Frugal Feasts….YUM!

I know that you can find plenty of information out there on how to save money this Holiday Season, especially food savings, however, I particularly enjoyed these tips. The Feast Potlucks is especially noteworthy! I came across this on Baby Center:

Holiday feasts on a budget

Posted by Kristina Sauerwein in Nutrition, Holidays, Traditions, Food, Celebrations, Family Life, Shopping, Lifestyle | November 14th, 2008 | Trackback

Thanksgiving, often the largest meal of the year, is less than two weeks away. Christmas is not far behind. With a shaky economy and rising food costs, holiday-feast expenses might be a big source of stress.

“Food is an important part of holidays, and this is especially true for Thanksgiving,” said Jennifer Ebelhar McDaniel,* a registered dietitian and an assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics at Saint Louis University. “There’s a lot of pressure to serve a big, traditional Thanksgiving meal, but for many people that’s just not financially feasible this year.”

To help ease the financial pain, McDaniel offers these tips for reducing your grocery bill while still hosting a delicious and memorable holiday:

• Create your shopping list a week before: This allows time to sort through coupons and seek out sales. Additionally, lists prevent extra trips to the supermarket, so no wasted gas and no unnecessary purchases.
• Forget about serving it all: Don’t feel pressured to cater to individual guests by preparing their favorite dishes. Select one protein (usually a turkey), one starch (a potato dish, for instance), one vegetable and one dessert.
• Determine serving size: Count the number of guests you will entertain and tailor your recipes for the correct number of people. Too often, hosts prepare too much food.
• Go for the frozen veggies: Use frozen instead of fresh veggies for dishes such as a broccoli and cheese casserole. Frozen vegetables generally are less expensive but offer the same nutrients as fresh ones.
• Purchase the whole turkey: The entire bird usually costs less than buying turkey parts. Plus, the leftovers can be used in casseroles, burritos, sandwiches and soups. (Here’s a site with recipes for leftover turkey).
• Ask for help: Turn Thanksgiving into a fun potluck. Be responsible for one or two items and delegate the rest. Request that your guests bring extra copies of their recipes to share.
• Forgo paper products: Yes, paper plates and plastic utensils mean no dish washing. But they’re costly and not good for the environment. Besides, if you are married and registered for wedding china, or if you inherited some from your family, take joy in dressing the table.

Besides saving money, McDaniel says that following this plan can also help save calories.

For additional tips on eating healthy while on a budget, click here.

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Tagged as: Cooking, frugal tips, holidays, Home, Leftovers, Meal, Potluck, Saint Louis University, Thanksgiving