As inflation continues to keep prices higher than usual, families are preparing for an expensive meal. Thanksgiving may cost more than normal this year — but some experts have tips on how to make it more affordable.
Niki Davis is the hospitality, tourism and event program manager at Southern Illinois University - Carbondale — and she's a self-described food nerd. She told KMOX that turkey prices are up about 50% this year.
“It's been as high as 73%,” she said. “In some locations, the good news has hit and we're starting to see some of those pre-Thanksgiving meal sales now. So if you are still after a turkey, it might be time to take a look at your local grocery store. But up until about a few days ago, it has been significantly higher than last year in price.”
But, she said, if prices stay high, it might be time to ditch the turkey.
“I hate to say that because so many families want that turkey as their centerpiece on that Thanksgiving meal table,” she said. “But if you can't find a turkey — and you may be up against that, too, with the lower prices now, there still aren't as many turkeys to go around as there were this time last year. So even at the lower price, it might be harder to find one, in which case there are other options.”
One option, she said, is game hens or other wild game.
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Another cost-saving measure, Davis said, is to make things from scratch.
“Just buying fresh ingredients and cooking from scratch even without the economics side of it is a lot cheaper, and is certainly fresher and certainly healthier for us,” she said.
More tips include buying the store brand, clipping coupons, shopping locally when you can, and preparing the food with leftovers in mind.
“When we prepare with that leftover usage in our heads and kind of planning out those leftover meals, as it were, then that Thanksgiving or that holiday or even that Sunday dinner goes a little bit further during the week and we don't waste as much of that.”
Hear more tips on how to save this Thanksgiving from Dr. Niki Davis:
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