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The easiest way to make Thanksgiving dinner on a budget is to keep the menu classic and short: one turkey, five simple sides, rolls and a pie, bought from one list. The American Farm Bureau's last survey put that kind of meal at about $55 for 10 people, and you can land close to it by shopping your pantry first and letting guests bring a dish or two.
Below you'll find the menu, a free printable shopping list, a "please bring this" checklist for guests and a simple timeline so nothing sneaks up on you.
Quick picks: tools that make a budget Thanksgiving easier
For a turkey you can trust: See the Alpha Grillers instant read meat thermometer on Amazon
For sides that travel and plates guests take home: See the Stock Your Home foil pans with lids on Amazon
For roasting cheap vegetables in big batches: See the Nordic Ware Naturals baking sheet set on Amazon
For leftovers in the fridge: See the Rubbermaid Brilliance food storage containers on Amazon
For freezing gravy and broth in small portions: See the Souper Cubes freezer tray on Amazon
What Thanksgiving dinner actually costs
Every November the American Farm Bureau Federation sends volunteer shoppers out to price the same classic menu. In its 2025 Thanksgiving dinner survey, dinner for 10 came to $55.18, or about $5.52 a person. That menu covers a 16 pound turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray and pumpkin pie with whipped cream.
The turkey was the biggest single line at $21.50, which works out to $1.34 a pound. Where you live matters too. The South came in lowest at $50.01 and the West highest at $61.75.
This year may cost a little more. PwC told ABC News in mid October that it expects Thanksgiving to cost the average family about $90, up from $88 last year, with turkey nearly 8% higher and cranberries up almost 15%. There's good news in the dairy aisle, though. Butter is down about 10% and cream about 6%, so mashed potatoes and whipped cream should be a bit kinder to your wallet.
So if your number for the whole meal is somewhere between $55 and $90, you're right in line with these estimates. If it's lower, the tips below will help you get there.
An easy Thanksgiving dinner on a budget menu for 10
This menu sticks close to the Farm Bureau's list on purpose, since most of those dishes are cheap to make from scratch.
Roast turkey. The USDA's Let's Talk Turkey guide suggests about 1 pound per person, so a 16 pound bird feeds 10 with some leftovers.
Stuffing. A box of cubed stuffing mix ran $3.71 in the Farm Bureau survey. Cubing and drying a loaf of day old bread works too if you already have one.
Mashed potatoes. A bag of russets, milk and butter. Simple, filling and a great stretcher when the guest list grows.
Roasted sweet potatoes and carrots. Toss them with oil and salt and roast on two sheet pans while the turkey rests.
Green beans or peas. Frozen is the budget pick here. A pound of frozen peas was $2.03 in the survey.
Cranberry sauce. One 12 ounce bag of fresh cranberries, sugar and water make a full bowl, and it can be made a day or two ahead.
Dinner rolls. A dozen store rolls, or ask a guest to bring them.
Pumpkin pie. Two frozen crusts and a can of pumpkin pie mix, with whipped cream on top.
Notice what's missing: appetizers, a second meat and three kinds of dessert. Those extras are where a Thanksgiving budget quietly doubles. If your crowd expects snacks, a simple veggie tray covers it.
Your Thanksgiving shopping list (free printable)
Here's the whole menu as one list, grouped by grocery aisle so you can shop in one loop. Check your pantry before you go and cross off what you already have. Salt, sugar, flour, oil and spices are usually sitting there already.
Download the free printable (PDF)
Meat
1 frozen turkey, about 16 pounds
Produce
5 pounds russet potatoes
3 pounds sweet potatoes
2 pounds carrots
1 bag fresh cranberries (12 ounces)
1 onion and 1 bunch celery (for the stuffing)
Dairy
1 gallon milk
1 pound butter
1 half pint whipping cream
Bakery, pantry and freezer
1 dozen dinner rolls
1 box cubed stuffing mix (14 ounces)
1 carton chicken or turkey broth
1 can pumpkin pie mix (30 ounces)
2 frozen pie crusts
1 pound frozen green beans or peas
For more ways to trim the grocery bill all year, these easy ways to save money on groceries work just as well in November.
What to ask guests to bring
Asking guests to bring a dish takes a real bite out of the cost. The trick is to be specific so you don't end up with four pies and no rolls. Send the request about a week ahead and keep it to one item per family.
Dinner rolls and butter
A pie or a pan of brownies
A green salad or veggie tray
Drinks: sparkling water, juice boxes for the kids, coffee
Ice, if your freezer is tiny
Their own containers for leftovers (or you can send plates home in foil pans)
If a guest asks "what can I bring?" and you're tempted to say "nothing," try saying "rolls" instead. You'll thank yourself at the register.
A simple Thanksgiving timeline
Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26 this year. Working backward keeps the costs spread out and the stress low.
Now through early November: pick your number and your menu. If you're budgeting for the whole holiday season, start with how to make a Christmas budget you'll actually stick to and give Thanksgiving its own line.
Two weeks out: buy the shelf stable items (stuffing mix, broth, pie mix, canned goods) a few at a time with your regular groceries.
About a week out: buy the frozen turkey. The Farm Bureau notes that stores often run their lowest turkey prices in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, so watch your store's weekly ad.
Sunday, November 22: move a 16 pound frozen turkey to the fridge. The USDA's safe Thanksgiving guide says to allow about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds, and a bird that size takes 3 to 4 days.
Tuesday or Wednesday: buy the produce and dairy, make the cranberry sauce and the pie.
Thursday: roast the turkey and use a food thermometer. USDA says it's done at 165°F, checked in the thickest part of the breast and the innermost parts of the wing and thigh.
Six more ways to save on Thanksgiving dinner
Choose store brand everything. Stuffing mix, broth, canned pumpkin and frozen vegetables all come in a store version, and they're usually cheaper than the name brand right next to them.
Price check a bundle. Some grocery chains sell full Thanksgiving meal bundles. ABC News reported that Aldi is promoting a basket for 10, with a 16 pound turkey, sides and a pumpkin pie, for under $39. If your store has one, compare it to your list.
Cook the stuffing in a pan. USDA recommends cooking stuffing separately from the bird anyway, and a pan of stuffing is easy to double cheaply if more people show up.
Make fewer sides, but more of each. Five generous sides are usually easier on the budget than eight small ones, and the table still looks full.
Pay with cash or a set amount. Put your Thanksgiving number in an envelope or on a separate card and stop when it's gone. If you've never tried it, here's how cash stuffing works.
Plan the leftovers. Turkey soup, turkey sandwiches and a breakfast of leftover rolls stretch one grocery trip into three or four meals.
Leftovers: keep them safe so nothing goes to waste
Leftovers are the best part of the budget, but only if they stay safe to eat. USDA's guidance is simple to remember:
Get food into the fridge within two hours of cooking.
Carve the turkey off the bone and store everything in shallow, covered containers so it cools quickly.
Eat refrigerated leftovers within four days, or "by the Monday after Thanksgiving."
Freeze what you won't get to. USDA says frozen leftovers keep their best quality for two to six months.
Reheat leftovers to 165°F before eating.
Tools that make this easier
None of these are required for a great Thanksgiving. They're just the few things that earn their spot in a budget kitchen, because you'll keep using them long after November. Each one was recommended by an editorial guide, and I've said who should skip it.
Alpha Grillers instant read meat thermometer
Since the USDA's whole turkey advice comes down to "use a food thermometer," this is my first pick. TODAY's holiday hosting list includes it for checking turkey, ham and steak, and it has a quick reading digital display. See the Alpha Grillers meat thermometer on Amazon.
Skip it if you already have any working food thermometer. Yours will do the job just fine.
Stock Your Home aluminum pans with lids
A 10 pack of deep half size foil pans that can go from the oven to the table to the fridge, which TODAY points out makes cleanup easier. They're handy for guests who bring a side and for sending plates home. See the foil pans with lids on Amazon.
Skip it if you have enough casserole dishes and you'd rather wash than toss.
Nordic Ware Naturals baking sheet set
Roasted vegetables can be one of the cheaper sides on the table, and a sturdy sheet pan makes them easy. A writer at The Kitchn praised this aluminum set for not warping in the oven. See the Nordic Ware Naturals sheet set on Amazon.
Skip it if your current sheet pans are flat and still in good shape.
Rubbermaid Brilliance food storage containers
Airtight, leak proof containers that TODAY suggests for leftover turkey and mashed potatoes. The brand says they're dishwasher and microwave safe, and they fit the "shallow, covered containers" USDA recommends for cooling leftovers. See the Rubbermaid Brilliance containers on Amazon.
Skip it if your container drawer is already full of lids that match.
Souper Cubes freezer tray
A silicone freezing tray with a lid and half cup and one cup fill lines. An NBC Select writer uses it every week for sauces, soups and broth. After Thanksgiving it's perfect for leftover gravy and turkey broth. See the Souper Cubes tray on Amazon.
Skip it if you rarely freeze leftovers. A few zip top bags laid flat work too.
Get the planner
Thanksgiving is usually the start of holiday spending, not the end of it. I made this one: the Christmas Budget Planner is a printable that helps you set a number for the season and track every gift and extra in one spot. You can grab the Christmas Budget Planner on its own, or get the Family Christmas Budget Kit with extra pages for the kids.
The short version
Keep it classic, keep it short and shop from one list. One turkey, five sides, rolls and a pie will feed 10, and a guest or two bringing something makes it even easier. If you buy just one tool, make it a thermometer like the Alpha Grillers meat thermometer so you know exactly when the turkey is done.
Want help choosing a number for the whole season? Sign up for the free Holiday Number Starter at the bottom of the HomeCentsibility homepage. And if your family budget needs a fresh start before the holidays, this step by step family budget guide is a good place to begin.
Happy Thanksgiving, mama. A simple table full of people you love is plenty.
Emily is a mom of two who budgets for a real family and makes printables and activity books for little kids.
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