No matter how many people respond to dinner invitations, there is always an extra person. Sometimes this extra person can turn into 5-10 additional mouths to feed. With everyone vying for the same cuts of meat, salad, dinner rolls and desserts, how you can make a meal stretch in a minute? The key is to be prepared for extra company from the start. Here are some everyday items that will help you stretch your Thanksgiving meal.

 

When making your grocery list, think of inexpensive items that are filling that can easily be stretched. Bread items are a good starting point. Dinner rolls, biscuits and muffins make good appetizers and are handy for supplementing leftovers to take home.

 

Prepackage salad mixes are a good way to supplement a limited amount of salad. If one of your guests does not bring enough salad, not to worry, you can add some package romaine salad mix to have enough. A salad course is also a good way to give you extra time in the kitchen. If the meal is not quite ready yet and appetizers have already been served, why not set up a salad buffet. Letting everyone fill up on salad is a great way to make up for not having enough main items. This also allows people to eat at a moderate pace and feel full quickly.

 

Having enough turkey and sides is always hard when there are extra mouths to feed. We all love leftovers but if our guest list is bigger than we expect, those turkey sandwiches will vanish quickly. I suggest using some back up prepackage turkey and gravy seasoning meals. There are several popular brands you can find in the meat department at your local grocery store. These dinners come pre-seasoned or with a gravy packet. You can place them in the microwave and serve when ready. This way the white meat everyone loves can be stretched leaving you some leftovers.

 

Vegetables are hit and miss with some families. If you have people coming who love side dishes, it is ways good to be prepared with an extra prepackage vegetables. Even though the word “frozen vegetables” does not sound appealing during the holidays, there are several new varieties of prepackage vegetables to choose from. There are now several steam-in-bag, pre-seasoned vegetables on the market. These vegetables only take five minutes to cook four portions in the microwave. Using this extra helper will ensure everyone has enough to eat.

 

Fresh, homemade cranberry sauce is always a treat. Why not make a great dessert with the leftovers? Combine some dry cereal, oats and cranberries together and bake until set. Cut out bars and pair with a dollop of sour cream or ice cream. This tasty treat uses what you have on hand while making an impression on your guests. Another way to stretch dessert is to have some miniature brownies, cookies and cakes stored in your freezer. This is a great way to make sure everyone has enough without going crazy trying to make more. You can serve the miniature treats right along the main dessert. Sometimes guests wantto graze during dessert and are not looking for a large sugar rush. This way, there is a variety of treats without making a big fuss.

 

The holidays can be wonderful as long as we come prepared. Make you come prepared to share fun memories with the people you love most.