Check your American Express offers…at Whole Foods, spend $60 and get $10 back. Plan on using when I pick up my bird and the rest for Thanksgiving…
In addition to everything else, my husband NEEDED a honey glazed ham from Wegman’s that cost $42 all by itself. And the thing wasn’t even that big!
I think one can do a T’giving dinner cheaply if necessary.
Most markets have turkey as a loss leader. You can get a huge frozen bird for under $20. Two bags of stuffing is probably $5. Green bean bake - a few cans of green beans, mushroom soup and those french’s onion rings probably $10. A bag of white potatoes to make mashed approx $5. Several bags of crsnberries $6. Celery, carrots, onions to put in bird, stuffing and for apps with some humus approx $15. A few store bought pies $10 served with ice cream ($5) for dessert.
I’m not saying this is what I would serve but, IMO, one can easily do Thanskgiving for 10 for $100.
At this time of year my market has lots of BOGO on things like cranberries, celery, carrots, stuffing, etc.
We go to BIL’s and divide up among three families who brings what, but I’d say that for 10 people, we run about $150. BIL’s inlaws bring two bottles of wine and three homemade desserts, we have turkey, stuffing, veggies, veggie lasagna if my SIL’s sister comes in from AZ, homemade cranberry/pineapple/berry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy. Tons of leftovers! Everyone likes and expects the traditional stuff, so we don’t go nuts over the more gourmet possibilities. Those things we save for other occasions. 
I usually have about 25 plus or minus. I rent tables, chairs and linens. This is the one event of the year everyone comes from around the country. Everyone stays as well. The kids, as in the generation below me, all sleep together in the playroom on the floor, couch, trundle bed, etc. So I’m not just doing dinner, I’m doing a multi day event.
Dinner is appetizers all afternoon, open bar, and I do buffet style in the dining room. I usually send leftovers home with everyone as well.
@scout59 do you have the recipe for the “Spinach Dish” on your computer?
Would love to have it if it is convenient
Thanks
I spend around 100 for 7 people. No wine - multiple desserts. My family is from out of town so it is kind of hard to tell because I am buying for several days -not just the T-day meal.
I’m going to my g/f’s house for annual t-day. I bought her a gift at Bloomies during the 25% sale. It was still $80. So, if I make. Dessert or bring the fruit salad, I’m close to $100.00. I have no doubt she spends far more than $200 with her large family and guests.
I have hosted my family (one daughter, siblings and their families, mom; maybe 8 people in all) the day after Thanksgiving for the past few years. I tend to not make a turkey because the guests have had the bird on T-day itself at other places. I make chicken or ham or some other meat that doesn’t require a lot of attention or all the space in the oven. My mom, my sister, and my brother all bring something (side dish, fruit, beverages). I focus on baking, because everyone (my nieces especially) love my bread and rolls. I’m pretty sure I’ve not spent more than $100 on the food, although I don’t know the cost of the guests’ contributions to the feast.
This year, we might have take-out Chinese food. That’s what my daughters will be having with their uncle and his girlfriend 1000 miles away on Thanksgiving, and I’m happy to go nontraditional.
I’ll spend around $150 for Thanksgiving including alcohol but everything I do is scratch and I never need to buy “special spices” or items that can really jack up the budget most everything except the turkey, cranberries, Brussels sprouts, are pantry items or things that are typically in the house this time of year (pumpkin, sweet potatoes, onions, regular potatoes, veggies etc.).
The only expensive items in our traditional dinner for 10 are the shrimp for the shrimp cocktail appetizer (big ones, bought frozen from Costco) and the brie, which really isn’t that bad price-wise. The turkey is usually free, but I buy spares when they’re marked down after the holiday, and the other stuff doesn’t cost that much - taters, carrots, real butter, green beans, fresh cranberries, a couple cans of pumpkin, a butternut squash, rolls.
Our pies and stuffing are scratch-made. There’s usually wine or champagne, but we’re fine with cheaper bottles.
We bought a 20lb turkey for $9.00 last week. Friends will bring appetizers, a few sides and desserts. Even with the sides that we make and the pumpkin pie I bake, we won’t spend $100.00. There will be 12-16 people.
I just did my big shopping and came in at $100. I have just a few more things to get. We are having 8, but I bought a 23 lb. Turkey as we love leftovers. It really is a fairly inexpensive meal to make. $10 of that were the pecans.
I will serve: turkey, 10 lbs mashed potatoes, dressing, sweet potato casserole, fresh green beans, raspberry jello mold that is to die for, yeast rolls, pecan pie, chocolate pecan pie, Apple pie.
I think I probably need to buy an extra $20 worth. SIL bringing an appetizer.
D1 is cooking (hosting) Thanksgiving dinner at her new, adult (large) apartment. She asked her dad to pick (cook) the turkey, my mom to bring pies, and me to bring wine and hors d’oeuvres. I think I have the most expensive asks. I asked her what she was contributing. She said everything else. I guess it is the thought that counts.
I think $100 could cover the basic dinner . … its the extras that add up like many said above. the nuts, butters, cheeses, wines, appetizers, desserts, fresh whipped cream and etc all are extra. I’ve hosted thanksgiving at my house several times and have always thought “we could all have gone out for this amount.”
but thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. no tension about presents or decorating, and at least 4 days off work/school with a good family meal.
Budget? There is a budget for Thanksgiving? This is our family’s annual four day gathering and feasting period. Budgets don’t apply. We aren’t big on gift-giving, so we spend practically nothing on Christmas, but Thanksgiving is a celebration and we don’t hold back.
$100 might cover the wine budget. But it might not.
We had plans to drive to my SIL’s for Thanksgiving but last night, S asked if we could stay in town. He wants to drive down with two friends for the day. Now, I am scrambling to put together a simple menu. It will probably be like last year, S brings friend over, they eat and I pack up the rest for them to take home.
Did most of the shopping last night and was pleasantly surprised! 6 people for dinner. 20+ lb turkey was free (just your basic frozen store brand turkey; in my family, the turkey is mainly enjoyed as leftovers because we all like the side dishes better). Carrots, celery, stuffing cubes, sausage came to $12. Canned cranberry sauce (no one likes it enough to bother making it from scratch), jar of gravy (I make my own from the drippings but we always run out by Saturday), 1 lb butter, ingredients for 2 semi-homemade pies (store-bought crusts but I’ll make the fillings) totaled $20.00. Will buy 1 lb. fresh green beans, 5 lbs. potatoes, and extra milk next week, should run about $12. Note, I am not counting ingredients that I always have on hand like onions, garlic, eggs, etc.
My mom will make 3 lbs of cole slaw (love leftover turkey on toast with lots of cole slaw and maybe some Russian dressing), a nice appetizer or two plus a dessert, and she will probably spend as much as I did. After we divide up the leftovers, the carcass will go home with my parents so my dad, as he has done for most of the last 40+ years, can make turkey noodle soup (not a fond childhood memory).
Oh, and $35-40 for a case of good beer (none of us drink wine) and another $40 for a bottle of Irish whiskey. The alcohol won’t be kicked that day but we should be getting close by the end of the weekend. :">
Speaking of gravy, D is going on a “Friendsgiving” event at a lodge this weekend with the wedding party of a friend whom D will be the maid of honor. I think I convinced her (more the bride to be) to do turkey breasts in a crockpot instead of a turkey for 16 people (neither has ever cooked a turkey and they want to be out doing other things during the day - why would you try and cook a turkey!?). Can anyone recommend a decent canned or jarred gravy for them to purchase?
Our Thanksgiving meal will take probably ten hours from appetizer to dessert, 13 people in the house this year. MIL is making six pies, we are making pound cake with fruit, a gallon of whipping cream is being delivered Tuesday. Holiday meals are typically a big deal for our families and will be way out of budget.
Abasket- I think the box gravy from Trader Joes is good but I’m not that picky. My youngest loves Knorrs packet turkey gravy.