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See how you can afford your Thanksgiving Dinner for $31 bucks based on the Meijer Weekly Ad.- 2018 Thanksgiving Meal Idea for $31.
2018 Thanksgiving Meal Idea for $31
Happy Thanksgiving week! This week’s meal plan focuses on one thing- your Thanksgiving Dinner! And we’re doing it for just about $31ish!
I’ve been able to come up with a whole week’s worth of dinners that will cost you less than $50, along with a few things from your pantry! You can also print out my FREE Meal Planning printables that will help you plan and organize your meals each week! (this is always super helpful for me!!)
- This is based on a family of 4-5- so you will need to adjust it accordingly for a bigger or smaller family.
- All items are on sale or part of the lower Meijer price. If you don’t have the pantry items, then you will need to add those to your final price.
Southern Thanksgiving Menu
- Roasted Turkey
- Baked Macaroni and Cheese
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Braised Collard Greens with Ham
- Sweet Cornbread
- Pecan Pie
Keep in mind this is a very simple menu. I’m sure you all may have your favorite dishes, but if you’re stumped or on a tight budget, this menu is an idea of how to have Thanksgiving dinner on a budget!
If you want a little extra at your Thanksgiving dinner, I’m including some of our favorite recipes at The Worthey House:
- PRALINE + WHISKEY PUMPKIN PIE COCKTAIL
- SPINACH & BACON SMASHED POTATOES
- CREAMY COLLARD GREENS WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS & BACON
- THE PERFECT CORNISH HENS RECIPE
- AU GRATIN POTATO RECIPE
- EASY CORNBREAD DRESSING RECIPE
Ingredients Needed for a Thanksgiving Dinner
Turkey:
- 16 lb Meijer frozen turkey, thawed, rinsed and giblets removed
- 1 stick butter (pantry)
- Salt and pepper (pantry)
- 2 T rubbed sage (pantry)
- 1 T Frank’s hot sauce (pantry)
Macaroni and Cheese:
- 1 lb Meijer rotini or medium shell pasta
- 1 8 oz pkg Kraft Creamy Melt Triple Cheddar shredded cheese
- ½ 8 oz pkg Kraft Creamy Melt Sharp Cheddar shredded cheese
- ½ C milk or half and half (pantry)
- ½ t ground mustard (pantry)
- Salt and pepper (pantry)
Sweet Potato Casserole:
- 4 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 lbs), peeled and sliced to ½ inch thickness
- 1 ½ C brown sugar (pantry)
- 2 eggs, beaten (pantry)
- 1 t vanilla (pantry)
- ½ C milk (pantry)
- 1 ½ sticks butter, melted (pantry)
- ⅓ C flour (pantry)
- 1 C chopped pecans
Braised Collard Greens with Ham:
- 2 bags Pictsweet frozen collard greens
- 1 box Swanson Chicken Stock
- 1 8 oz pkg Meijer diced ham
- 1 bay leaf (pantry)
- ½ t red pepper flakes (pantry)
- 3 T red wine vinegar (pantry)
Sweet Cornbread:
- 1 box Krusteaz honey cornbread mix
- Ingredients per box for preparation
Pecan Pie:
- 1 Meijer frozen deep dish pie crust
- 1 C dark Karo syrup
- 3 eggs (pantry)
- 1 C sugar (pantry)
- 2 T butter, melted (pantry)
- 1 t vanilla (pantry)
- 1 ½ C pecan halves
Directions on cooking Thanksgiving Dinner
Turkey (4 hours 10 minutes oven cook time):
Place turkey in a roasting pan. Season the cavities with salt and pepper. In a bowl, place the melted butter, sage, and season with salt and pepper. Brush over the turkey, wrap in foil, and bake in a 325°F oven for 4 hours or until a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F. Remove the foil, baste the turkey, and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, tent with foil, and allow to rest on the counter while baking other dishes.
Macaroni and Cheese (45 minutes oven cook time):
(This can be prepared a day ahead and baked or heated for dinner.) Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until almost done, but not quite; drain. In a bowl, mix the cheese and ground mustard; layer the pasta and cheese mixture in a casserole dish. Drizzle in the milk. Cover and bake in a 350°F oven for 45 minutes.
Sweet Potato Casserole (40 minute oven cook time):
(This can be prepared a day ahead and baked or heated for dinner.) Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender. Drain and mash; allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, mix the potatoes, 1 C of brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, milk, and ½ C of melted butter. Pour into a greased casserole dish. In another bowl, mix the remaining brown sugar, butter, flour, and pecans. Sprinkle over the potato mixture. Bake uncovered in a 350°F oven for 40 minutes, until bubbly and browned.
Braised Collard Greens (stovetop cooking):
Place the ham in a large pot and heat over medium heat to brown. Add the collard greens, stock, bay leaf, and pepper flakes. Simmer for 30-45 minutes until the greens are tender. Add in the vinegar and serve.
Sweet Cornbread (30 minutes oven cook time):
(This can be prepared a day ahead and heated up for dinner.) Prepare the cornbread as directed on the package. Bake in a 375°F oven for 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes clean.
Pecan Pie (1 hour 10 minutes bake time):
(This should be made a day ahead to allow for cooling time.) In a bowl, mix the syrup, eggs, butter, vanilla, and sugar. Fold in the pecans. Pour into frozen pie crust and bake in a 350°F oven for 1 hour or until the center of the pie springs back when touched lightly. Cool. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.
This entire Thanksgiving feast will cost only $31.13!
You can find more Meijer Meal Planning ideas HERE
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