The holiday season will kick off next month with Thanksgiving. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, last year, Americans could have purchased classic Thanksgiving meal staples for 10 people for $55.18, or $5.52 per person. While prices are likely higher in 2026, it’s possible to build an impressive spread on a budget. MoneyLion writer Jordan Rosenfeld asked ChatGPT how to feed 10 people on the big holiday with a budget of $150. These were the tips it provided:
Make Turkey the Centerpiece
Buy an approximately a 14- to 16-pound turkey, which should comfortably serve 10 people who aren’t going back for thirds. It’s not necessary to splurge on a premium bird since supermarket promotions often make turkey quite affordable. Compare the per-pound price, since Thanksgiving turkey is often heavily discounted.
Other tips include comparing prices for a frozen turkey versus a fresh one (though don’t forget to thaw your bird well in time). If you do end up with money left over, you can consider going organic or specialty. For comparison, a 16-pound frozen turkey averaged $21.50 in the Farm Bureau's 2025 survey.
Build the Meal Around Cheap, Filling Sides
The side dishes are where you can make the $150 budget feel much bigger. Potatoes, stuffing, carrots, green beans and rolls can feed a crowd relatively inexpensively, particularly when you cook some dishes from scratch and choose store brands.
Pick up four or five filling sides instead of trying to put eight different dishes on the table. To stay on budget, use store brands for staples like canned or frozen vegetables, broth, stuffing mix, gravy and baking ingredients.
Plus, guests might want to bring a few things themselves. Thanksgiving guests generally care more about having enough of their favorites than a huge variety.
Keep Appetizers Simple
Appetizers are an easy budget buster, and nobody wants to fill up before the actual meal begins. Choose an inexpensive dish or item that gives guests something to snack on without filling them up.
Choose Two Simple Desserts
Stick with two crowd-pleasing options. This could be a traditional pie, like pecan, pumpkin or sweet potato with whipping cream or ice cream. Or something like brownies, which can be whipped up in big batches affordably. One key point here is that homemade dessert isn't automatically cheaper if you need to buy several ingredients you don't normally keep around.
Don't Let Drinks Blow the Budget
Drinks can derail a food budget, particularly if the host feels obligated to provide several options or alcohol. Stick to water plus one or two inexpensive options such as iced tea, lemonade, or soda. Make the meal “BYOB” for beer and wine, or skip it altogether.
For more on how to host the big holiday on a budget, read the full article here. What are your favorite Thanksgiving dishes? Do you have your own tips for saving on the big holiday meal?