Thanksgiving doesn't have to cost an arm and a turkey leg

By Korky Vann - Special to The Hartford Courant

Let's talk turkey: Groceries for a Thanksgiving feast can eat up your food budget. But there are ways to save. Here are some savvy shopping tips:

Choose the right size bird. You'll want a turkey big enough for leftovers but not so large that you end up throwing some away. At www.Butterball.com, you'll find a calculator that helps you figure just how much you'll need. (Turkey Talk-Line experts recommend 1-1/2 pounds per person for a generous serving and leftovers.)

Don't overbuy on the trimmings, either. It's easy to get lured in by splashy store displays. Make a list and stick to it.

Be a discount detective. Study the circulars and ads. Maximize savings by matching store specials with manufacturers' coupons. Check social networking sites. Some grocery store chains post special deals on Facebook or Twitter.

Save money by buying in bulk. If you're feeding a crowd, check out the prices at membership warehouse clubs.

Look for turkey sales. Many stores offer turkeys at discounted prices if you spend a certain amount. This year, Walmart stores with grocery sections are featuring turkeys at 40 cents a pound — which means a 12-pound bird will cost you less than $5.

Skip expensive hors d'oeuvres and exotic new dishes with expensive ingredients. (One year, I made a Gruyere potato gratin instead of mashed potatoes. It cost far more than a bag of spuds and caused a family mutiny.) Put out light nibbles and let folks save their appetites for the main event — a feast filled with traditional favorites.

Organize a potluck. Have Aunt Mary bring her signature green-bean casserole, cousin George make his special squash bisque and your daughter-in-law bring the pumpkin pie. Even noncooks can contribute drinks or rolls. You'll save money (and time in the kitchen).

Don't buy an elaborate centerpiece that you're just going to move when the turkey goes onto the table. A pot of mums, some gourds and inexpensive candlesticks (check the dollar store) will set the mood and cost less than $10.

Plan ahead. If your family eats turkey for Christmas, buy a second bird now and put it in the freezer. Turkey prices are often higher in December.

Be safe on Turkey day

With pots boiling, ovens baking and skillets sizzling, Thanksgiving can be a hazardous day in the kitchen.

So much so, in fact, that the National Fire Protection Association says that with so many more people cooking on Thanksgiving than on a typical day, Americans are twice as likely to have a home fire on the holiday than any other day of the year.

“We want the dinner to come off well,” says John Drengenberg, the consumer safety director at the Northbrook-based Underwriters Laboratories, a product safety testing organization. “We want to dazzle friends and relatives, but you have to think about safety. A fire in your kitchen doesn't dazzle anybody.”

Thanksgiving kitchens can be filled with inexperienced, busy or distracted chefs, Drengenberg says, which can spell disaster. He offers the following advice for a safe holiday:

Turn pot handles in, toward the stove: Pot handles can get bumped when several people are bustling around a busy kitchen. Turning them inward can keep them from being snagged.