Nearly every one of us will celebrate one or more of the upcoming fall and winter holidays, observances, and celebrations just around the corner. This year why not aim for praiseworthy recipes and meals that are also thrifty and nutritious as well as delicious? You need look no further. Following is a menu for a pretty easy breezy meal all the guests will enjoy. Uncle Morrie won’t need to sit in the corner with salad and applesauce while Cousins Burt and Sheila sift through each dish to avoid anything with meat, your granddaughter can’t have most grains, hubby has an Epi-pen handy in case he accidentally swallows nuts, your sister is diabetic and your old friends, the Carters, are vegan. Yikes! The scenario leaves a lot of guests in a post dinner hunger mode that might well ruin the celebration for them and for you.

Turkey, ham, and brisket are not necessarily meal requirements for every holiday meal, and no one needs marshmallows on yams, cheese and butter in every dish or layer cake for dessert. Exotic fruits and vegetables from other areas of the world might be fun for a holiday meal, but if they’re unseasonal where you live, they’ll be not only more expensive but less nutritional due to their long journey to your table.

• Prepare or at least partially prep recipes up to three days ahead, and even longer for items you can freeze.
• Look for what’s available and least expensive at the grocery store, including cuts of meat and eggs.
• Be aware of what’s plentiful and seasonal where you reside. It will be fresher and less expensive.
• When there are sales at the store on dry goods, stock up. We can always have use for canned beans, tomatoes, tuna, fruit, broth, dry milk, nut butters, corn meal, butter, vegetable oil, dry and canned milk and of course flour and baking supplies.
• If friends or neighbors have a large supply of certain ingredients or prepared foods and you have something they might use, trade. It won’t cost either of you a penny.
• Ask guests to bring a holiday dish, to share, that they enjoy and possibly prefer.
• Know your limitations. Base your menu on availability of your time, your expertise and whether you’ll have a kitchen helper or be the chief cook and bottle washer.
• Don’t overextend yourself or your budget.
• Or be even more creative and make personal pizzas with easy no-yeast yogurt crusts and toppings you have on hand.
• Or host a taco party and ask guests to bring components, they adore, for the taco fiesta. Have gluten free and vegan tortillas available if possible or ask guests to bring their preference.

Whether for Thanksgiving or any other winter meal celebration, the menu options are endless when the chef steps out of the conventional meal box and goes creative. Here are two thrifty menus that provide dietary options for all your guests. One is a quick and easy menu. The second is a menu plan for the ardent chef, on a budget, who wants to present showstoppers. Both menus are delicious and nutritious and varied to feed all the tastes and dietary needs of your guests while fitting into your budget. Mix and match or prepare just two or three of the dishes listed. It’s all about variation and deliciousness based on what works for you and your holiday crowd.

EASY MENU:

Stove Top Popcorn (gf/vegan)

White Bean Hummus with Rice Crackers (vegan, gf)

*Potato & Green Chile Stew

Zesty Barbecue Glazed Roast Turkey Drumsticks

Steamed Fresh or Frozen Broccoli with* Tamari aioli (veg, gf)

OR

Steamed Peas with mint and lemon butter (veg, gf)

Cornbread (gf) with butter/margarine

Homemade Jam

Chocolate Wacky Cake (vegan)

& Fruit Compote Sundaes (gf)

OR

*Chocolate Love Pudding (gf, veg/vegan)

& *Carrot Spice Cookies (vegan)

ARDENT MENU:

Humble Pumpkin Soup (veg/vegan)

*White Bean & Spinach Antipasto (gf, vegan)

*Gardeners’ Seasonal Company Galette (vegan / veg) &

Gardeners’ Seasonal Casserole (vegan / veg, gf)*Scalloped Spiced Yams & Apples with walnuts & cranberries (vegan/ veg, gf)

*Turkey Meatballs Stroganoff

Herbed Rice Pilaf (vegan, gf)

*Damper Bread with butter/margarine

*Oregon Apple Tart a la Jacques (veg/vegan)

& Maple Pumpkin Pie

OR

*Light Lemon Cheesecake Cups (gf)

& Zucchini Tahini Brownies (vegan)

By: By Kitchen Maven, Judi Berman-Yamada, https://www.facebook.com/Creativepenandpantry/

Many Recipes in my posts are found in my cookbook, “Thrifty Comfort Cooking for Challenging Times”. The book is available through Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com. All (100%) of author royalties from retail sales of my cookbook go directly to the Oregon Food Bank, Tillamook Services, to assist families and individuals experiencing food insecurity. Purchasing the cookbook will benefit not only the recipient of the cookbook, but people in need, as well. Living near Tillamook County or even in Portland, you can purchase the book through Food Roots Farm to Table Marketplace for a sale price and all proceeds will go directly to that non-profit organization.

Amazon.com: Thrifty Comfort Cooking for Challenging Times: 9780578310763: Berman-Yamada, Judith, Berman-Yamada, Judith: Books

Thrifty Comfort Cooking for Challenging Times by Judith Berman-Yamada, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)