Thanksgiving is just a couple weeks away and for many of us that means lots of great food. But it doesn’t have to mean a lot of calories, extra weight, and an empty wallet. Last weekend we figured out a traditional menu that will serve 8 people a healthy meal for $30.
Why is it healthy? The turkey is roasted—not fried, the food is homemade so it isn’t loaded with sodium like many of the convenience foods, the vegetables and fruits are prepared letting the natural flavors shine rather than be smothered, and we have skipped the crust on the pie and gone right to the ‘good for you’ pumpkin filling.
My sister is trying to promote a “Turkey Trot” on Thanksgiving morning for us—just like they do in her husband’s hometown. The Turkey Trot is a 3K route and everyone walks or runs as far as they want and are able. This sounds like a great plan to me, and I think it would work with our family since we share the cooking. Walking and talking sure makes the exercise go more quickly.
Check out the recipes and see how we figured the costs.
-pointers from Peggy
food cost, food preparation, recipes
calories, cost, exercise, healthy, menu, recipes, Thanksgiving, turkey trot, weight
Planning meals is important if you want to save money at the grocery store, but most people admit they don’t do it.
I know people who have 10-20 meals that they know their family likes and they just rotate them throughout the month, adding in seasonal foods and specials. Others just buy food when it is on sale and then plan meals based on what they have that needs to be used up or how much time they have. I am in that last bunch. I grocery shop about once a week rotating between two stores that I think have the best prices. When there is a good sale, I stock up. When planning meals, I include at least one food from each food group and sometimes more than one vegetable. Planning meals this way is called the Plate Method.
The Spend Smart. Eat Smart. web site has a whole section on planning meals. You can find a 4-day menu planner, flyer called 3 Steps to Quick Healthy Meals that includes recipes, and 6 weeks of menus that are very low cost, yet meet nutrition guidelines.
-pointers by Peggy
food cost, food preparation, recipes
grocery store, meal planning, menu, plate method, sale, specials
Memorial Day makes me think of backyard barbeques, picnics, and having friends over. When I have guests, I don’t want to spend the whole day cooking and I don’t want to overshoot my food budget. Amanda, our dietetics student, and I figure we can to do the meal below for about $2 per person, or $16 for a group of 8. We figure it will take about an hour and a half of advance prep, not counting making the burgers since that will be part of the party. If I can limit myself to one deviled egg and one cookie or brownie, my diet should be in good shape, too!
Here’s the menu:
- Hamburgers and Buns - There’s nothing better than a juicy burger right off the grill. Just make sure you cook them long enough and don’t put the cooked burgers back on the plate you used when they were raw (Food Safety Specialist Sam Beattie comments).
- Rhonda’s Deviled Eggs - My sister Rhonda makes the best deviled eggs—and because of requests, she brings them to many of our family get-togethers. This is about the least expensive appetizer I know because the ingredients are inexpensive.
- Vegetable Tray - You can buy these already made, but they cost 3-4 times more than washing the vegetables yourself. Kids can help with this task.
- Watermelon - I usually check out the seedless variety. Last summer, they were often on special for around $4.
- Sugar Free Lemonade Drink Mix (from a tub) - I buy the store brand. I like the taste and it saves a ton of money. (Or, if you prefer, you could serve sun tea for your beverage.)
- Cookies or brownies – I will buy a mix of cookies or brownies and stir them together unless I have some homemade in the freezer.
Preparations
Before the party
- Bake the brownies or cookies.
- Make the hard cooked eggs.
- Rinse and prepare the celery, radishes, carrots and onion slices (dice enough onions to make 1/3 cup and save for the deviled eggs). Put all the relishes on a serving tray or ready-to-serve container.
- Make the hamburger patties and return to refrigerator.
- Stir up the powdered drink mix (or make sun tea) and refrigerate.
- If you don’t have to travel, make the deviled eggs and put them on the serving tray, cover and HIDE in the refrigerator. If you have to transport the eggs, carry whites and yolk mixture separately in cooler. Fill eggs on the spot, pressing filling out of snipped corner of bag.
Substitutions that will cost more:
- Buy carrots and celery sticks already prepared at the grocery store
- Buy cookies or brownies from the bakery
- Add dip for the veggies
- Buy soda and beer instead of drink mix.
Costs
Hamburgers (8 - 4-ounce servings)
2 pounds ground beef - $4.48
Wheat buns - $1.59
Deviled Eggs (12 servings)
12 eggs - $0.49
1 1/3 teaspoons mustard - $0.02
1/3 cup light salad dressing - $0.12
1/3 cup pickle relish - $0.35
Onion (counted below)
Vegetable Tray
1 pound baby carrots - $0.99
1 celery stalk - $0.99
1 bulk bunch radishes - $0.79
1 yellow onion - $0.50
Seedless Watermelon - $3.99
Sugar Free Lemonade Drink Mix (from a tub)
Mix for 1 gallon of drink - $0.95
Cookies or Brownies (from a mix, makes 8-9 servings)
Brownie mix - $0.69
1/3 cup vegetable oil - $0.12
1 egg - $0.06
Total - $16.13
-pointers by Peggy
food cost, food preparation, recipes
barbeque, Deviled Eggs, food cost, Memorial Day, menu
- You don’t need engraved or photo invitations–it’s fine to put something together on your own computer and have the student hand it out to friends, or even just email it. Either way you save on postage.
- Choose the menu carefully–you don’t have to serve an entire meal. Most people can’t eat at each party anyway.
- Choose a theme. An example: try having a cookie bar and just serve bar cookies. You can make ahead and freeze, cutting them in various sizes. Or, just serve brownies. If you use store brand vanilla ice cream with it, that can be enough.
- If you work with another family, clearly define everyone’s financial and labor responsibilities before you begin. Example: will you use paper products? If so, are you using the less expensive all white products, or the more durable printed paper products? Who is responsible for clean-up? Will you limit the number of guests invited?
- Choose beverages carefully–you can serve alot of ice tea or lemonade for the cost of cans of pop. Adult beverages are expensive AND you run into the problem of monitoring who is consuming them.
For tips on the quantity of food to purchase and how to keep foods hot/cold over the hours of your reception, call Families Extension Answer Line (800-262-3804). Hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or email questions to answer@iastate.edu.
-contributed by Jan Temple
food cost, food preparation, resources
beverages, graduation, menu, quantity, theme
