Many families are still struggling with the high cost of food.  Thanksgiving is one holiday that we spend more money on food than usual.  Being frugal does not mean we have to give up all that food we enjoy eating, it means that we just need to plan for this extra expense in our budget.  Here are a few ideas to make your Thanksgiving a little more budget friendly.

Plan Ahead

Planning ahead is one of the best pieces of advice you can get for planning a frugal Thanksgiving.  If you plan several weeks ahead, you will find that there are plenty of coupons and specials to help you get the most for your money.  Plan to spend a little each week on the extra items you will need and then you will not feel like you are spending so much money. You can also plan ahead by getting most of the food items cooked ahead of time.  This will allow you to spend more time with your family on the big day.  Here are a few recipes for you to try that you can make ahead of time.

Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Make-Ahead Stuffing

Cranberry Sauce

Freezer Apple Pie

Shop for the Cheapest Turkey

During the holidays, many stores will mark down turkeys.  There are also great coupons on turkeys and other Thanksgiving foods during this time.  Right now you can get a coupon for $3 off a Butterball Turkey when you buy 4 other products like Stove Top Stuffing or Pillsbury Crescent Rolls.  This is a great deal because lots of these products are already marked down.  Many stores also offer deals like buying so much in groceries and then you get a free turkey or a greatly reduced one. This can be a good deal if you really need the other items you are buying to get the great turkey deal.  While turkeys are marked down so cheap, consider buying a second one to place in your freezer for a future dinner.  This will save you money later. 

Bake Your Own Pies

If you buy a pie from the store you can easily spend $10 for each pie.  Why not make your own pies for Thanksgiving.  You spend a lot less money and get more pies since most recipes will make more than one pie. Here is a basic pie crust recipe that includes a video.  With a little practice you can easily make your own pies and save money. 

Choose Potluck

One great way to save money and have more time with the family is to have your guest bring dishes for the dinner.  Most family members will be more than happy to help you out.  This will also give you a good selection of different foods.

Use Leftovers

When planning your Thanksgiving meal, plan for leftover meals.  I can easily get two or more meals with my leftovers.  One casserole I love to make is the Thanksgiving Memories Casserole.  My kids love it and you can basically use what you have leftover.  This will also help to stretch your food budget and not make you feel like you are spending so much money on one meal.