This autumn holiday is about lots of good food—which, naturally, can get expensive.

Thankfully, you can avoid some of the downsides of hosting this much-anticipated meal by strategizing your planning. With a few good choices, you and your guests can enjoy a fabulously roasted bird, plus all the fixings, without busting your budget.

Stick to the standards

If you decide to cook the entire Thanksgiving spread yourself, you can prevent overspending by making simple but delicious homemade dishes. Your guests will likely delight in a lovingly prepared dinner with favorites like a turkey with stuffing, a few simple vegetable side dishes like mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and cranberry sauce, and an easy-to-make dessert, such as an apple crumble. Avoid catering your get-together or including multiple main dishes, which can easily jack up the cost. Serving appetizers can also make the meal pricier, but if you choose inexpensive crowd-pleasers like chips and dip, a vegetable plate, or acorn squash hummus, it might not be by too much.

Be a team player

Sure, it’s nice to receive accolades for a well-prepared meal, but you don’t have to take on all the work—and expense—on your own. Instead, consider hosting a potluck dinner, in which you ask each of your guests to bring an appetizer, side, or dessert to reduce how much you’ll need to both spend and cook yourself. In addition, by letting your friends and relatives decide what dishes to contribute to your shared feast, you might discover a new-to-you Thanksgiving favorite or two.

Buy smart

While turkey prices are down significantly from 2022 because of an increased supply, food costs overall are generally higher now than they were this time last year, so you’ll want to shop strategically to reduce your spending on your other dishes. You can employ measures like
comparing retailers’ prices (including at wholesalers like Costco or Sam’s Club), joining your grocery store’s rewards club, and choosing generic over name-brand items. And, of course, take advantage of coupons and other discounts. Downloading the apps for your local grocery stores can also help you quickly check prices, determine if the items you need are in stock, and give you access to digital bonus deals.

Cook just enough

Everyone loves leftovers, especially on Thanksgiving. However, it won’t benefit anyone if you make much more than you and your guests can enjoy either at the table or within the next few days. Try not to buy too big a bird or cook more food than necessary—one-and-a-half pounds of turkey and half a pound of side dishes per person should be plenty. For example, you’d want to cook six pounds of meat for four people and eighteen pounds for twelve.

Decorate simply

It can be tempting to get fancy with your holiday decorations, but it doesn’t take much to create a cozy ambience. Even a few fall leaves and acorns scattered on the table, a small seasonal bouquet place at the center of it, or paper placemats hand drawn by your kids or grandkids can give your celebration a sweet and homey feel your guests will be sure to appreciate.

Your holiday doesn’t have to be extravagant to be enjoyed to the fullest— simply prepare it with love and share it with friends and family to create memories that will last a lifetime.