Is it possible to do Thanksgiving Dinner on a tight budget? I just scanned the turkey prices at the supermarket andit didn’t look like a place for bargain hunters. The stores will need to have some really good sales for it to be affordable for many of us. I have a another problem: we are traveling the country in our RV and there is no way turkey would fit into the refrigerator or my oven. So, What Works For Me?

Turkey Legs. I see turkey legs in stores all over the country – all year round for usually less than a dollar a pound (79 cents a month ago in Oregon). There is a lot of meat on those legs and usually four to five legs is enough for four to eight generous servings. You could also buy a turkey breast if you have white meat eaters, but it is more expensive.

Are you worried that turkey legs would spoil that picture of dad carrying the big bird into the dining room and carving it in front of everybody? That Norman Rockwell idea is way overrated. The bad part about carving the bird at the table is that the carver doesn’t get to sit and eat with everyone else. For most people Thanksgiving means turkey, including that delicious smell, no matter that it comes in pieces. 

I know there are people, especially this year, who will skip Thanksgiving Dinner because they don’t believe they can afford it. But we all know that the important part of this holiday is to give thanks for whatever blessings we do have, and not to celebrate the size of the turkey. This year give turkey legs a try.

For more ideas head over to Works For Me Wednesday: www.rocksinmydryer.com