Thanksgiving is a BIG dinner and it can be costly for the hosts. With these 30+ cheap and easy Thanksgiving recipes, you’ll be able to serve a memorable and tasty Thanksgiving dinner without needing a loan!
Plus, I’ve also included how to keep Thanksgiving sides warm and how much turkey and ham to buy. Additionally, I’ve included leftover ham and turkey recipes below too.
Thanksgiving is a holiday to give thanks for our blessings but, if you are HOSTING Thanksgiving, it can cost you hundreds of dollars that you could be using for your utility bills or holiday shopping. The good news is that you can serve a delicious, hearty Thanksgiving dinner without needing a loan.
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I’ve compiled the list of budget-friendly easy Thanksgiving recipes below, based on four things: affordability of the ingredients, number of ingredients, ease of finding the ingredients and lastly, ease of making the recipe.
Also, I’ve included some leftover turkey and ham recipes too. This is a great way to stretch your grocery dollars.
Although I’ve linked to some traditional recipes that don’t follow the above guidelines, it’s only because some people will not waiver on their favorite dishes like homemade green bean casserole or sweet potato casserole and I’d like to provide you with the delicious recipes.
Also, if someone is insisting on having a dish that you don’t want to pay for, ask them to bring it. Be sure to write down your must have dishes so that they don’t get lost in the budget planning.
Planning Thanksgiving well will and early enables you to set a budget and choose dishes that will fit that budget for both your allowable time and costs. You’ll need to know how many people are coming in order to plan so, start asking now!
Thanksgiving Planning
The first time you host Thanksgiving, start planning in early October to give you enough time to plan out your menu, get easy recipes and set a realistic budget.
Don’t be shy on asking your family and friends to bring side dishes, desserts and alcohol. Most people don’t mind bringing something.
Remember that Thanksgiving dinner, by its origin, was a potluck meal. Both the pilgrims and Indians offered part of the meal.
With that said, when/if your guests offer to bring food or beverages, not only is this is a kind gesture (and a Thanksgiving tradition,) it will alleviate the costs significantly.
Nonetheless, I’ve got lots of easy Thanksgiving recipes for you on this website! I mostly use simple ingredients and extra virgin olive oil in my cooking because that’s how my Italian immigrant mother cooked.
Your Thanksgiving dinner will not only be delicious, it will fit into your budget too. Also, remember that the more ingredients a recipe contains, the more you have to buy and some of them are very expensive, like nuts.
Or buy my Thanksgiving Planner Binder that includes 3-page week-by-week, day-by-day planner. It has: grocery list, menu & budget worksheets, to do list worksheets, cooking times & tips, an easy & flavorful turkey brine recipe and more.
Make a Cheaper Alternative to Green Bean Casserole
For example, green bean casserole is one of the most popular Thanksgiving side dishes.
Although it may seem inexpensive to make with canned soup and a container of fried onions, it’s even cheaper if you make the green beans steamed or use my Air Fryer Parmesan Green Bean recipe that’s even cheaper and even easier than making green bean casserole.
If you really need to save money this Thanksgiving, then here’s the bare bones menu:
- a small turkey or ham
- baked potatoes or sweet potatoes
- green beans (Try my popular Air Fryer Parmesan Green Beans!)
- stuffing or filling
- turkey gravy (with drippings or without drippings)
- dinner rolls
- cranberry sauce or relish (Try my Easy Lemon Ginger Cranberry Relish Recipe for Thanksgiving that is featured on Good Housekeeping!)
- pumpkin pie, apple crisp or cherry pie
- water, soft drinks, no alcohol (unless others are bringing it.)
How much Turkey and Ham do I need for Thanksgiving?
Find out how many people you’re hosting and then see my guide on how much turkey and ham to buy. This will help you not to buy more meat than you need but, remember that you can freeze leftovers for weeknight dinners. Use the leftover turkey to make yummy Turkey Pot Pie.
Cheap and Easy Thanksgiving Recipes
Because Thanksgiving is a large meal with a pricy and big main dish, multiple sides and dessert, you really don’t need appetizers unless you’re trying to hold people over until it’s time to eat.
This can happen when the turkey isn’t quite done yet. Think about serving butternut squash soup in a slow cooker that they can help themselves to, instead of an expensive charcuterie board.
But, even if you want finger appetizers, they don’t have to be expensive. Make a sour cream dip with carrots or potato chips and that’s it.
Thanksgiving Turkey
To some, Thanksgiving would not be “Turkey Day” if there’s no turkey. It’s ruin the whole holiday for them. You know that family member don’t you? Fear not, there’s a way to please everyone without breaking the bank. I’ve got some ideas below.
Make Slow Cooker Turkey Breast and save oven space for your Thanksgiving side dishes. Plus, it’s great if you need extra white meat. Ask someone to bring it and use an insulated slow cooker carrier to keep it warm and avoid spills in their car on the way over.
Make Air Fryer Turkey Tenderloin instead of a whole turkey. It’s not only cheaper than a whole turkey, it’s easier to prep and clean up too. This is great if you’re hosting a small group and don’t want dark meat. Plus, you can make gravy without drippings.
Grocery stores in my area give a free whole turkey for rewards points which is easy for our family of four to earn. I will get the free turkey and make it for Thanksgiving or save it for another time. You can’t beat FREE meat!
Ham
Hams can be pricy but, grocery store will give good sales on them around the holidays. I usually will get a free one around Easter time and save it in my freezer for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Here’s my Baked Ham Recipe Not So Sweet Maple Glaze recipe. that’s pictured below.
Although they are not cheap upfront, the leftovers can be frozen and provide many dinners thereafter, such as Homemade Ham Pot Pie.
Bone in hams are cheaper per pound than boneless hams. Plus, you can use the ham bone to make a delicious Ham and White Bean Soup with Potatoes!
Read my 10 Tips to Host a Stress-Free Holiday Dinner with Ham!
Budget friendly Thanksgiving Side Dishes
You will want to have easy Thanksgiving side dishes that don’t require a lot of ingredients because more ingredients translates to more cost. This is especially true if you don’t have a fully stocked kitchen or spice cabinet to pull from.
Remember that potatoes and and a good stuffing recipe are not as expensive as other vegetables, such as asparagus and brussel sprouts. They can be quite filling for guests and you won’t need as many sides.
Leftover fresh herbs can be used for garnish on food and in cocktails as well, so keep that in mind. I’ve listed some of the best Thanksgiving sides below.
Potatoes and stuffing are filling and not as expensive as other vegetables such as asparagus and brussel sprouts.
Gravy
Cranberry Sauce
Easy Thanksgiving Desserts
Alcohol
Wine is a popular alcoholic drink for Thanksgiving but, it can be costly even if you buy the cheaper wines. However, there’s a way to use that cheaper wine to make it into more!
Sangria stretches out your wine supply, therefore it’s cheaper than wine alone. My Festive White Christmas Sangria went viral within three weeks of me posting it last holiday season.
It’s made with Sauvignon Blanc, Cointreau (a small 3 oz. bottle will suffice), white cranberry juice and fresh fruit. Because white sangria goes well with both turkey and ham, check it out.
I also have a Thanksgiving Apple and Cranberry Red Sangria Recipe too. See more of my delicious cocktails. You’ll love my Winter White Cosmo Bonefish Recipe Elderflower too!
Using a Thanksgiving countdown planner helps promote stress-free planning. Print it (get free printable below or buy this cheap, but pretty 13-page binder (digital download) and hang it on your refrigerator.
For the FREE printable version, click this link The-Less-Stress-Thanksgiving-Dinner-Planner-
Cheap and Easy Sample Thanksgiving Menu
Veggie tray, chips and dips, Puff Pasty Pesto Chicken Bites
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy, Baked Ham Recipe Not So Sweet Maple Glaze, Cranberry Orange Baked Ham or some of both
Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes or Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
Creamed Corn, Honey Ginger Glazed Carrots, or Air Fryer Parmesan Green Beans
Best Thanksgiving Italian Sausage Stuffing
homemade dinner rolls & butter
Lemon Ginger Cranberry Relish (featured on Good Housekeeping 2017-2024!)
Winter White Cosmo, Festive White Christmas Sangria Recipe, Thanksgiving Red Sangria or beer, Tiramisu Eggnog Cocktail
sweet tea, lemonade, soft drinks, water
coffee, hot tea
wine, alcohol
Budget-Friendly Thanksgiving Desserts
Good quality pies can cost nearly $20 or more each depending on the size! That adds up quickly when you need different kinds. Making you own pies is cheapest but, some are cheaper to make than others.
Cheesecakes can be very costly to buy but, making your own may only cost you $12-$15 to make a big cheesecake. See my Caramel Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake or Cranberry Lemon Cheesecake.
Tips for Thanksgiving Pies
- Limit the number of desserts for your Thanksgiving meal.
- Be choosy on picking which pies are cheaper. For example, it’s cheaper to make an apple pie than to make a pecan pie. But, some people will not show up at Thanksgiving without their favorite pecan pie!
- Omit unneeded costly ingredients: My BOURBON Chocolate Pecan Pie is superbly delicious but, the bourbon can be omitted to save on cost.
- Pumpkin pie is one of the cheapest, easiest and even healthier options. Pumpkin is very nutritious too.
- Sweet Potato Pie is another great option because you only need to buy one pound of yams or orange sweet potatoes.
- Make your own pie crust. It’s always cheaper to make your pie crust but it can be messy and a little time consuming for non-bakers. Thankfully, Pillsbury makes a good refrigerated pie crust you can buy on sale especially before Thanksgiving when all of the baking ingredients are on sale.
- Buy nuts in bulk: Buying in bulk is usually cheaper. Make trail mix with leftover nuts and chocolate chips.
Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Pie is made with one pound of yams or sweet potatoes and a few other ingredients. It’s a filling dessert.
Pumpkin Gingerbread Bundt Cake, pictured below, doesn’t isn’t made with expensive ingredients and is also a filling dessert.
Amish Pumpkin Whoopie Pie Recipe
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread is great to make with leftover pumpkin puree and only needs one cup of i
Check out ALL of our Thanksgiving recipes!
You can still have a Thanksgiving feast on a budget and it will be a special meal for your family and/or friends.
Use my FREE The-Less-Stress-Thanksgiving-Dinner-Planner that gives you a week-by-week and day-to-day task list and menu ideas to get ORGANIZED for stress free Thanksgiving planning! Or, buy my Thanksgiving Planner Binder (digital download) that includes worksheets and a turkey brine recipe!
Use these 30+ Cheap and Easy Thanksgiving recipes to make your holiday great without spending a lot of money that you need for other necessary expenses.
Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!
Got Turkey Leftovers?
Got Ham Leftovers?
Ham, Egg and Gouda Breakfast Muffins
Ham, Potato and White Bean Soup
One Pot Ham, Potato and Corn Chowder
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