I rarely have to cook a holiday meal meal on my own, but this year I had guests and I wanted to create an easy, budget friendly menu that I could put together with little effort.

I made a lot of things from scratch but I also used some things from boxes to make my life even easier. This year, I know many stores are reducing prices for holiday groceries, so I hope you’re able to find some good deals! Let’s get cooking!

For full step-by-step instructions for these recipes, watch my video on YouTube here:

Grocery List

Below is the grocery list, along with prices I found at my local Aldi and Wal-Mart. Prices may be different in your area and you may be able to find better deals by checking the ads for your local grocery stores.

The total for all of these groceries should be around $47.43 – $52.87. However, only a portion of some of the ingredients will be used for these recipes, so the total for the entire meal is approximately $44.93 – $47.48.

Recipes

Herb Roasted Turkey

This simple herb roasted turkey doesn’t take long to prepare and is finished cooking in about 3-4 hours.

The total approximate cost for this recipe is $18.50 – $23.94

Herb Roasted Turkey

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Resting Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 35 minutes mins

Course dinner

Ingredients

  

• 1 10- to 15- pound Turkey
• 2 Tbsp Avocado Oil or any oil you prefer
• 1 tsp Salt
• ¼ cup Fresh Herbs, plus 10 whole sprigs Thyme, Rosemary, Sage, Oregano
• 1 tsp freshly Ground Pepper
• 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter melted
• Aromatics – 1 onion and 1 lemon or lime, cut into 2-inch pieces (you can add anything else you like as well), garlic cloves
• 3½ cups water

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 475°
• Remove neck and giblets from turkey and set aside (you can use these or discard). Pat the turkey dry and place on a rack in a large roasting pan, breast side up.
• In a small bowl, mix together oil, salt, pepper and fresh herbs. Pour the mixture on top of turkey and rub all over to coat, making sure to get some under the skin of the breasts. Rub the melted butter under the skin of the breasts.
• Place the aromatics inside the cavity along with 5 sprigs of herbs. Place remaining herbs in the bottom of the pan and fill with 3½ cups water. Tuck wind tips under turkey and tie legs together with kitchen string.
• Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until skin is golden brown. Remove from oven and reduce oven heat to 350°.
• Cover turkey with aluminum foil and bake for an additional 1.5-3.5 hours or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast is 165°. If the pan dries out while cooking, add more water to the pan.
• Remove and let rest for 20 minutes, covered with foil, before carving.

Keyword roasted turkey, thanksgiving, turkey recipe, whole turkey

Super Simple Sweet Potato Casserole

This was my first attempt at ever making sweet potato casserole and it turned out delicious! It’s going to be a staple at every holiday dinner in the future for our family.

The total approximate cost for this recipe is $3.95

Super Simple Sweet Potato Casserole

This fast and easy sweet potato casserole is so simple, yet so delicious

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Servings 8 Servings

Ingredients

  

• 3 pounds Sweet Potatoes peeled and cut into cubes
• ⅓ cup Brown Sugar
• ⅓ cup Unsalted Butter
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1½ cups Marshmallows quartered, or Mini Marshmallows

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a medium pot, place cubed sweet potatoes and cover with water. Place on the stove and bring to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes or until sweet potatoes are fork tender and almost falling apart. Drain the water.
• Mash sweet potatoes until somewhat smooth. Add brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Continue to mash until fully combined.
• Pour into an oven-safe casserole dish and top with marshmallows. Place in the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes or until marshmallows are browned. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

-Before adding the marshmallows, the casserole can be kept warm in the oven at a low temperature for up to 1 hour, covered. Marshmallows can be added and browned just before serving.

-You can also brown the marshmallows under the broiler on low, which would take about 2 minutes, but be careful not to burn as the browning will happen quickly.

Keyword sweet potato casserole, Sweet Potatoes, thanksgiving, thanksgiving side

Crazy Easy Macaroni and Cheese

This macaroni and cheese recipe uses cottage cheese and comes together very quickly. It’s filling and delicious too!

The total approximate cost for this recipe is $4.74

Crazy Easy Macaroni and Cheese

Perfect side dish or dinner recipe for all occasions

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Resting Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course dinner, Side Dish

Servings 8 Servings

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups Milk
• 1 cup Cottage Cheese
• 8 oz Cheddar shredded
• 1 tsp Ground Mustard
• ½ tsp Garlic Powder
• ¼ tsp Pepper
• 1 lb Macaroni Noodles
• 1 cup Pasta Water reserved from cooking pasta

Instructions

 

• In a medium pot, boil water and cook noodles as directed on the packaging. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water for later.
• In a blender, add milk, cottage cheese, half the cheddar cheese, ground mustard, garlic powder, and pepper, and blend until smooth.
• In a large pot, add cheese mixture and heat on medium until hot but not boiling, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and stir in the rest of the cheddar cheese until melted.
• Stir in pasta and add ½ cup pasta water. Let mixture set for 5 minutes before serving. If desired, add any additional pasta water until sauce reaches desired consistency. Serve and enjoy!

Keyword Cottage cheese recipe, mac and cheese, Macaroni and Cheese

Smashed Potatoes

I love to add all kinds of add-ins to my mashed potatoes but sometimes there’s nothing better than a simple mashed potato with butter and milk.

The total approximate cost for this recipe is $4.53

Smashed Potatoes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Servings 8 Servings

Ingredients

  

• 4 lbs Gold or Russet Potatoes chopped into 1 inch pieces
• Salt
• 8 Tbsp Butter
• ½-1 cup Milk
• Garlic Powder to taste (Optional)

Instructions

 

• Place potatoes in a large pot. Peeling the potatoes is optional, I don’t peel them if they’re gold potatoes. Cover potatoes with cold water until potatoes are just covered. Season the water with salt.
• Bring the water to a boil and cook potatoes until easily pierced with a fork, about 12-15 minutes.
• Drain potatoes and return to the pot. Cook on high for about 60 seconds, shaking frequently to avoid scorching. Turn the heat off.
• Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or fork until smooth.
• Add butter, milk, and garlic powder while mashing until the potatoes reach desired consistency. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Adding ¼ cup of Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt will create a more creamy, rich texture. Feel free to add shredded cheddar cheese, cooked bacon crumbles, sliced green onions, or any other additions you love.

Keyword mashed potatoes, potatoes, smashed potatoes

Fresh Summer Salad

I always feel like I need a fresh salad alongside all of the rich and filling foods at holiday dinners. This recipe is a very basic salad and you can really add your special touch by adding any veggies or add-ons that you love! Some additions that I personally recommend are grilled corn, diced bell peppers, diced red onions, croutons, and dried cranberries. I have served this with both ranch or balsamic vinaigrette, but any dressing you love will be delicious with this.

The total approximate cost for this recipe is $7.72

Fresh Summer Salad

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Servings 8 Servings

Ingredients

  

• 1 head Iceberg Lettuce chopped and washed
• 1 Cucumber thinly sliced or chopped
• 10 oz Grape Tomatoes halved
• 3 Carrots shredded
• Dressing of Choice

Instructions

 

• Place chopped lettuce in a large bowl and top with remaining vegetables. Serve with dressing on the side.

Notes

This is a very basic salad recipe so lots of substitutions can be made. Feel free to add your favorite veggies like diced bell peppers, diced red onions, grilled corn, or anything else you have on hand. Croutons and/or dried cranberries are also a great addition. 

Keyword salad

Boxed Herb or Turkey Stuffing

Sometimes, the boxed mix does the trick, especially when you’re short on time and short on help in the kitchen. For 8 guests, I recommend using at least 2 boxes of your favorite mix. If you want to step it up a notch, you can saute some diced onions and celery in butter first and then continue to add the rest of the stuffing ingredients.

The total approximate cost for this recipe is $2.60

Additional Budget Friendly Sides

If you’re looking for more easy and cheap side dishes to pair with your dinner, I recommend these:

• Canned Corn – $0.49
• Canned Green Beans – $0.49
• Canned Peas – $0.49
• Hawaiian Rolls – $3.05
• Biscuits or Rolls – $1.95
• Frozen Sweet Potato Casserole – $3.79
• Pumpkin Pie – $6

The prices from this blog post were found at my local Aldi and Walmart in 2023.

I hope you love the recipes and find some inspiration for your next holiday dinner. I’m wishing you laughter and joy this holiday season!

Disclaimer: This post is the opinion of the author. Always speak to your doctor before beginning any exercise plan or changes to your lifestyle or diet. The information provided in this post is for entertainment purposes only and is not intended to provide medical, legal, or other professional advice. Read and/or use any of the information from this post at your own risk. Some or all of the links displayed on this site may be affiliate links.