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Let The Commissary Show You How To Really Cook Up Thanksgiving!

For economical holiday feasts, shop the commissary

By: Kay Blakley, DeCA Home Economist
November 16, 2009

If money is so tight this year you’re thinking of skipping the traditional holiday meal, consider this. All you need to do is shop the commissary and you’ll be in surprisingly fine shape. Would you believe it’s possible to purchase ingredients for the entire meal for 8 to 10 people for just $50? I’m here to tell you the answer is yes -- I just did it!

I recently assisted a young military couple, Chelsea and Dion Kirton, who wanted to stick to their $50 limit, didn't want a lot of leftovers, didn't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and wanted to keep all the preparation as simple and easy as possible.

Our menu consisted of:

A 6 pound bone-in turkey breast
A 5 pound "quarter" spiral sliced ham
Turkey gravy (made with the gravy packet included with the turkey breast)
Dressing (celery, onion and chicken broth added to a bag of stuffing mix)
Southern Style Marshmallow Yams (using canned yams)
Spiced Fresh Green Beans with Walnuts
Cranberry Sauce (canned)
Hot Rolls (ready-to-serve)
Pumpkin Pie (ready-to-serve)
Pecan Pie (ready-to-serve)
Whipped topping for the pumpkin pie

Total cost: $48.06 plus 5% surcharge of $2.40 = grand total of $50.46

We used ingredients such as milk, butter and spices the couple already had on hand. A $4 coupon they had for the ham allowed us to purchase the ready-to-serve pies, which saved a lot of preparation time. And, we used leaves harvested from the celery, along with two apples and a lemon the couple had on hand to garnish the meat platters.

To make sure both the ham and turkey were ready at the same time, we roasted the turkey breast in the oven, but cooked the ham in the slow cooker. It worked like a charm!

Lots of people spend a whole lot more, but that is usually attributed to buying more than is actually needed, and purchasing several extras that happen to be among that shopper's holiday favorites. Adding favorites is absolutely fine, and your commissary has stocked just about any holiday favorite imaginable. However, if sticking to a budget is top priority, shop with a detailed list, and purchase only what you need.

Don’t know how much turkey or ham it takes to feed the number of guests you’re inviting? Come to Kay’s Kitchen for the answer. Need to know how long it takes to thaw or roast the turkey you choose? We’ve got that answer, too, plus a collection of holiday recipes that is sure to include just what you’re looking for.

Below are links to featured recipes and tips: