Thanksgiving is almost here, and that means most of us Americans have food on the brain. The turkey, the cranberries, the pie — it’s just not Thanksgiving without those classics. But even if you’re spending the holiday with only your immediate family or perhaps just one other person this year, the cost of cooking a full Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings can get way up there. That is unless you learn June Xie’s tips for cooking a Thanksgiving meal on a serious budget.
June, who is a senior food producer at Delish and the star of YouTube’s Budget Eats, was recently challenged to cook a holiday feast for four people that had to include turkey, two sides and a dessert, all for under $25. Not only was this budget queen able to pull it off, but she also provided some seriously helpful tips along the way.
- Get creative: Don’t feel like you have to cook turkey the traditional Thanksgiving way, especially if not everyone in your family is a fan of it (this survey from Instacart reveals that a lot of actually dislike classic turkey). June was able to make two delicious dishes using turkey legs, which she got at a fraction of the cost of a whole bird.
- Look for affordable side options: June was able to combine veggies like Brussels sprouts, carrots and onions into one tasty side that complemented the meal without breaking the bank.
- Certain ingredients make all the difference: One lemon, an orange, and some spices can go a long way when it comes to taking roasted vegetables, cranberry sauce and other dishes from ordinary to holiday meal-worthy.
Cooking a Thanksgiving dinner with no budget restrictions isn’t easy, but doing it under $25? Well, that deserves an award. Watch the entire video above to see exactly how June did it, and tune into Budget Eats on Delish‘s YouTube channel for more ways to save in the kitchen.
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