Lethbridge residents finding ways to cut Thanksgiving dinner costs

A man taking a turkey out of the oven. (CTV News Lethbridge)

LETHBRIDGE, ALTA. -

As many gather around the table for a Thanksgiving dinner, demand for food banks is high as more Lethbridge residents look to cut grocery costs.

“We’re about 30 per cent higher this year than we were last year,” said Danielle McIntyre, executive director of Interfaith Food Bank.

“At the end of September we tallied 866 households came for support here at interfaith food bank.”

According to Statistics Canada, grocery prices rose 6.9 per cent in August, a drop from an 8.5 per cent increase in July.

The price for a turkey has risen 18 per cent compared to last year, while potatoes rose 13 per cent.

As many prepare for dinner, McIntyre said people are changing their normal habits.

“We are seeing a lot of families choosing to go with a chicken instead of a turkey this year just because of price,” she said.

“We're also seeing people gather in larger groups so someone is bringing the pies, someone is bringing mashed potatoes, this way people can contribute what they can and still enjoy a nice holiday together.”

As many will spend time in the kitchen this weekend, culinary experts say it’s not just preparing the food that can help save money.

“Don't get rid of those (turkey or ham) bones … put it in a pot, simmer it with some water and you'll get some more meat off of that to make some soup, that soup is another day,” said Mark Dieser, manager of food services and culinary arts at Lethbridge College.

“Yeah, nobody wants to eat turkey for three weeks afterwards, portion it, package it and take a few minutes to put it in a zip lock bag in your freezer and pull it out every once in a while… that could just stretch everything out.”

For those that would prefer not to cook, local restaurants are trying to help out.

Hickory Street has sold out of its Thanksgiving Dinner packages ahead of the weekend. Owner Devynn Bohn said they are able to purchase food at bulk cost, helping them provide dinners at a reduced cost compared to grocery stores.

“We took the hard work out of it all for everybody and we decided to make it ahead of time,” Bohn said. “It's cold, they can reheat it at home and this gives you more time to hangout with your friends and family, which is really what the whole holiday is about.”

But, it's not just prices that you should be aware of. Dieser said cooking and storing food safely is just as important.

“We're all sitting there with our full belly's and want to relax, we want to have a nap, just get up quick and put it in the fridge, get it to a cool place any cool place you can,” Dieser said. “Don't go in there and wrap it up tight because the heat will stay in and it's harder on cooling the product down.”