We’re all aware holiday gatherings can be expensive, well what if I told you that you could do a Thanksgiving dinner for two for under $20, with plenty of leftovers.

Sounds impractical right? Wrong!

Without missing out on any of the traditional Thanksgiving favorites, I can show you how to collect the necessary items to produce a filling and hearty dinner that won’t break the bank, but possibly a few buttons on your flannel.

Instead of shopping at the more common, expensive grocery stores in the area, venture to the more affordable markets like Winco. All items were bought at the Elk Grove Winco without the use of any coupons.

If you have the time to search for coupons to save a few extra pennies then by all means do so, I did not in order to save time and to see if it was possible to buy a full, traditional Thanksgiving dinner for less than $20 without coupons.

First things first, make a menu of the items you would like to purchase, stick to the most basic items first and on the side of the list put a couple of extra items, just in case you have money left over. I started by listing the dishes and then the components of those dishes. Green bean casserole with the crunchy onions on top, stuffing, candied yams, biscuits, our meat for the main dish and garlic mash potatoes and gravy. And I didn’t forget to put that pie in at the end to top off our mouth watering dinner.

With my twenty dollar bill, shopping list, and high hopes to keep the final total under $20, I headed to my local Winco in pursuit to accomplish just that.

Grabbing a grocery cart and going aisle by aisle, grabbing all generic products of the items on the list, it looked as though there was no way it would be under budget. Finding the last couple of things, and making my way to the check stand, it was nerve-racking to see the final total.

Waiting in line, thinking of how I would prepare this delectable meal, my time was up to see the final cost for my Thanksgiving dinner and dessert. The total came out to be $19.12. Not sparing any favorites or dessert, the task was, in fact, completed! It is possible and still very tasty to do a Thanksgiving meal for two people and still have leftovers for lunch the next day, and have it all for just under $20.