Hosting Family Reunion...CouponMom Style!!

[CherryPicker]

In recent weeks/months, I have seen several post regarding difficulties hosting dinners/extended family. This one is for you. My take on Savings and Success stories CouponMom style!!

I'm helping to host a family reunion this week, and everybody decides to eat at my house today. Luckily, I always have a stockpile ready to entertain!!

Some of the things I served for dinner today:
BBQ Chicken (with Free BBQ Sauce Kraft of course and saved a fortune on the chicken by buying split breast, and deboned the chicken)

Rice Pilaf by Uncle Ben's.....These were bought at Publix during a BOGO sale and I was getting these for .24 cents a box!!

Stove Top: Bought these when I was able to get them for .29 cents a box with a coupon!!

Everyone just RAVED about the dinner!! Honestly!! It had felt great to serve so many, yet to have paid so very little for it.

Hope that encourages someone for their next family get together.

[lucyrevenge]

CouponMom Style? Lol... Is there any other way?

Sounds like it was fun & yummy.

[JoeyWoz]

Good job, CherryPicker! I've never heard about the split-breast chicken tip before...did you have to ask for it at the butcher's counter? Which bones are left in the meat when you buy it like that?

The rice pilaf boxes were a good buy. If you're partial to making rice dishes, and haven't come across any good deals, making rice sides are also incredibly inexpensive (and have lower sodium contents than many of the convenience foods). For rice pilaf, a little rice, chicken stock, celery, onion, pepper, seasoning salt, cayenne pepper,and a touch of oil is all that's needed.

Raw rice is particularly cheap when bought from the bulk bins, and a few cups makes LOADS, which is helpful for entertaining. I recently made mexican rice for a party of 15, and only used 2 cups of raw rice. I found that the taste of homemade mexican rice is superior to those packaged varieties.

On a related note, last year my family claimed that Thanksgiving dinner for 12 guests came in at around $125, turkey included. Does that sound right? There seems to be tons of promotions and deals to be had around that time. I'm thinking of taking over this year's feast, and doing it "CouponMom" style myself. What do you think?

[CherryPicker]

Good job, CherryPicker! I've never heard about the split-breast chicken tip before...did you have to ask for it at the butcher's counter? Which bones are left in the meat when you buy it like that?

I buy the split-breast at the store, and de-bone it myself. (You can watch videos on You Tube as to how to do this). The way I do it, no bones are left in it.

[CherryPicker]

On a related note, last year my family claimed that Thanksgiving dinner for 12 guests came in at around $125, turkey included. Does that sound right? There seems to be tons of promotions and deals to be had around that time. I'm thinking of taking over this year's feast, and doing it "CouponMom" style myself. What do you think?

What?!

Just Kidding of course, but if you really want to know....last year, I truly focused on the promotions, and served a complete Thanksgiving dinner for 7....Total Cost? $3.78 + tax (Turkey and Pumpkin Pie included)

[vagabond2]

well done! you must of impressed a few folks!!

[JoeyWoz]

What?!

Just Kidding of course, but if you really want to know....last year, I truly focused on the promotions, and served a complete Thanksgiving dinner for 7....Total Cost? $3.78 + tax (Turkey and Pumpkin Pie included)

What, under $4? I can see all the trimmings coming in cheap, but the turkey? Was it a give-away from your employer or something? That's awesome!

I understand that you bought the split breasts at the store, but were they prepackaged, or did you have to ask for them at the counter? Was it a national chain grocery store?

[CherryPicker]

I take competing ads to Wal-Mart, buy Tyson Chicken Breasts. They come in 5.5 lb packages.

[Mouse]

Way to shop Cherry, way to serve, way to SMILE !!!

Macey

[kimberlydiam]

I would love to know how to do Thanksgiving for under 4.00 too.