Like many Americans, Jake Cousineau is getting ready to host Thanksgiving dinner — and as an educator and personal finance author, he’s using money-savvy strategies to keep costs down.
First, he’s asking guests to contribute dishes.
“The traditional Thanksgiving where one person cooks everything is wildly inefficient,” Cousineau says. The host ends up spending more, doing most of the work, and often ends up with so much food that it goes to waste.
Cousineau, author of Face Your Financial Fears, asks guests to bring side dishes — and containers for leftovers — to share the cost more fairly and reduce waste.
Experts say that planning ahead, shopping smart, and getting creative in the kitchen can also make a big difference.
Make a meal plan
“Go in with a plan,” says Sarah Schweisthal, personal finance educator at YNAB. Without a clear list of dishes and ingredients, it’s easy to overspend on items you don’t need.
Look up recipes, estimate ingredient costs, and adjust as needed, she says. Check your pantry first, then shop early or budget for purchases in the weeks leading up to the holiday.
Choosing recipes intentionally can also help you find dishes that feel special without adding expense. Kelsey Jane Youngman, senior service editor at Bon Appétit and Epicurious, recommends avoiding out-of-season produce and opting for classics like sweet potatoes with a hot honey butter drizzle — a luxurious yet affordable choice.
Get help from AI
Cousineau also leans on tools like ChatGPT or Google Gemini to reduce waste and trim shopping lists.
“I tell ChatGPT I have these five things and ask what I can make,” he says. With chicken, bell peppers, and soy sauce, the chatbot suggested a rice bowl.
“It’s very good at helping you clean out the cupboard,” he says — and for Thanksgiving, that can keep costs low by making use of what you already have.
Shop early
For everything else, shop sooner rather than later, says culinary consultant Annie Berger. Thanksgiving sales often begin early, so pick up canned goods, pie shells, puff pastry, and other long-lasting items when they’re discounted.
Frozen vegetables are another budget-friendly option, she adds — inexpensive, convenient, and easy to prepare.
If you have freezer space, you can also buy a frozen turkey ahead of time. Or, Berger says, consider swapping the turkey altogether for a smaller, less expensive bird like chicken or duck.
Elevate the presentation
If you want that special holiday feel, presentation goes a long way. Cousineau suggests simple touches: chives on top, serving in a nice bowl, dimmed lights, or candles to set the mood.
“This is the time to go crazy with your garnishes,” Berger says. Pomegranate seeds or dried cherries can make an ordinary side look festive without adding much cost.
Transform leftovers
Berger avoids waste by turning leftovers into entirely new meals with different flavors — like transforming turkey into congee with rice, squash, green beans, and chili crisp. Youngman recommends turkey melts, soup, or even oatmeal made from leftover sweet potato casserole or pie filling.
Feeling inspired? Start planning now. A bit of creativity — and smart preparation — can help you save money, make great food, and reduce waste, even with a full table.
According to a recent survey, stuffing is one of the best things about Thanksgiving dinner - “whether baked inside the bird or served up in a casserole dish, it’s the dish no Thanksgiving table feels complete without.”
Stuffing, a Thanksgiving winner
The Campbell’s Company recently published the State of the Sides report assures that 66% of Americans actually prefer the side dishes to the main meal, and stuffing/dressing is number one in 42 states.
Every family will have their own recipe, but from basic bread stuffing to the classic stuffing made with onions, garlic, celery, day-old bread, and herbs to more exotic variations using sausage, walnuts, rice, mushrooms, cherries, apples, cranberries, sweetcorn...
Stuffing is simple to make, even if you have never made it before - all the ingredients are mixed together in a bowl, then either cooked inside the turkey or roasted separately in an ovenware dish.
Let’s take a look at a few variations on a theme:
Classic Thanksgiving stuffing recipe
Ingredients
- 2 medium onions, finely-cut e
- 4 celery stalks, finely chopped
- Dried herbs (parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme)
- Butter
- Chicken or vegetable broth
- Day-old bread cut into small cubes
- 2 eggs
- Salt and black pepper
Preparation: Melt the butter in a skillet, then sauté the onion and celery on a low heat for a few minutes until softened. In a large bowl, mix the cubed dried bread, sautéed onion and celery, broth, and fresh herbs. Season with salt and pepper, add the beaten eggs, mix together, then pour the mixture into a greased baking dish.
Top with 1-4 tablespoons of butter and a sprig of rosemary. Cover the dish with foil (or a lid), then bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, uncover and continue for another 10-15 minutes until the top is golden and crisp.
Sausage and chestnut stuffing recipe
Ingredients
- Day-old bread cut into small cubes
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 pound fresh chestnuts, shells removed
- 2 medium onions, finely cut
- 4 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Chicken or vegetable broth
- Dried mixed herbs (parsley, sage, rosemary, oregano, thyme)
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- Butter
Preparation: using a bread knife, cut an X into the top of the chestnut shells, then add to a pot of boiling water to a boil, cook for 2 minutes, then remove the chestnuts with a slotted spoon. Peel away shells, then chop the chestnuts into quarters, bite-sized chunks, then place in a large bowl along with the cubed bread.
Cut the sausage into slices, then sauté over medium heat until browned. Add the onions, celery, and garlic and cook through on low heat until the vegetables are soft, which should take 10 to 15 minutes. Add to bread mixture.
Add the chicken or vegetable stock to the mixture and mix well. Add the dried herbs, season with salt and pepper. Stir in the beaten eggs. Pour the mixture into a baking dish greased with butter, cover, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until golden brown.
Alternatively, you can also cook the stuffing mixture inside the turkey as it slowly roasts. That way, you’ll ensure all the juices seep into the stuffing to give it extra flavor. Make sure the turkey is thoroughly cooked to ensure that the stuffing is cooked too and safe to eat, if it contains sausage meat, pork... etc.