How to Save Time and Money With Thanksgiving Dinner Alternatives: 10 Steps to a Stress-Free Holiday Meal

Thanksgiving dinner tradition tells us we should have a 14-pound roasted turkey with gravy, stuffing (or dressing in the South), cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, yams, green beans, yeast rolls, and apple and pumpkin pies. Yet today, more people are choosing to abandon the kitchen in favor of alternatives to cooking a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. In this article, we'll take a look at some of these alternatives and how you can spend more time with your family and less time stressing over a hot stove.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Buy a Tofu Turkey. The Tofu Turkey, affectionately referred to as the Tofurkey, is a turkey-flavored tofu loaf with stuffing on the inside. Though to some it may sound horrible, it's actually very tasty. Tofurkey has a noticeably chewier texture than turkey, but the taste is very similar, especially with the included stuffing (dressing in the South). Tofurkey is sure to be a hit with your vegan or vegetarian guests and maybe even for yourself; and you don't have to deal with hours of roasting and cleanup afterwards.

2. Buy a Ready-Made Turkey Dinner From Your Grocery Store. Grocery stores have realized the value in providing customers with fast, convenient cooked foods that rival mid-grade restaurant chains. For the holidays, most grocery and even health food stores offer entire Thanksgiving dinner options which include turkey, stuffing (dressing), vegetables, gravy, mashed potatoes, yeast rolls, cranberry sauce, and a pie for dessert. The convenience cannot be overstated; no stressing in a hot kitchen, no cleanup, and more time spent with family.

3. Buy a Cooked, Sliced Boneless Ham. Purchase from the grocery store or from a special ham store such as The Honeybaked Ham Company. All you have to do is warm the ham in the oven. To save even more time, tear off slices, place on serving plate, and microwave for approximately two minutes (but be sure not to overheat; ham will become chewy and dry).

4. Buy a Turkey Breast. Some people like white meat because of its mild taste and lower fat; others prefer dark meat for its bolder flavor and tenderness. If your guests are partial to white meat, consider buying a boneless turkey breast and cooking it in a crock pot or pressure cooker. Both options will make the meat nice and tender, and cleanup is a cinch with no bones to deal with.

5. Buy a Rotisserie Chicken. Most grocery stores nowadays carry tasty rotisserie chickens. Some tend to be on the smaller side; others are plumper. I found the largest and best-priced rotisserie chicken at Sam's Club of all places; a superior value, tender, and very flavorful. And best of all - no cleanup.

6. Buy Complete Thanksgiving Meal from a Ham Company. The aforementioned Honeybaked Ham Company offers a wide variety of pre-made holiday meals including smoked turkey, boneless turkey breast, ham and turkey meals, Cajun turkey, and desserts. You can either buy in-store or through the mail.

7. Buy Stuffing Mix. For stuffing (dressing), purchase a stuffing mix in your grocery store. Homemade stuffing is preferable of course; but these days, food manufacturers are making some very tasty stuffing mixes with cranberries and more. All you have to do is add oil and water. Paying a little more for a better quality stuffing is worthwhile in terms of taste and texture; particularly those found in natural and health food stores.

8. Buy Fruit and Veggie Sides from the Grocery Store. The deli in your grocery store has a range of vegetable combos and salads. One of my favorite places to find some very unique side dishes is Whole Foods; their deli section is truly fit for the most discerning foodie.

9. Buy Desserts from the Grocery Store. Frozen pies have come a long way; whether pumpkin or apple, these days it's getting harder to tell the difference between frozen and homemade. The same goes for pre-made pies from the deli section in your grocery store. The most delicious will be found in farm markets and health food stores including Sprouts and Whole Foods. In terms of grocery stores, Tom Thumb (Safeway) does a good job as well.

10. Go Out to Eat. As a last resort, start a Thanksgiving tradition of going out to eat at a fun restaurant. Buffet-style is preferred since they will likely offer traditional Thanksgiving fare such as turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and gravy. For example, Dickey's Barbecue Pit offers delicious barbecue fare including sausage, turkey, and tender beef brisket along with a range of sides and veggies to choose from, all buffet-style. Load up your plate and enjoy!

Tips & Warnings

• Thanksgiving dinner is fun because it is different from all other foods you normally eat. That's why I don't recommend just getting a pizza or Chinese food, but rather finding ways to retain that traditional Thanksgiving fare while at the same time spending less time in the kitchen.
• Go vegan with a tasty Tofurkey.
• Purchase an entire Thanksgiving dinner from your local grocery store or ham company.
• Purchase a boneless spiral ham.
• Purchase sides, veggies, and desserts from the grocery store.
• Consider a frozen pie for dessert, perhaps even an organic brand.
• Consider buying dessert at your local grocery or health food store.
• If you go out to eat, try a buffet-style meal where you can still enjoy traditional Thanksgiving fare.
• If one of your guests is from the North, and the other is from the South, expect a heated debate on cornbread dressing versus white bread stuffing. If it becomes too contentious, offer both.

Resources

• The Honeybaked Ham Company
• Dickey's Barbecue Pit
• Thanksgiving Dinner Wiki
• Better Homes & Gardens Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes
• Hickory Farms