Thanksgiving Budget Menus

Thanksgiving is a time to gather with friends and family to give thanks and enjoy the plentiful fall harvests, so it may be helpful to know about some Thanksgiving budget menus to make the holidays lighter on the wallet (and heavy in the stomach!). Here are a few Thanksgiving budget menu ideas that won't break the bank:

1. Just the basics. Go with the traditional fare, but buy wisely, making use of sale ads, and you can produce a fine, basic Thanksgiving menu on a budget. Try the following menu: roasted turkey with gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, a green salad, canned cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie.
2. Potluck. A great way to provide a Thanksgiving meal on a budget is to go potluck! Provide the main dishes such as turkey, potatoes, and rolls, and ask your guests to bring a dish. You can assign dishes, or let your guests get creative and bring their specialties. Just be sure to provide guidelines so that you don't end up with ten pumpkin pies and no cranberry sauce!
3. Seasonal value. Instead of serving a totally traditional menu, opt instead to buy seasonal produce to round out your Thanksgiving budget menu. In most regions, butternut squash, apples, pumpkins, and cranberries are in season and on sale. Serve dishes such as butternut squash soup, apple crisp, pumpkin mousse, and cranberry gelatin salad instead of more traditional dishes. 
4. Go homemade all the way. In most cases, making it yourself is more budget friendly than buying ready-made or prepackaged items. For a very budget-wise Thanksgiving menu, make everything from scratch. Skip the gravy mix and make your own gravy from the turkey drippings. Forgo the boxed and bagged stuffing mix and make your own using day old bread and the produce you already have in the fridge. Don't buy salad dressing, just mix up a batch of homemade dressing from the ingredients you already have on hand. Avoiding pre-made and packaged items can really add up in savings.