How To Save Money On Holiday Entertaining

We all know Thanksgiving and Christmas are going to cost more this year than last year. But that is no big deal for us cheapskaters – it just means we have to get creative. So here are some tips from Parade Magazine on how to save on your holiday parties:

1. Start with a strategy – “Plan you dinners around unfussy, inexpensive ingredients,” says Paula Deen of the Food Network. “Scour your pantry and use what you’ve already got. Keep an eye on pre-holiday sales, especially on supermarket brands. Make a grocery list-and stick to it.”

2. Shop early – The truly thrifty know that prices rise after Thanksgiving, “so shop now for Christmas canned goods,frozen foods, and baking supplies” says housekeeping expert, Cynthia Townley Ewer. One exception: Unsold fresh turkeys usually are discounted for quick sale the day after Thanksgiving. So while everyone else is watching television run out and get your Christmas turkey on sale. Also, you can freeze fresh cranberries.

3. Ask for help – “If you’ve been designated by divine ordinance to host 48 people every holiday, now’s a good time to rethink that role,” says Nick Malgieri, director of the baking program at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York. “make this holiday about sharing kitchen duties-and costs-with friends, family members, and neighbors. You’d be surprised how willing people are to pitch in.” Plus a lot of people like to show off their favorite dish at holiday time and will be thrilled if you ask them to make it.

4. Try a buffet – If you normally serve a sit-down holiday meal, consider a money saving buffet. “Use the old hotel trick of placing your rolls and big carb items like yams and potatoes at the beginning and the meats at the end,” say Michael Ainslie, development chef for Fresh and Easy supermarkets. “People’s plates will be full by the time they get to the big-ticket items. Buffets also cut down on second and third helpings.” My sister-in-law who frequently entertains large crowds always serves several vegetarian salads and a soup before she serves the main course. We are all usually too full to help ourselves to much of the main course.

5. Rethink bread – Bakery breads can be costly, so try new options. “Buy day-old or use stale bread for stuffing.” Deen says. Most recipes I have for stuffing call for stale bread anyway. Add Malgieri: “Foccaia is a bread that takes minutes to whip up. There’s no kneading or food processing, and all you need is flour, salt, warm water, yeast, and oil.” You can also buy bread dough in the frozen food section of your grocery store.

6. Get creative with decoration – For decor, skip that pre-made pieces on display at the store and make your own. “Bundle twigs from the garden with bright ribbons,” Ewer suggests, ” and plunk them into a carved-out pumpkin for a designer centerpiece at a yard-sale price.” You can also find branches with colorful berries such as the American Beautyberry and cut them and place them in a vase for decoration. Just make sure children or pets don’t accidently consume the berries as many varieties are poisonous. Also be sure to check for bugs.

7. Pick the right fruits and vegetables – With produce, the key to saving is knowing what’s abundant and in season. This time of year, look for fresh apples, yams, squash, potatoes, onions, carrots and pomegranates. Watch your grocery store specials because often they will discount commonly used holiday vegetables. I noticed our Kroger usually has celery and green beans very cheap around holiday time. More expensive selections are grapes, corn, tomatoes, zucchini,and strawberries. Anything pre-cut or bagged only adds cost, but if you are pressed for time you may need to purchase some. For tasty alternatives, frozen corn, peas, and blueberries work best in compotes, stuffings and stews rather than in a bowl on their own. Adds nutrition expert David Katz, director of the Yale Prevention Research Center. “Frozen vegetables are generally just as nutritious as fresh. Canned foods tend to have added salt, so choose low-sodium and rinse before preparing.

8. Buy frozen meats – With meats, the frugal go frozen. But read labels. Liquid broths and flavor enhancers add costly weight and affect taste and texture. “Look for ‘minimally processed’ or ‘natural’ poultry, so you’re not paying for water,” says Ewer. Interestingly, fresh hams and turkeys, while more expensive, aren’t necessarily healthier, since those products are sometimes “saline-infused to plump them out,” says Katz.

9. Make your own dessert – “A showstopping dessert doesn’t have to be expensive,” Malgieri insists, but it helps to bake it yourself.  A store bought pie can run $20 for something that costs $5 to do at home.” Same goes for frozen pie crusts, which fetch, $4, commpared with $1 or less for homemade. Here is where I differ with the experts. If you are not accustomed to making and rolling out pie dough, trying to do it when you are entertaining is a recipe for disaster. Find a coupon, find a brand on sale but don’t try to make your own for the first time when you have so much else to do.

If baking scares you, look for simple recipes for brownies, chocolate cakes, and old-fashioned applesauce cakes. Brownies are magic – you can burn them, overcook them or undercook them  and people will still eat them. If chocolate is a must, shop warehouse club stores for 18 oz., no-name Belgian bars – far tastier than squares of bland baker’s chocolate, Malgieri says. I agree good quality chocolate always makes your dessert taste better.

To make it even simpler, Deen suggests that you “fancy up a $1.79 cake mix by adding cream cheese or canned fruit to the filling.” Remember the cheapskater motto - live cheaply but live well. You can have a fabulous holiday meal without killing yourself or breaking the bank. Creativity is the key.  

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