Plan nourishing holiday meals to balance your budget and reduce waste

The holidays are all about gathering with family and friends. This includes enjoying traditions passed down through generations, gift giving, celebrations, and of course, food. While we embrace those memorable occasions, it can come with spending beyond our typical budget. Managing your food budget is one way to keep your spending in check this time of year. Here are some simple tips, strategies, and recipes to help you find balance for your wallet and your health.

Cut down on food waste with thoughtful meal planning

In a season of excess, one way to make the most of your spending is to cut back on food waste. This can benefit both your bank account and the environment. Here are some simple ways to cut back on waste at home:

Simplify the menus for your celebrations. If last year you found that you had more leftovers than you could handle, omit the least popular dishes from your menu or make less of them.

When you have leftovers, use them creatively. Leftover ham or turkey and roasted veggies can be used in soups, stews, wraps, and bowls. If you need a break from the leftovers, freeze them to enjoy later. Check out recipes that repurpose leftovers and keep essential ingredients like broths and cooking soups on hand.

Plan your regular meals and shopping lists weekly. While the season brings celebrations and changes to our routines, we still need to plan for our day-to-day needs. Keep dinners simple with one pot dishes, recipes ready in 30 minutes or less, and a short ingredient list to guide your everyday meals during the season. Campbell's Sauces can make dinner simple and delicious.

Campbell's Butter Chicken

Keep your pantry stocked to help you quickly and easily prepare fresh ingredients before they go to waste. For example, veggies and leftover turkey become a delicious casserole with a few staple ingredients.

Turkey and stuffing casserole

Make dishes special and affordable

Holidays are still a time to make meals and gatherings feel special. That does not mean they need to be overly indulgent or expensive. Here are some ways to save money and keep nutrition in mind.

Budget a little more time to prepare foods from scratch to cut costs.

Use less of the more expensive items like nuts, olives, cheeses, meats, and seafood at your gathering. For example, if you make a seafood pasta dish, add more veggies and use a little less shrimp.

Enjoy in-season produce like sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts. Elevate your veggies with a little honey, nuts, or sprinkle of bacon.

Think about how presentation makes your dishes special and costs little-to-nothing. Make use of garnishes like roasted pumpkin seeds to make something as simple as soup, more memorable. Add a sprig of rosemary and cranberries to your guests' plates to elevate the experience.

Butternut Squash Soup with Sage

Incorporate more plant-forward dishes or meatless main dishes like this lasagna.

Make use of veggies in all forms. Add budget-friendly canned and frozen veggies to your weekly meal plans to save money.

Balancing your food budget over the holidays and reducing food waste can help you feel less overwhelmed. Using these tips and strategies can help you enjoy specialties of the season while being mindful of your budget, reducing food waste, and keeping nourishing ingredients on the table.