• Plan ahead Start making lists of what you will need and check for prices and sales on non-perishable and frozen items like canned sweetpotatoes, cranberry sauce, flour, oil, sugar and pie crust mixes or frozen pie shells as well as paper goods like napkins and paper towels.

• DIY If you have the time or hands to help, plan on making food yourself instead of purchasing pre-made foods and desserts.

• Group effort If you are having guests over, ask it they can each bring a dish or drinks to help complete the meal. Bread or rolls, side dishes, desserts, beverages… this will help reduce your total cost. 

• Don’t go overboard Some of us tend to go overboard with food and end up with leftovers that never get eaten and become food waste. Focus on streamlining your meal and feature delicious dishes with quality over quantity. 

• Plan for leftovers Keeping food safe after serving by refrigerating and freezing it will mean you can get more meals instead of throwing uneaten food out. Be sure and pick up freezer bags and check to make sure you have enough storage containers. 

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Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN

Ingles Markets Corporate Dietitian

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