Celebrate Thanksgiving with Value October 29, 2009

The Butterball® Turkey Talk-Line® has been helping families enjoy a picture-perfect Thanksgiving meal for almost 30 years. This year, the professionally trained turkey experts at the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line are sharing money-saving holiday tips, as well as tried-and-true turkey advice that can help make Thanksgiving a more economical, delicious meal.

• Cook from the Pantry:With 68 percent of Americans cutting spending on nonessential grocery items¹, selecting recipes based on ingredients already in your pantry, spice rack or refrigerator is a smart way to save. Check out Butterball.com to see how everyday ingredients can create a delicious new recipe, such as Roast Turkey with Maple Mustard Glaze.
• Turn One Meal into Many:Choose a slightly larger turkey than usual this year to ensure plenty of leftovers for recipes ranging from soup to casseroles. The Turkey Talk-Line experts recommend 1 1/2 pounds of turkey per person for a generous serving and leftovers. Don’t forget to protect those leftovers by refrigerating within two hours after serving.
• Click and Clip to Save: Coupon usage is on the rise² and starting in November, families can find deals and coupons at Butterball.com including a coupon for a fresh or frozen Butterball turkey available while supplies last. By doing simple research online or browsing the newspaper before shopping, holiday cooks can realize great savings.
• Go Potluck This Year: Celebrate with friends and family and encourage guests to bring their favorite side dishes, drinks or desserts to cut down on overall meal costs. You won’t be alone, 1 in 3 entertainers said they often have a potluck meal³.
• Pick Vegetables Wisely: Frozen and canned vegetables can often be more affordable than the fresh varieties and still offer the same nutritional value. If you do need to purchase fresh produce, select vegetables that are in season, such as squash and sweet potatoes, which are often less expensive.
• Avoid Turkey Trauma: One of the most common (and most easily avoided) mistakes Thanksgiving cooks make is incorrectly thawing a frozen turkey. Call 1-800-BUTTERBALL to ensure you are thawing the turkey in a safe and timely manner, so you can avoid having to search for a backup Butterball turkey last minute.
• Get Back to Basics: Stick with holiday recipes you’ve cooked before and that you know your family loves. By sticking with what you know, you’ll cut down on any waste from failed recipe attempts or picky eaters.
• DIY Decorations: Rather than purchasing expensive fresh flowers, ask kids to create centerpieces for the table using supplies from in and outside of your house. Encourage kids to get outside and use leaves, pinecones and other fall foliage to make a festive, inexpensive centerpiece. These more meaningful decorations save money and keep kids busy while the meal is being made.
• Shop Smart: Make a list of what you’ll need for Thanksgiving dinner and buy non-perishable items when they are on sale. Try freezing leftover hamburger and hot dog buns during the summer and use them for the stuffing come November.
• Prep Made Easy: No need to purchase an expensive, fancy pan to cook the turkey this Thanksgiving! Try the Turkey Talk-Line’s open pan roasting method that can be done with an inexpensive, aluminum pan purchased from the grocery store and thrown away at the end of the meal.

For more cost-saving tips, visit www.Butterball.com, text “TURKEY” to 36888, follow Butterball at www.Twitter.com/Butterball, visit the Butterball Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/Butterball or call 1-800-BUTTERBALL to speak with a Talk-Line expert live starting November 2. For more information or to schedule an interview with a Butterball Turkey Talk-Line expert, contact Bridget O’Malley at 312-BB-MEDIA (312-226-3342) or Bridget.Omalley@Edelman.com.

¹ IRI. 2008. Competing in a transforming economy. Webinar, Dec. 12. Information Resources Inc. Chicago, ILL. www.infores.com.

² John Waggoner, “Consumers are Spending, but on Used Goods, Debt Payments,” USA Today, May 18, 2009, http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2009-05-18-consumers-spending-recession_N.htmhttp://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2009-05-18-consumers-spending-recession_N.htm.

³ GfK. 2009. RRUS 2009 Teleconference survey, January. GfK Custom Research North America, New York, N.Y. www.gfkamerica.com.