6 smart tips and a Thanksgiving menu plan to help you keep your holiday budget-friendly with simple real food!<\/em><\/p>\n This post may contain affiliate links. Read my<\/em> disclosure policy here<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n When we were really broke, we had $25-35\/week for food. All of it \u2013 including eating out, but who are we kidding? Thanksgiving was one of my favorite times to grocery shop because I could use the sales to stock up on good, real food a feed our family all winter. <\/strong><\/p>\n First, when you are on a tight budget, the Thanksgiving meal itself can be very intimidating. The food is very traditional, and it\u2019s not exactly budget-friendly. However, here are a few ways you can save the most money while hosting a delicious Thanksgiving dinner:<\/p>\n If you are hosting dinner, divide the dishes between your guests. As the host, you\u2019re already doing a lot for the meal. It makes a lot of sense to say that you will provide the turkey, and everyone else can bring a dish to pass. <\/strong><\/p>\n I know buying ingredients ahead of time makes a lot of sense. Thanksgiving week is busy, and the more we can do before the rush, the better. But the food goes on sale the week of Thanksgiving. Sweet potatoes, turkey, and stuffing ingredients will never be so cheap as they are this week.<\/p>\n If your gathering is small, talk with your people about which dishes are their favorites. If no one really cares for stuffing or dressing, there is no rule that you need to have it at your table. <\/strong>Find a menu that fits your table and your family at the time. <\/p>\n When Chris and I celebrated our first Thanksgiving together, I was sick and we had a newborn. So I made a turkey and pumpkin pie, and we called it good. <\/p>\n For the last 5+ years, my family hosted an allergy-free Thanksgiving<\/a>. We had a lot of people with food sensitivities, so we created a space where we could all safely eat together. It was a little untraditional, but it was also extremely delicious. <\/p>\n Here\u2019s a list of simple real-food inspired Thanksgiving dishes. <\/p>\n Every year, I share a real food Thanksgiving menu in my<\/strong> 1-Min Email<\/strong><\/a>. It\u2019s one of our monthly freebies that I send throughout the year. <\/strong>If you want the next one, sign up here!<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Thanksgiving](\"https:\/\/www.cheapskatecook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/thanksgiving-on-a-budget-500x750.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nThanksgiving Dinner on a Budget<\/strong><\/h2>\n
1. Divide & Conquer<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. Wait to Purchase Ingredients Until the Week of<\/strong><\/h3>\n
3. Just Choose Your Favorite Dishes<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Thanksgiving](\"https:\/\/www.cheapskatecook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/thanksgiving-dinner-3-750x500.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nThanksgiving Menu on a Budget<\/strong><\/h2>\n