As Thanksgiving rolls around, we’re all thinking about turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. But along with the delicious food comes the chance to save some serious dough! 🤑 One way to feast on savings year-round (not just on Turkey Day) is by creating meal plans. Meal planning isn’t just about getting organized—it’s about making the most out of your grocery trips, using leftovers wisely, and avoiding last-minute splurges that can stuff your budget like a Thanksgiving turkey!
Speaking of leftovers, read to the end to see a great recipe for Thanksgiving leftovers!
The Power of Meal Planning
We all know the importance of planning the perfect feast—just like you wouldn’t wing it with the turkey, why wing it with your meals the rest of the year? Meal planning isn’t just a strategy for serving up holiday dinners; it’s a money-saving superpower that can stretch your budget like a perfectly rolled pie crust!
Why Meal Planning is a Turkey-Day Game-Changer 🦃
Think of meal planning as a way to carve up your grocery budget just like you carve the turkey! By creating a menu for the week (or even the month), you’ll know exactly what ingredients you need and avoid those pesky last-minute trips to the store where you end up splurging on extras. Plus, when you stick to a plan, you’re less likely to waste food, which means more money in your pocket and less stale ingredients in the trash can—and who wouldn’t be thankful for that?
Use Leftovers Like a Pro 🥧
Leftovers are the gift that keeps on giving. Meal planning helps you maximize every bite of that Thanksgiving feast! Turkey sandwiches, turkey soup, turkey pot pie—oh my! Incorporating leftovers into your meal plan not only saves money but also stretches your groceries further, so you get more bang for your buck.
Make a Shopping List and Stick to It 🛒
When you head to the store armed with a list based on your meal plan, you avoid impulse buys that can blow your budget. Meal planning gives you a strategy, so you’re not wandering the aisles like a hungry pilgrim! You’ll have exactly what you need to whip up delicious meals without overspending.
Avoid Takeout Temptations 🍕🚫
With meal planning, you won’t be caught off guard by those nights when you’re plagued with decision fatigue and too tired to cook. By preparing meals ahead of time, you’ll have easy, go-to options that keep you from reaching for the takeout menu. Those quick restaurant meals can eat up your budget faster than Uncle Joe finishing off the last piece of pumpkin pie!
Healthier Eating 👩⚕️💪
By planning your meals, you can ensure your plate is filled with a bountiful mix of proteins, carbohydrates, and vegetables—just like a well-balanced holiday feast. From lean turkey to vibrant veggies, meal planning helps you create a delicious, nutritious spread that’ll have you feeling thankful for healthier eating all year long!
Conclusion 🍂
This Thanksgiving, give yourself the gift of meal planning. Not only will you save money and time, but you’ll also enjoy the peace of mind knowing you’ve got a delicious, budget-friendly plan in place. So, while you’re giving thanks around the table, remember that meal planning is one more thing to be thankful for all year round!
Combining Meal Planning and Discount Shopping
Now, let's put it all together and demonstrate how meal planning and shopping on Stretch Your Dollar can harmonize in the best interest of your budget.
Step-by-Step Guide:
- Create a Meal Plan: Plan a week's worth of meals. Decide on the dishes your family prefers, dietary needs, and any special occasions.
- Make a Detailed Shopping List: Using your meal plan, make a detailed grocery list. Be sure to include every ingredient needed and take stock of what you already have in your pantry.
- Browse Stretch Your Dollar's Collection: See what we have available on our shopping site and browse the vast library of kitchen appliances we have.
- Grocery Savings: As you shop for groceries, look for discounted items that you can use in your meal plan. Stock up on bulk staples, such as rice, pasta, and canned goods- a treasure trove of items you can reuse and not spoil quickly.
- Stick to Your List: Take focus and only the items on your list to the store when it is time to go. Every dollar saved is a dollar earned.
- Meal Prep and Storage: After buying groceries, you can also do early meal prep to save time later in the week. Be prepared ahead of time, portion meals, and have healthy options stored.
Additional Tips for Budget-Conscious Cooks
- Batch Cooking: Prepare larger batches and freeze them in individual portions to use later. In my opinion, this is one of the best ways to save time and money, particularly for families that don't have much time.
- Leftover Makeovers: Think creatively about leftover meals. For example, leftover turkey or chicken can be mixed into salads, sandwiches, or soups.
- Use Seasonal Produce: Fruits and vegetables, particularly those that are in season, are not only cheaper but also tastier. Prepare meals based on these items to save on cost and enjoy peak freshness.
- Frozen Produce: Frozen fruits and vegetables are also a good source of freshness since they are frozen closer to the time that they are harvested. These can often be more fresh than items found in the produce section of your local grocery store, and cheaper.
- Compare Prices: Be a smart grocery shopper, checking prices among various stores and brands. Bulk stores like Costco and Sam's Club can offer great prices on groceries and even gas, but it's only a deal if the food doesn't spoil and you're saving more money than you spend on membership fees, impulse buys, or traveling if the store is far away.
Stretch Your Dollar's Black Friday SALE, 20% OFF
At Stretch Your Dollar, we believe that a meal plan does wonders for the budget, but you can save even more by smart shopping at our discount store in Utah. To help you get started with meal planning, here are our top kitchen-sellers, already discounted heavily, but take an additional 20% off from Nov 29th to Dec 5th:
- Samsung 30" Convertible Range Hood: Sleek and modern style for your kitchen, this range hood packs Wi-Fi connectivity to monitor and control your cooking from anywhere. This fits you at a $450.24 USD price tag from a regular price of $1,340.00 USD.
- LG 30-inch Convertible Range Hood: It's black stainless-preferred, and the LG really looks great there. $384.00 USD from $1,199.00 USD.
- GE Profile 30" Smart Built-in Convection Double Oven: Equips the kitchen for brilliant cooking, thanks to this high tech double oven with its smart, cutting-edge features and connectivity. It is on top of the best double ovens of the season for a high-tech gourmet chef. MSRP: $4,665.00 USD and now available for take-home and a discounted price of $1,455.17 USD only.
- Bosch 800 Series 30" Electric Cooktop: Sleek and built for precise cooking, this electric cooktop is a chef's dream. Grab it for $383.76 USD, down from $1,599.00 USD, with individual temperature control for each burner.
- Summit Appliance Dual Zone Commercial Wine Cellar Cooler: This one is an ideal accessory for every wine lover- storing all the bottles of your beloved vintages in optimal condition. Available at this crazy low price of only $1,176.00 USD, although the regular price is $2,939.99 USD.
- Frigidaire Gallery 24-inch Single Gas Wall Oven: Take advantage of advanced features like air fry with the Frigidaire Gallery 24-inch Single Gas Wall Oven, now discounted to $809.60 USD. Alternatively, upgrade to the premium CAFE 27" Built-in Convection Double Wall Oven. It's now $1,610.00 USD. It's perfect for those who need extra cooking capacity
Thank you!!!
We at Stretch Your Dollar wanted to take a moment and express our gratitude for all of our customers. We appreciate our customers trust in us and enjoy all the positive feedback we've received.
Please enjoy this first gift, which is a delicious recipe to make use of some of your Thanksgiving leftovers (see below).
The second gift is coming soon as fully functional Google Sheet meal planner that incorporates many of the meal planning ideas in this blog. It can also store all your recipes and create an ingredient shopping list based on the meals planned for the week. For early access, please visit this link and subscribe to our newsletter.
Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup
▢ 1 medium onion (chopped)
▢ 2 medium carrots (peeled & chopped)
▢ 3 sticks celery (chopped)
▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
▢ 2 tablespoons butter
▢ 3 cloves garlic (minced)
▢ 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or more to taste)
▢ 3 heaping tablespoons flour
▢ 6 cups chicken broth
▢ 1 cup uncooked wild rice
▢ 2 cups (or more) butternut squash (peeled, seeded, and cubed)
▢ 2 cups (or more) cooked turkey meat (shredded/cut up)
▢ 7 ounces cremini mushrooms (sliced)
▢ Salt & pepper (to taste)
▢ 1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream (optional)
Instructions
- Prep your onion, carrots, and celery. I just roughly chopped the carrots and celery.
- Add the oil and butter to a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, and flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Whisk in the chicken broth until the flour is dissolved.
- Stir in the rice and butternut squash.
- Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Once it's just boiling, cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar. Reduce the heat so it's gently boiling for 15 minutes.
- If you haven't already prepped the turkey and mushrooms, you can do it now.
- Add the turkey and mushrooms to the soup. Increase the heat again so it just comes to a boil, then reduce the heat so it's simmering again and continue cooking the soup for another 15-20 minutes (cover with lid slightly ajar) or until the rice is tender (wild rice does have a bit of "chew" to it, though).
- Stir in the cream (if using). Season soup with salt & pepper as needed.
Notes
- Recipe adapted from here.