MACON, Ga. — Thanksgiving is just two weeks away, which means many Central Georgians are starting to put together their feast. We talked to an expert who says certain brands will cost you less.
Robin Wenzel with Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute says this year store brands are the way to go.
"When we looked at the data and tried to break it down to offer some guidance, we noticed a couple of interesting things. The first will come as no surprise, store brands are the way to go to save money."
Their team put together two different meals for 10 people with name-brand and store-brand items. They bought turkey, stuffing, salad, cranberries, dinner rolls, and pumpkin pie.
"The store brands came in about $17 than national brand menu at about $73 for the store brand, $90 for the national brand," Wenzel said.
So here are some tips to save money on your Thanksgiving meal:
1. Look for dinner deals
This year, Aldi, Sam's Club, Target, and Walmart all have meal deals depending on your family size.
For Aldi, their $47 meal will feed 10 people, Sam's Club's $100 meal serves 10, and Walmart's $52 meal serves eight.
2. Check for store-brand items
The institute finds while their store-brand meals are up 2.7% from last year, they are about $17 cheaper than the name-brand.
3. Shop early
Many grocery stores have sales right now. Try not to skip on those grocery coupons you get in the mail, look on grocery store sites, and look closely at the sales tags.
4. Go potluck-style
It's a great way to stay budget-friendly. If you assign friends or family certain items to bring, it's one less thing to worry about.
5. Visit your local food pantry
For families here in Central Georgia, they may not be able to afford a proper Thanksgiving meal. If you qualify, the Middle Georgia Food Bank can help feed your family at no cost.
6. Find meat alternatives
It's not the traditional meal but an 8 lb. ham at Walmart will cost for less than $25 or you can get a 1 lb. Perdue whole chicken for just over $9.50.
7. Don't throw leftovers away
Don't throw the extra turkey and collard greens away! You're throwing money away. If you properly store them, you can use them to create sandwiches, soups, and casseroles.