If you are a small family, you may wonder how you can make a thanksgiving meal work for your family. This thanksgiving meal plan is designed for a family of two to enjoy thanksgiving all week!
You may be able to find better deals around thanksgiving. This meal plan doesn’t have to be used only during thanksgiving. Last year we bought two turkeys and froze one until February and then we had another thanksgiving dinner with friends! You can be thankful all year long!
Related: Sous Vide Turkey
My prices are in Alaska, the second most expensive state in the U.S. Depending on where you live, it may be cheaper to buy the groceries for this meal plan.
To buy:
- Turkey – 5.00 (*usually you can get a turkey for .25 per lb around thanksgiving)
- Potatoes – 4.63 (3 lb reds)
- Stuffing mix – 1.06 (cornbread great value)
- Butter – 5.24 (16 oz)
- Green beans – 3.18 (3 12 oz frozen cut)
- Brussels sprouts – 3.28 (2 12 oz frozen)
- Sweet potatoes – 4.32 (3 lb)
- Brown sugar – 1.92 (32 oz)
- Bacon – 5.00 (16 oz hickory smoked)
- Cranberry sauce – 1.63 (14 oz)
- Italian bread – 1.00 (14 oz)
- Tortillas – 2.38 (20 ct 26 oz)
- Eggs – 3.12 (18 oz)
- Gravy – .96 (.87 oz)
- Mayo – 3.90 (30 oz)
Total: 46.62
Breakfast
Eggs & green beans– serve eggs how you like them with a side of green beans
Brussel sprout bake– bake brussels sprouts with bacon and butter until thoroughly cooked
Bacon & eggs– cook up some bacon and eggs
Sweet potatoes– sauté diced sweet potatoes with butter and brown sugar
Lunch
Turkey sandwiches– serve turkey and mayo on bread
Turkey salad– mix turkey with mayo, hard boiled eggs, and green beans
Thanksgiving wraps– wrap mashed potatoes, stuffing and turkey into a tortilla
Dinner
Thanksgiving dinner– mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey, green beans, Brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes
Turkey wraps– stuffing, mashed potatoes, rolled in turkey and topped with cranberry sauce
Thanksgiving casserole– mix stuffing, mashed potatoes, and turkey into a dish and bake until heated
Related: How To Use Up Leftover Turkey
Other ideas:
Thanksgiving Pizza– either make your own pizza dough, or use a tortilla to spread mashed potatoes, turkey, cranberry sauce and stuffing on top
Thanksgiving egg rolls– get egg roll wrappers and roll up all the fixings. cook all sides in some oil until fried
Diced potatoes & bacon– dice up some potatoes bake or sauté and serve with bacon
Related: 100 + Ways To Use Potatoes
Sample Meal Plan
- Sunday
- Breakfast– eggs & green beans
- Lunch– Turkey sandwiches
- Dinner– Thanksgiving dinner
- Monday
- Breakfast– Brussel sprouts bake
- Lunch– Turkey salad
- Dinner– Turkey wraps
- Tuesday
- Breakfast– Bacon & eggs
- Lunch– Turkey sandwich
- Dinner– Thanksgiving dinner
- Wednesday
- Breakfast– eggs & green beans
- Lunch– Turkey salad
- Dinner– Thanksgiving casserole
- Thursday
- Breakfast– Brussel sprouts bake
- Lunch– Thanksgiving wraps
- Dinner– Turkey wraps
- Friday
- Breakfast– Sweet potatoes
- Lunch– Turkey sandwich
- Dinner– Turkey wraps
- Saturday
- Breakfast– leftovers
- Lunch– leftovers
- Dinner– leftovers
If you can afford more:
- Onion- .90
- Celery- 2.74
- Milk- 2.37
- Bread- 1.00 (artisan loaf)
- Parsley- 1.43
- Crescent rolls- 2.23
Total: 10.67
What to make if you can afford more:
Stuffing– chop up and dry out a loaf of bread and mix with hot milk, diced onion, eggs, celery, parsley, and chopped bacon bake at 350 for 20 minutes
Thanksgiving turnovers– wrap stuffing, mashed potatoes, turkey, and cranberry sauce into a crescent roll and cook as the directed
Tips
- If you have the ingredients to make your own bread that may be cheaper
- If you can afford more, you can buy some spices to make your meal more flavorful
