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Can you imagine how much more Holiday dinners will cost this year?
CBS reported that historically food prices have only risen 2% annually. However, this year the United States government estimates food prices will be up 9.5% to 10.5%.
With this increase anticipated for holiday staples, many families are seeking out less expensive ingredients to help keep holiday dinners on a budget.
Let's get into some affordable alternatives for costly holiday classics!
Instead of a baked ham, why not go for some smoked ham slices? You can always add a fancy culinary touch to spruce up the presentation!
The price of a baked or spiral sliced honey ham can cost anywhere from $25 to $75 or more. Most of the time families purchase a ham for holiday meals and end up with much more than they need. Typically, sliced ham is $1.25 per pound at the grocery store. With prices like that, opting to purchase smoked ham slices instead of a whole ham can help slice your costs in half!
If you shop at a grocery store or supermarket that doesn't offer deals, holiday turkeys can be crazy expensive!
No worries though, you don't have to swap out your turkey if you truly want that classic holiday meal. You just have to look for promotions and shop at the right time! If you're a Costco member you can pick up a Butterball boneless turkey breast for about $20 (for a little under 5lbs of meat) - a solid choice for a smaller turkey.
Swap out your expensive charcuterie board ingredients for more affordable and just as delicious alternatives!
We all know how easily guests eat up the crowd-pleasing charcuterie board within moments of arrival, and that $50-$100 of your budget you decided to splurge on expensive cheeses and artisan meats doesn't have to be eaten up just as easily. Get savvy with the items you add to your charcuterie board! Swap out the pricier board staples with a few alternative and inexpensive items that allow you to keep the snacking experience going.
- Skip artisan meats and go for hard salami
- Instead of crostini, pick up a cracker assortment
- Cut up some apple slices (or any other fruit of choice) and space them around the board for filler
- Stick to cheaper cheeses
- Jams and jellies don't have to be gourmet!
- Roll up affordable deli meats for an elegant look
- Add pickles to fill up the board and add texture
Go with the frozen berries instead of fresh. Yes, it's going to be just as delicious - don't worry! Frozen berries are already prepared to make the cooking experience much easier and tend to be more affordable than fresh berries.
Skip fresh for frozen vegetables as well. Similar to purchasing frozen berries over fresh, just try and see how many frozen vegetables you can stock up on for nutritious holiday side dishes! Walmart sells Great Value frozen vegetables for great affordable prices.
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