A Tightwad's Thanksgiving

November 10, 2012

My issue is not that I don’t want to spend money on the holidays; it’s that I don’t have any money to spend in the first place. I’m a college student, and I follow the financial stereotype of my office to the letter. When the holidays roll around, it feels like I should eat something a little nicer than usual, but it seems silly to cook a huge meal for just myself. So, after some thinking and inspiration, I’ve come up with ways to make a holiday meal for one on a tight budget.

There are plenty of books in the Library that are about how to eat on a budget. Personally, I like the A Man, a Can series. For this quest in particular, I consulted the book A Man, a Can, a Microwave. This is where I got started. There is a recipe for a Pilgrim’s feast, which requires a little container of Stove Top, a can of chicken broth, some turkey chops, and some turkey gravy. It gives you instructions on how to cook this entire meal for one in the microwave. An alternative I have been considering involves getting some turkey luncheon meat and heating it with some gravy before placing it over two thick pieces of toast. A single-serve container of instant potatoes for a dollar would make the perfect side to this holiday meal.

Either way, I’ve decided to make the holiday meal something special, even if it is just for me.

Heather G.
Oak Grove Branch