The average turkey dinner for ten people cost $44.61 last year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. This estimate includes the following items: turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, dinner rolls, peas, cranberries, a relish tray of carrots and celery, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, beverages of coffee and milk, and preparatory ingredients such as onions, eggs, sugar, flour, evaporated milk and butter. The 2009 estimate is not out yet, but armed with some practical planning and savvy shopping techniques, you can trim costs and still have a fantastic holiday meal.
Plan Ahead, Of Course
It sounds fundamental, but planning ahead is extremely important, especially during the holidays when there are more people to factor into the equation.
Begin by deciding what you want to serve. Use weekly sales circulars as guides to help lower costs (this may mean that you opt for yams instead of mashed potatoes, or peas instead of green beans). Next, determine how many people you will be cooking for and create your grocery list. Consider other holiday meals later in the year: family recipes and favorites tend to appear on multiple occasions. In some cases, you can buy larger quantities now and save in the long run with lower per-unit costs. Again, it sounds basic, but when the holidays get hectic, it is easy to lose sight of all the details, which leads to more expensive, last-minute purchases.
The Bird
At this time of year, grocery stores compete aggressively for your business. Many offer turkey as a loss leader or include it in promotions. Be sure to take advantage of these deals to maximize savings. If your supermarket doesn't offer a promotion, plan on purchasing your turkey about two weeks in advance, when selections are better. Buy an appropriately sized turkey: about one pound per person. Unless you are planning to use leftovers, don't waste money on a 20-pound turkey for your family of eight. That said, look for the biggest bird you can reasonably use. Larger birds have more meat per pound than smaller ones, though arguably they may be tougher. If you won't be cooking the entire bird at once (or if you don't think it will fit in your oven), ask the butcher to cut it in half. Most are happy to oblige.
Know Where, and When, to Shop
After you hit your supermarket for the holiday sales, consider making a stop at a local bakery outlet. It's a great place to save big on bread to cube for stuffing as well as on dinner rolls. Locate an outlet near you and call to inquire about "Bargain Days," when it's not uncommon to find bread for as little as $.49 a loaf. Hint: while you're there, pick up a few extra loaves of bread to keep in your freezer.
Save and Give
Without a lot of time and effort, you can rack up big savings with coupons, so look for them everywhere. If you'd like to save money and "do good" at the same time, visit the AARP Grocery Coupon Center powered by Coupons.com (www.GroceryCouponCenter.com), where visitors of all ages can find money-saving coupons. For each coupon printed from the site and redeemed by December 31, 2009, Coupons.com will donate five cents to an AARP Foundation charitable initiative. You'll find coupons for items like Pillsbury Crescent Dinner Rolls, Yoplait Yogurt, Maxwell House Coffee, DiGiorno Pizza, and Kellogg's Cereal. The more you save, the more Coupons.com gives.
Coupons.com has also partnered with a number of grocery stores to provide Savings Card coupons. Check out the Savings Card tab on Coupons.com to load coupon offers directly to your Club Card for Safeway, VONS, Tom Thumb, and more. If your favorite store isn't listed yet, check back soon as additional retailers will be added to the program.
Time = Money
You've heard the "time is money" mantra. Decide where you can use pre- and partially-made items to help balance your time in the kitchen and your time with friends and family. Potato mix, ready-made pie crusts, and refrigerated cookie dough and dinner rolls can make preparing a big meal much easier, without sacrificing taste or quality. Furthermore, you don't need to spend a fortune to create an elegant holiday table. You don't even have to look beyond the grocery store. Nuts like walnuts and pistachios look great in wooden bowls; bright red cranberries can make a strong visual impact when displayed in a glass vase. Plus, you can eat them when you're done!
It's a Wrap
If you want to have enough leftovers to freeze, plan your shopping accordingly, and freeze the food shortly after your holiday meal. If you wait too long, you'll simply be tossing money into the trash. Be sure to have a variety of containers, plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or storage bags on hand to make the process quick and easy.
The Coupons, Incorporated logo is a registered trademark of Coupons, Incorporated. All other trademarks, logos and service marks are the property of their respective owners.
