Thanksgiving Dinner on a Budget – Episode #51 – The Empty Pantry
Introduction
Hosting Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t have to break the bank. This episode of “The Empty Pantry” showcases how you can create a delicious, crowd-pleasing Thanksgiving feast without overspending. With thoughtfully chosen, versatile ingredients, you can serve up classic flavors and festive favorites that everyone will love—no fancy specialty items required. If you want the warmth and tradition of Thanksgiving without the stress of high costs, this is the recipe collection for you.
A Flavorful Thanksgiving Dinner on a Budget
Affordable doesn’t mean boring. This meal plan focuses on maximizing flavor with minimal, inexpensive ingredients—think herby roasted chicken (instead of turkey), creamy mashed potatoes, savory stuffing, and a simple pumpkin dessert. It’s all about smart seasoning, clever swaps, and stretching your budget to feed a group with comfort food classics that still feel special.
Main Course: Herb-Roasted Chicken
Chicken is often much more budget-friendly than turkey, especially when cooking for a smaller crowd. A whole chicken, seasoned with simple dried herbs and roasted with root vegetables, delivers robust flavor for a fraction of the cost.
Classic Sides: Mashed Potatoes and Easy Stuffing
Creamy mashed potatoes are the ultimate comfort side and rely on ingredients you may already have in your pantry. Homemade stuffing uses day-old bread, inexpensive veggies, and dried herbs—no boxed stuff required. Both can be prepped ahead for less day-of stress.
Simple Pumpkin Dessert
End the meal with a quick pumpkin bread or muffins, using canned pumpkin and shelf-stable pantry staples. These treats deliver autumn flavor and sweetness, all at very little cost.
Nutritional Information and Serving Size
This entire budget-friendly Thanksgiving spread serves 4 to 6 people, with each plate containing a satisfying mix of protein, fiber, and seasonal flavors. The homemade ingredients keep sodium and processed food to a minimum, making it a wholesome and filling holiday meal.
Ingredients
💡Meal Planning Tip: Save this Thanksgiving meal plan with CookifyAI to instantly generate a streamlined shopping list, organized by store section. It’s a lifesaver when working with tight budgets and time constraints.
Instructions
- Roast the Chicken & Veggies: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the whole chicken in a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, and rub with 1/2 tsp each of thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Surround with roughly chopped carrots, half the onion, and 1 stick celery. Roast for 90 minutes or until juices run clear and the temperature in the thigh reaches 165°F.
- Mashed Potatoes: Peel and dice potatoes, then boil until fork-tender (10-15 minutes). Drain, mash with butter and milk, and season with salt and pepper.
- Stuffing: Cut day-old bread into cubes. Sauté remaining onion and 2 sticks celery in butter until soft. Toss with bread cubes, 1/2 tsp thyme, salt, pepper, and enough water or stock to moisten. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes.
- Pumpkin Bread/Muffins: In a bowl, beat together canned pumpkin, eggs, sugar, and oil (or melted butter). Stir in flour and baking soda. Bake in a greased loaf pan or muffin tin at 350°F for 40-50 minutes (20-25 for muffins), until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Serve and enjoy! Plate your meal with a generous slice of herb roasted chicken, a scoop of mashed potatoes, a ladle of stuffing, and a slice of pumpkin bread.
Weekly Meal Planning
These budget-friendly Thanksgiving dishes are ideal for prepping ahead and enjoying seasonal flavors all week. Save this meal plan with CookifyAI to schedule when to prep each dish, and consolidate all your ingredients into a single organized shopping list for maximum savings and efficiency.
Planning Benefits:
- Automatically calculates ingredient amounts for multiple meals at once
- Sorts shopping lists by grocery store sections and pantry staples
- Prevents food waste and duplicate purchases
- Makes planning budget-friendly holiday meals stress-free
Pro tip: If you plan to use leftover chicken or pumpkin in weeknight meals, schedule your recipes together and let CookifyAI organize exactly how much to buy and prep. Save money, reduce waste, and keep the holiday spirit going all week!
Cook and Prep Times
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2.5 hours
Enjoy a memorable Thanksgiving dinner—no overspending required!