Simple Tips for Holiday Meal Planning and Shopping

Halloween is only two days away, which means the holiday season is officially here. We have one month until Thanksgiving and less than a month later it’s Christmas. What does this mean? It means we have to start making our lists – not just for gifts. Our lists for holiday meals; they’re not your typical Thursday night dinner, which means you have to make a list, prepare and shop. And sometimes holiday food shopping can be expensive. Here are three tips to help you save money on the food you’ll serve this holiday season.

Shop Now

Many supermarkets start selling items you’ll need for holiday dinners on sale now. Check your local ads and pick up what you need now. For example, your local store might start selling fall themed foods at a discount now that Halloween is ending; but those sales will only last a week or so. If you need baking supplies for pies and desserts, pick them up now. There’s a lot of buy one get one free sales going on at the end of October.

Buy in Bulk

Holiday meals are usually much larger. This means you’re feeding more than your immediate family and you’ll actually use bulk items. Shop in bulk for items you’ll need for your holiday meal at bulk super stores. You’ll be happy to buy pounds of something that might go bad before you can use it since you’ll be using it for your holiday meals.

Use Coupons

Maybe you’re not a coupon user, but this time of year there are a number of coupons available for food items you’ll use during the holiday meals. Keep an eye out for these coupons and use them when they become available. There’s no reason you should spend too much on the holiday meal planning when you’d much rather save that money and help a family in need.