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11/06/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 11/07/2026 03:21

Five Ways to Save Money on Your Thanksgiving Dinner

Five Ways to Save Money on Your Thanksgiving Dinner

Photo via iStock/eyecrave productions

Arts & Culture

Five Ways to Save Money on Your Thanksgiving Dinner

BU nutritionist Joan Salge Blake says the special holiday meal doesn't need to be expensive

November 6, 2026
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With the holiday season fast approaching, shoppers can expect to pay more at the grocery store this year. According to the US Department of Agriculture, food prices in September 2026 were up 3.7 percent from the year before-and they continue to climb.

BU Today reached out to Joan Salge Blake (Sargent'84, Wheelock'16), a Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences clinical professor of nutrition and host of the award-winning nutrition & health podcast Spot On!, for tips on trimming the fat from your holiday meal budget.

Her biggest takeaway? Don't wait until Thanksgiving week to start shopping.

Tip 1: Use your freezer for more than just ice cubes

Photo via iStock/Willowpix

Start stocking up on things that go on sale in early November but can be frozen for later use. If your favorite baking apples and pie crust go on sale, buy them now, make the pie, and freeze it. If the vanilla ice cream is also on sale, freeze it along with the pie, for a dessert that is one and done. This will not only save you moola, but ratchet down the stress of having to make the entire meal all at one time during the holidays.

If you're freezing the turkey, here's how to defrost it properly in your refrigerator: allow about 24 hours for every four to five pounds of turkey. So, if you are serving a 15-pound turkey, allow at least three days of defrosting in the refrigerator.

Tip 2: Scout out supermarket flyers and shop ahead

Photo via Shutterstock/Colleen Michaels

Grocery stores often slash turkey prices around the holidays. They put the birds on sale and use them as "loss leaders"-in other words, they don't make any profit off the turkey, but they want to lure you into the store to buy everything else for the meal. To take advantage, check the store's website or app, grab a bird when it goes on sale, and freeze it until the holiday rolls around.

Tip 3: Don't pay extra for things you can do yourself

Photo via iStock/haoliang

Some grocery store shortcuts come with a hefty price tag. Baby carrots, for example, are simply large carrots that have been peeled and cut into smaller pieces, but they typically cost twice as much. Dust off your chef's knife and carve those large carrots into petite-sized portions to save money.

Tip 4: Fresh is not always best

Photo via iStock/JackF

Depending on the vegetable, the canned version can be as much as 80 percent cheaper than fresh and 50 percent cheaper than frozen. You can make a very inexpensive first-course vegetable soup by substituting fresh veggies in the recipe with the canned variety-think tomatoes, potatoes, and beans. Bonus: canned veggies are already cleaned and diced, so they are ready to use and will save you prep time. Double bonus: make the soup in advance and freeze it along with the apple pie and ice cream (see above).

Tip 5: Move up the time that Dinner is served

Photo via iStock/skynesher

Instead of serving your Thanksgiving feast at 4 pm or later, start at closer to 1 pm. An earlier Thanksgiving meal eliminates the need for tons of expensive appetizers and alcohol typically served to hold your guests over until the bird is carved. Serve the soup (see above) when your guests arrive and then follow up with the main meal. If you're hungry again at 6 pm, bring out the leftovers.

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Boston University published this content on November 06, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on November 07, 2026 at 09:21 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]