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Step 1
Begin planning your holiday menus well before any event. If you start early, you won't have to buy everything all at once. Plus, you'll have time to make adjustments where needed and--a bonus--you'll reduce the stress that often comes with all the holiday planning, preparation and festivities.
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Step 2
Select your must-have dishes. Examine the ingredients of each recipe. Most recipes can be altered without compromising taste--exceptions would be a time-honored family favorite. Swapping ingredients you'd have to buy with some you already have or substituting one ingredient for something similar can reduce your shopping list. For example, if you have a dish that requires mayonaisse and one that calls for sour cream, use mayo for both or even plain yogurt. You can find a wealth of information on ingredients exchanges at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (see Resources).
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Step 3
Identify common ingredients in your recipes. For example, if flour is found is several recipes, make a note of it and estimate how much you will need. Once you've created a list of bulk ingredients, shop for these items at a bulk food store or warehouse or watch for store coupons on these items.
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Step 4
Check for online coupons. Starting with popular brand websites, search for your ingredients online to find any printable store coupons. But don't be brand-loyal if you can get a similar product cheaper.
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Step 5
Simplify your recipes. Great dishes can quickly be over-done on too grand a scale. A favorite dessert does not need the frills of extra toppings, food coloring, or other expensive add-ons in order to be well received by your family and guests. In short, the more you plan within a budget, the less you stress, and the better your bank account looks when the guests are gone.
