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Guy Fieri says Thanksgiving can be affordable and shares how families can cut costs to celebrate the holiday on a budget.
Fieri highlighted that many Thanksgiving dish staples can be found at affordable prices. The celebrity chef opened up about the best holiday recipes and cocktails, using his Santo Tequila, in an interview with Fox News Digital.
“Thanksgiving, if you really think about it, is probably one of the more affordable holidays to cook for,” Fieri said.
“Leftover bread is stuffing. Sweet potatoes, pretty darn cheap. Mashed potatoes, really cheap,” he noted. “Turkey, not cheap, but not prime rib.”
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Guy Fieri shares budget-friendly Thanksgiving cooking tips while highlighting simple swaps that can save families money. (Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
Fieri offered practical advice for families looking to cook for smaller gatherings. The “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” host suggested an easy and affordable alternative to a whole turkey.
“…if people are really trying to get by, let’s say that they’re doing a Thanksgiving, and it’s a party of four — It’s the family of four. You could go and buy turkey breasts by themselves, skin-on, bone-in,” Fieri continued. “Liberally season them, dry-brine them a day ahead of time, let them rest in the fridge, roast them off in the oven or put them in the smoker.”
“It’s probably one of the most straightforward, easy pieces of protein to cook.”
WATCH: GUY FIERI EXPLAINS WHY THANKSGIVING IS THE ‘MOST AFFORDABLE’ HOLIDAY TO COOK FOR
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The celebrity chef says families can save money by buying turkey breasts instead of a whole turkey. (Getty Images)
Fieri also noted that “cooking is timing.”
“So what I think the best thing for people to do is — A, throughout the year, if you could try some things out, you know, everybody loves stuffing. Stuffing doesn’t have to just be for Christmas. Everybody loves green beans, green bean casserole doesn’t have to be just for Christmas. Everybody loves Brussels sprouts, doesn’t have to be… just for the holidays. So I think that testing ahead of time is great.”
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Guy Fieri showcased his Santo Tequila lineup, highlighting the bold flavors he says elevate any holiday celebration. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Los Santos: Santo Puro Mezquila)
Outside of sharing Thanksgiving recipe inspiration, Fieri also recommended a festive holiday cocktail featuring his Santo Tequila. He launched the spirits brand in 2017 alongside Sammy Hagar.
Fieri encouraged people to take a moment to reflect on the deeper meaning behind their Thanksgiving toast this year.
“…I want to make sure that when everybody gives that toast, and everybody celebrates and is gathered with their family and their friends, they’re rejoicing on how blessed we are — remember how we got here,” he told Fox News Digital. “There’s a lot of men, women, and their families that made the ultimate sacrifice to make us a free country and to keep us a country. So the free opportunity you have to celebrate whatever religion you celebrate, whatever method of celebrating you have, whatever food you wanna eat — you live in this country because a lot of people, generations and generations before us, made the sacrifice. To give us this country.”
“So when you give that toast and thank everybody at your family, make sure you’re giving that toast to the people you don’t even know that gave you the opportunity to live in a free country and have an opportunity to celebrate Thanksgiving”.
Guy Fieri pointed to Santo Tequila as his go-to spirit for crafting festive cocktails during Thanksgiving gatherings. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Los Santos: Santo Puro Mezquila)
WATCH: GUY FIERI URGES AMERICANS TO GIVE A THANKSGIVING TOAST TO MEN AND WOMEN WHO SACRIFICE FOR OUR COUNTRY
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As for what ends up on the Fieri family Thanksgiving table, the celebrity chef said there’s one thing he has to do to keep his wife happy.
“We will definitely smoke a turkey. We have a high expectation from my wife that we have white turkey meat left over for turkey sandwiches on Friday. I mean, that’s a staple,” he said. “Like, I don’t wanna tell you about the time that someone forgot the turkey outside and the dogs got to it. There was no turkey.”
“So, I always just make enough turkey. So, we’ll do a full turkey, just for the nice presentation done the right way. Do a couple turkey breasts, just so we have extra white meat left over. Then we’ll smoke a turkey because everybody loves smoked turkey… And we’ll also do a ham. We have a big, we have a tall order.”
Fieri said his family starts prepping well ahead of Thanksgiving day because he doesn’t “like to be under the gun and have it be a big hassle on Thursday, on Thanksgiving. I try to walk the finish line.”
