Thanksgiving is quickly approaching and many families are beginning their preparations for the feast that many of us have been waiting for all year.
But this year might be a little different than in years’ past.
With food prices 28% higher than they were in 2019, according to Nerdwallet, families are looking for ways to provide a full and tasty Thanksgiving meal without breaking the bank.
RELATED: 50 Thanksgiving-themed baby names to be thankful for this year
Enter Dollar Tree Dinners, a TikTok account that has become a go-to for anyone interested in cooking budget-friendly meals.
On Nov. 24, Dollar Tree Dinners broke down how you can make a three-course Thanksgiving dinner with just one $20 bill.
Better yet, all the ingredients can be found at your local Dollar Tree store, if they’re not already in your kitchen.
@dollartreedinners $20 Dollar Tree Thanksgiving Dinner! The ingredients: Swanson Chicken broth $1.25 (Optional ingredient, can be omitted) Kraft Ranch $1.25 Italian seasoned breadcrumbs $1.25 Kraft Mac & Cheese $1.25 Turkey Stuffing Mix $1.25 Idahoan Original Mashed Potatoes (the unflavored big bag) $1.25 Pioneer Roasted turkey Gravy mix $1.25 Dried cranberries $1.25 French style Green Beans (Could also swap for frozen) $1.25 2 cans of turkey $2.50 Milk $1.25 Margarine $1.25 Sugar cookie mix $1.25 Werther’s Chewy Caramel candies $1.25 Apple Pie filling $1.25 Total cost $20 Optional extras to add on if desired: Large casserole dish $1.25 (for making the casserole and easy clean up) A Block of Cheddar cheese (for the mac & cheese balls) $1.25 Extra packet of sugar cookie mix (for the caramel apple cookie bars) $1.25 The menu: Appetizer: Mac & Cheese Croquettes with Ranch for dipping Dinner: “Best of Thanksgiving” Casserole Dessert: Caramel Apple Cookie Bars #dollartreefood #dollartreegroceryhaul #dollartreethanksgiving #thanksgivingonabudget #budgetholidaymeals #howtoeatforcheap #feedafamily
♬ original sound – Dollar Tree Dinners – Dollar Tree Dinners
“I am happy to say that not only have I already made the Dollar Tree Thanksgiving dinner, I do think it was my best Thanksgiving dinner that I have ever made,” the owner of the account said in the video.
With more than 16,000 stores in all 48 contiguous states and five Canadian provinces, finding a Dollar Tree near you should be rather easy.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 can of Swanson Chicken Broth ($1.25)
- 1 bottle of Kraft Ranch ($1.25)
- 1 can of Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs ($1.25)
- 1 box of Kraft Mac & Cheese ($1.25)
- 1 box of Turkey Stuffing Mix ($1.25)
- 1 bag of unflavored Idahoan Original Mashed Potatoes ($1.25)
- 1 bag of Pioneer Roasted Turkey Gravy Mix ($1.25)
- 1 bag of Dried Cranberries ($1.25)
- 1 can of French Style Green Beans ($1.25)
- 2 cans of turkey meat ($2.50)
- 1 packet of Pillsbury Traditional Sugar Cookie Mix ($1.25)
- 1 bag of Werther’s Original Chewy Caramels ($1.25)
- 1 can of Mother’s Maid Apple Filling ($1.25)
- 1 carton of milk ($1.25)
- 1 package of margarine ($1.25)
It might seem like a long grocery list, but your total would come to just $20 and you would have everything you need to make your three-course Thanksgiving meal.
Here’s what those courses would look like:
- Appetizer: Mac & Cheese Croquettes with Ranch (for dipping)
- Dinner: “Best of Thanksgiving” Casserole
- Dessert: Caramel Apple Cookie Bars
If you have some wiggle room in your budget, she also recommended adding a large casserole dish (if you don’t already have one), a block of cheddar cheese (for the mac and cheese), and an extra packet of sugar cookie mix (for the dessert) for an extra $3.75.
Once you have your ingredients, here’s how to bring them all together!
Appetizer: How to Make Mac & Cheese Croquettes
This appetizer is something both the adults and children will enjoy.
Start by making your mac and cheese however you normally do it. Some people like to soften the noodles before adding the milk, butter, and cheese, but Dollar Tree Dinners went with the “no-drain method.”
For that method, add the noodles, a half-cup of milk, two tablespoons of margarine, and cheese packet into a pot with 1.5 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down and let it simmer for about eight minutes, stirring occasionally.
What you’re left with is a super rich and saucy mac and cheese.
@dollartreedinners I made a 3-course Thanksgiving dinner on a $20 budget from Dolalr Tree, starting with these crispy and creamy fried mac & Cheese bites. They’re crunchy on the outside, tender and cheesy on the inside and perfect with ranch for dipping. Stay tuned for the main dish and dessert. Ingredients: 1 box Kraft Thick & Creamy mac & cheese 1 & 1/2 cups of water 1/2 cup of milk (plus extra for breading) 2 tablespoons of margarine Italian seasoned breadcrumbs Oil for frying Ranch dressing (for dipping) Instructions: 1) In a pot, combien the macaroni, water, milk, margarine and cheese powder from the box. 2) Bring to a boil, stirring occassionally, then cover and simmer for 8 minutes continuing to stir occassionally 3) Transfer to a shallow container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (preferrably overnight) 4) Remove mac from the container and cut it into 12 cubes 5) Coat each cube in italian breadcrubs, dip in milk, then coat again in breadcrumbs. Compress the cubes into balls while breading to shape them. 6) Heat 1 inch of oil in a pot and fry the mac and cheese balls in two batchdes for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with ranch for dipping. Enjoy! #budgetfriendlymeals #dollartreefinds #thanksgivingonabudget #thanksgivingdinner #friedmacncheese #budgetcooking #dollartreemeals #3coursemeal #thanksgivingrecipes #holidaycooking #easyappetizers #budgetthanksgiving #tiktokfoodie
♬ original sound – Dollar Tree Dinners – Dollar Tree Dinners
Next, pour the mac and cheese into a shallow container and put it in the refrigerator for at least four hours. Once chilled, remove it from the container without breaking it up and cut the block of mac and cheese into small cubes.
Coat the cubes with Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs, dunk it into milk, and then coat it with breadcrumbs again. Use your hands to compress the cubes into ball-shaped bites.
“If you lose a few noodles, just keep squishing and it’ll come together,” Dollar Tree Dinners says in the video.
All that’s left to do is fry them in oil for a few minutes until they’re nice and crispy on the outside. Drain them on paper towels before serving with a side of ranch dip.
Dinner: “Best of Thanksgiving” Casserole
Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberries, green beans, and gravy. These are what most people would consider the best parts of Thanksgiving dinner.
So, why not put it all into a casserole that only costs $12 to make?
Start by making the mashed potatoes and don’t be afraid to swap out some of the water for chicken broth. Add milk, margarine, salt, pepper, and any other seasonings your family enjoys.
Add the mashed potatoes to the bottom of your baking dish as “Layer No. 1.”
The second layer is easy: drain your canned beans and spread them evenly on top of the mashed potatoes.
For the third layer, drain your canned turkey (but save the broth for later) and shred the turkey bits with a fork. Spread the shredded turkey on top of the green beans.
@dollartreedinners Thanksgiving Dinner you can make for under $12! Ingredients: 1 package Idahoan Original Mashed potatoes 1 can french style green beans (can also use frozen) 2 cans of turkey (drained, broth reserved) 1 packet Pionner roasted turkey gravy mix 1 box turkey stuffing mix Dried cranberries (soaked in water to rehydrate) Milk Margarine Chicken Broth Total cost $11.25 Prepare the mashed potaotes, follow the package instructions but substitute some or all of the water with chicken broth. Season well with salt & pepper and spread evenly into a baking dish as layer 1. Spread on a can of drained french style green beans (if desired, this layer can also be green bean casserole by mixing 2 cans of green beans with 1 can of cream of mushroom soup and some french fried onions) Drain the canned turkey, saving the broth for the gravy, shred the turkey well with a fork and spread it over the green beans. Use the reserved turkey broth and water to prepare the roasted turkey gravy according to the package instructions. Pour the gravy evenly over the turkey. Follow the stuffing mix instructions substituting all or some of the water with chicken broth and fold in the soaked cranberries. Spread the stuffing layer evenly over the casserole as the final layer. Dot the top of the stuffing layer with small pats of margarin and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling. Enjoy! #thanksgivingonabudget #budgetfriendlymeals #dollartreerecipes #thanksgivingcasserole #budgetcooking #comfortfood #casserolerecipes #holidaycooking #3coursemeal
♬ original sound – Dollar Tree Dinners – Dollar Tree Dinners
The fourth layer is the gravy, which can be made with water and the leftover turkey broth before drizzling the gravy on top of the shredded turkey.
Last but not least, make the stuffing with water and any leftover broth you have. Add cranberry jelly or rehydrated dried cranberries (if that’s all you could find) for extra flavor.
Top your casserole dish with the stuffing/cranberry mixture and add slices of butter on top of that. Put the dish in the oven and bake it at 400°F for 30 minutes.
“If you’ve been needing an easy and affordable Thanksgiving dinner, this is the one to make,” the owner of the account said, adding that it would easily feed a family of four and even come with leftovers.
Dessert: Caramel Apple/Cherry Cookie Bars
For dessert, we’re making caramel apple cookie bars—though the apple filling can be swapped for a filling of your choice.
According to Dollar Tree Dinners, one bag of sugar cookie mix will do, but two is ideal.
First, start by making the cookie dough with margarine and water, per the directions on the bag. Take about three-quarters of the dough and spread it evenly in a greased square baking pan.
Bake it in the oven at 350°F for 18 minutes before setting it aside to let it cool.
@dollartreedinners Caramel Apple Pie and/or Cherry Pie Cookie Bars 2 packages of sugar cookie mix 1 can of fruit pie filling (Apple or Cherry) Werther’s Chewy Caramels (Optional) Margarine and water to prepare the cookie mix Combine the sugar cookie mix with margarine and water as directed on the package. Grease a square baking pan and press about 3/4 of the dough into the bottom to form the base. Prebake the cookie base for 18 minutes then set aside to cool. While the base bakes pour the pie filling into a saucepan, mash the fruit nad simmer uncovered until it thickens. Optional Caramel layer: for the caramel apple pie bars melt the chewy carmel candies and spread a thin layer of caramel over the cooled cookie base befoer adding the pie filling. Spread the thickened pie filling over the baked cookie base, take the reserved cookie dough and add collops on top leaving some edges of the pie filling peaking through. Return to the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown. let the bars cool completely before cutint ginto squares to ensure they hold together. Enjoy! #thanksgivingonabudget #budgetfriendlymeals #dollartreerecipes #budgetcooking #comfortfood #holidaycooking #3coursemeal #dollartreefinds #thanksgivingdinner #dessert #cookiebars #holidaydessert
♬ original sound – Dollar Tree Dinners – Dollar Tree Dinners
While the dough is baking, go ahead and melt your caramel (if going with apple) and make your filling.
Dump your pie filling into a saucepan and let it simmer while mashing and stirring frequently. Once you have the texture you like, layer it on top of the caramel or cookie dough (if not using caramel).
Take the remaining, unbaked cookie dough and spread it across the top of the filling. It might be difficult to layer it evenly, but it doesn’t have to be perfect and it’s okay if parts of the filling are exposed.
Put the dish back into the oven at 350°F for another 30 minutes before letting it cool. Cut, serve, and enjoy!
Why canned turkey could be a lifesaver this Thanksgiving
In a separate post, Dollar Tree Dinners replied to a comment that applauded everything about the meal except for the canned turkey.
“That’s usually stuff [you] already have in house. What [you’re] doing is good but I would not eat canned turkey,” the commenter wrote.
Dollar Tree Dinners argued that, while a lot of places give out free or discounted turkeys on Thanksgiving, not everyone is lucky enough to get one and some don’t have the means to cook one.
“A lot of people don’t have the physical ability to wait in line for four hours to get a turkey,” Dollar Tree Dinners says.
Even the grocery stores that sell discounted turkeys usually require a minimum purchase of up to $50, and the turkey doesn’t come with the seasonings needed to cook the turkey.
@dollartreedinners Replying to @dgian61684 #greenscreen just some “food for thought”
♬ original sound – Dollar Tree Dinners
But that’s just the beginning of a struggle many people have when buying a whole turkey.
“A whole turkey only benefits somebody with a fridge big enough to store it in and an oven to bake it in,” Dollar Tree Dinners adds.
She also mentioned the physical strength it takes to pick up and move the turkey from the fridge to the oven to the table. Not everyone has that physical strength and some people don’t have the help needed.
That’s why canned turkey might be the most practical and logical way for a lot of families and individuals to eat turkey this Thanksgiving.
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“So it’s always important to recognize your position in life and understand that what is applicable to you is not applicable to all,” Dollar Tree Dinners says.