Buying food for the holidays ahead of time because...

[harley]

We're eating out in a restaurant for Thanksgiving, for the first time ever. We're meeting my mother. She has so many limitations (mental, physical, self created and real) there was no way to work it out any other way. It will be interesting. I hope it doesn't ruin the feel of the holiday. I may go home and cook a Thanksgiving dinner for us on Friday, just to get the leftovers.

[ziggy29]

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhoDaresWins I either dine out with friends on holidays or get invited to the homes of people who have been slaving on the arrangements for days and weeks. I bring the wine.

We did that last year, right down to bringing the wine. Some friends of ours in town had their daughter, son-in-law (who was on leave from Iraq at the time) and their twin little girls staying with them, so they invited us over since they were going to have a spread that was more than they could eat anyway.

I don't think they're doing that this year, so we're probably going to do that community thing. We'll have a house guest (my wife's best friend from PA), but three still isn't enough to hassle with a big feast.

[freebird5825]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FUEGO That is what I would do, even if the loose taters were slightly more per unit. If I only need 2 lb taters and instead buy 3 lb "to save money", then end up throwing 1 lb away, I have just wasted money.

Exactly. I was raised not to waste food.
If I have excess, my housecleaner is always happy to take extras home for her and 2 young sons. Once she finishes her LPN program "at breakneck speed", she will easily get a job and be more self suffiicent.
I never had a younger sister and she is a great help as well as a good friend to me.

Look around, folks, and find someone struggling with their food costs, who can "help you" eat extra food portions.

[FIREd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by harley Another reason to stock up early - Pumpkin shortage could mean empty shelves after Thanksgiving -- latimes.com

Thanks for the info. I just made a run to the store to make sure I had some canned pumpkin...

This year, I have been volunteered (yet again) to prepare the Thanksgiving feast from scratch. Go figure, this immigrant will be slaving away in the kitchen while the Americans drink, snack, and play the wii . The in-laws will be there off course. But this year we also have special guests, one of my best friends and her husband. They are both Europeans and this is going to be their first Thanksgiving so I want it to be special.

[Goonie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goonie .....I'll pick up a nice beef roast at the butcher shop next Wednesday for our T-giving dining pleasure (we won't be home from Nashville 'til Tuesday).....unless I drive up to the Norwegian store and snag a bison or elk roast instead!

Well, no roast beast beef this year...and no elk or bison either! Ve vent up to da Norvegian store dis morning, and dem folks dare vere all outta bison and elk, 'cept in da burger form. So ve caught a couple of dem dare fresh frozen bunny rabbits instead! So on Tanksgiving day ve're havin' Flopsy and Mopsy!!!

[samclem]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziggy29 The conventional wisdom is that the larger packages will be cheaper per unit. Usually they are, but not always.

I've noticed this a lot with ketchup. We always buy Heinz (except during a brief period in 2004, I can't recall why ) and medium-sized bottles are frequently less expensive per oz. than some of the larger sizes. Luckily, Kroger does show unit (e.g. per oz) pricing on most items, so one just has to remember to look.

[Moemg]

The last few years we've been traveling on Thanksgiving but this year we are going to my Sister's and I only have to bring dessert . I miss making the huge spread but I'll get the chance on Christmas .

[Goonie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by samclem ....Luckily, Kroger does show unit (e.g. per oz) pricing on most items, so one just has to remember to look.

That's another thing I like about Krogers, and our local IGA is the same way. I look at those shelf tags all the time now....and the 'per lb' labels on the meat too! Those sneaky little buggers sometimes try to fool ya!

[harley]

This is a slight digression, but the posts above reminded me of one of my pet peeves. I'm a diet soft drink drinker, and I've noticed a lot of stores (Costco, BJs, Harris Teeter) do their unit pricing in a way meant to confuse and limit comparison. They'll price (for example) Pepsi products by the ounce and Coke products by the pint. Or quart vs. gallon, or something. Just a way to make you not be able to easily compare the prices. Also, the warehouse stores will sell Coke in a 32 can set, and Pepsi in a 24. Obviously these obstacles can be overcome with concerted brain power or a calculator, but what's the point of listing unit pricing if you're working so hard to make it meaningless?

[mews]

Harley, I've done a few restaurant Thanksgiving dinners.

Loved them!

Eat, talk, eat, talk, walk away from the mess.

No leftovers to either tempt or annoy afterwards, either!

ta,
mew