5 Thanksgiving Dishes That Are Way Cheaper To Buy at Aldi Than To Make

Happy Thanksgiving season, fellow food lovers. For many, the holidays can feel like a culinary marathon, where we balance our time and fridge space against our budget to decide which dishes are essential for Thanksgiving and which can be left out. If you’re doing the majority of the cooking, you know well that feeding many hungry mouths can quickly wear a hole in your coin purse. Good news: you can enjoy all your favorite holiday dishes and keep your bank account out of the red.

This year, spend your time focusing on the main event: a juicy Thanksgiving turkey as the centerpiece for your holiday feast. Feel free to prepare a few sides from scratch, like a homemade green bean casserole, and let the professionals handle everything else. Although pre-made foods often get a reputation for being more expensive than homemade options, this isn’t always the case, particularly at budget-friendly stores like Aldi.

The retailer might not be your first choice when planning your Thanksgiving menu, but it should be this year. Aldi has a few holiday staples that not only save you cooking time but are also more affordable than making the dishes yourself. Here’s exactly what we’re stocking up on this festive season. 

Sweet Potato Casserole

In our opinion, it’s not Thanksgiving without a delectable sweet potato pie to end the night. While you can stick to making your own, it’s no secret that it’s an undeniably labor-intensive dessert. Even baking one pie can cost a pretty penny, especially if you have to buy extra butter and eggs for the occasion.

In comparison, Aldi’s is definitely the more affordable option. The store’s frozen Sweet Potato Casserole with Praline Topping costs just $4.99, and there’s no need to thaw it before baking. The pie can go directly from the freezer into the oven, with a baking time of just over an hour. Serve it alongside a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream to really amaze your guests.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Though technically a year-round appetizer, this warm, gooey dish shines during the holiday season, especially when served piping hot alongside homemade pita chips. While it’s necessarily the most complicated recipe to make, DIY-ing spinach and artichoke dip will still take up some of your precious time and oven space—and could put unnecessary strain on your wallet. Frozen spinach may not be the biggest expense, but artichokes and cheese will cost at least $5 in ingredients. 

Instead, lean on Aldi’s frozen Appetitos Spinach Artichoke Dip, which retails for a stunning $4.99. Just a few minutes in the microwave will have it fully cooked and ready to serve at your party alongside a few of your show-stoppers—like that loaf of sourdough bread that took days to make. For an extra-special finish, go over the top with a kitchen torch for that coveted crispy, bubbling effect 

Chef’s Cupboard Four Cheese Homestyle Instant Mashed Potatoes

As with the aforementioned sweet potato pie, making your own cheesy mashed potatoes on the big day may not be your cup of tea. A big batch of homemade mashed potatoes, while not necessarily budget-breaking, can be an unnecessary expense. For example, six to ten large russet potatoes might cost upwards of $5, and adding in the Cheddar, cream, garlic, and butter only raises the cost.

Thankfully, one packet of Chef’s Cupboard Four Cheese Homestyle Instant Mashed Potatoes at Aldi costs $1.09 and makes two cups of mashed potatoes. You’ll need to buy a few to feed a crowd, but even picking up five will cost you less time, labor, and money than making your own. Plus, you can easily enhance instant mashed potatoes with simple cupboard spices (salt, pepper, or garlic) and a topping of snipped chives for a more upscale touch. 

Chef’s Cupboard Scalloped Potatoes

If some of your guests at the holiday table aren’t a mashed potato kind of crowd, consider an elegant scalloped potato dish. Do yourself a favor and avoid trying to make your own scalloped potatoes. You’ll end up spending at least a few bucks on potatoes, and then the whole milk and butter will add a few more…and we haven’t even included the cost of a mandoline if you don’t already own one.

Aldi’s Chef’s Cupboard Scalloped Potato mixture could be considered more of an au gratin potato dish, since it’s made with a creamy Cheddar and blue cheese sauce. It requires less butter and milk than a homemade version, and there’s no need to slice potatoes. Best of all, one box costs $1.29, so even if you need a few, it’s an affordable option. 

Turkey Stuffing Mix

Ah, stuffing—the classic holiday comfort food that nearly everyone adores. Homemade stuffing adds a cozy touch to any holiday meal, but if you’re buying premium bread, free-range eggs, and organic vegetables, you can quickly rack up quite a bill. 

Stuffing mixes aren’t exactly uncommon around the holiday season, but Aldi’s Chef’s Cupboard Turkey Stuffing Mix is purportedly one of the best, according to Redditors. One 89-cent box makes six servings, and all you need to cook it are water and butter. Even several boxes can cost less than $5, making this a highly affordable holiday side dish that you might even convince your guests is homemade.