meal feeling special without one person carrying the whole grocery bill. I still think it's worth gathering, just with a more realistic menu.
We're feeling the same squeeze here. The turkey gets all the attention, but for us it's the sides, drinks and dessert that quietly push the total up. We're probably going smaller this year too — a turkey breast and just the favorites, rather than trying to cover everything. The potluck idea makes a lot of sense as well, especially when everyone brings one dish they actually enjoy making.
На День благодарения часто дорожает не только индейка, а гарниры: масло, сливки, картофель и бульон. Имеет смысл заранее сравнить цены в дискаунтере и обычном супермаркете — там разница заметнее, чем на самой птице. Замороженная индейка обычно дешевле свежей, если есть место в морозилке за пару недель до праздника.
We're doing the potluck approach this year too — my sister is bringing two sides, my brother's handling dessert, and I'm just doing the turkey. It already feels a lot less stressful than trying to buy everything myself.
I also checked the weekly ad and the store's turkey deal only kicks in if you spend a certain amount, so I'm timing the rest of my shopping around that. A smaller menu with the dishes everyone actually eats seems like the way to go.