For most of the past decade, I have had to work on Thanksgiving Day.
That doesn’t leave a lot of time to prepare, let alone enjoy, Thanksgiving dinner.
If you don’t have to work, maybe you just want to opt out of cooking — it can be stressful prepping a meal for extended family and friends.
Or maybe you’re just a lousy cook.
Whatever your reason, it’s okay … relax. There are affordable ways to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal that don’t require you to spend hours in the kitchen.
One option is to ask for help. For years, attending Thanksgiving potlucks was my default and I was always happy to bring something along in return for fellowship and good food. Have each invited guest bring a favorite dish. It’s a lot easier and far more affordable to be the master of one dish than to lay out an entire meal. If you’re hosting, focus on the turkey and your guests can supply the sides, desserts and drinks.
You could go one step beyond and let someone else do all the cooking for you. Whole Foods Market has a traditional Thanksgiving feast for four priced at $59.99. It includes herb-rubbed turkey breast, homestyle mashed potatoes, Southern cornbread dressing, cranberry orange relish and turkey gravy. The turkey is fully cooked but takes about 1.5 hours to reheat. You can place your order online and pick it up at your nearest location.
The Mill Kitchen & Bar in Roswell will prepare a traditional turkey dinner to serve six to eight people for $95, including roasted turkey breast, gravy, dressing, mac and cheese, green bean casserole, cranberry relish and pumpkin pie. Order by Mon., Nov. 25 by calling 770-817-9345 and pick it up on Wed., Nov. 27. Visit the website for additional details.
Want to really shake it up? Go out to eat. While some eateries may be marking up the price of their meals for Thanksgiving, there are also some offering traditional Thanksgiving fare at reasonable prices and during extended hours. Most restaurants are accepting reservations now.
A few options I've spotted are Ted's Montana Grill serving a three-course Thanksgiving meal starting with a side salad, tomato soup or Karen's "Flying-D" Bison Chili. The entree is Ted's whole-roasted turkey and gravy with garlic mashed potatoes, herb dressing, green beans, "Aunt Fannie's" squash casserole and cranberry sauce. For dessert, enjoy Ted's Apple Pecan Crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It costs $25 per person ($12 per half portion for kids).
Chicken and the Egg in Marietta is offering a meat-and-three plus dessert. Choose either roasted turkey with cornbread dressing or glazed ham and sides including mashed potatoes, mac and cheese and green bean casserole. Dessert choices are pecan pie, pumpkin pie or apple cobbler. The meal comes with rolls, cranberry relish and non-alcoholic drinks priced at $24.99 for adults, $11.99 for children 6 to 12 and free for children 5 and under.
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