6 Easy-To-Forget Thanksgiving Hosting Costs To Budget For in 2026
If you're hosting the Thanksgiving meal, the obvious contenders on your shopping list when you start your budget may be some of the more traditional contenders: Turkey, mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes, stuffing, pie, gravy, a green veggie dish or salad, and some basic beverages.
But there are other easy-to-forget hosting costs that can sneak up on you that you should budget for this year, when inflation has done a number on grocery costs. Here are six to consider.
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1. Appetizers
No matter that everyone is probably about to stuff themselves silly with your main dishes, many people come hungry and ready to start their Thanksgiving snacking with some appetizers.
Whether you lean toward healthy snacks like chopped up veggies and dip, or charcuterie plates full of cheeses and smoked meats, these costs can run surprisingly high if you’re not planning for them. A trio of sliced salami at Walmart, for example, is almost $11, and that's just one appetizer idea.
2. Desserts
While many times you can outsource the dessert to someone not cooking the turkey, inevitably you’ll find yourself thinking how delicious those pre-made pies at Costco or Aldi are looking and the next thing you know you’ll have forked out another $20 in pies.
3. Decorations
Some people have tried and true Thanksgiving decorations they bust out each year, full of sentimentality. Others might find they want to customize a fresh look to the season, have fresh flowers or a centerpiece.
While there are affordable places to buy decorations, like Dollar Tree or TJ Maxx, and Trader Joe's and Walmart sell reasonably priced fresh flowers, if you don’t budget for these costs, they could break your budget.
4. Cleaning Supplies
If you’re hosting Thanksgiving, you might be inclined to give your house a deep clean, one that could stretch beyond the cleaning supplies you have on hand. Maybe you want to rent a wet vacuum to deep clean carpets, or you want your windows and mirrors to really sparkle with the good quality glass cleaner. If you haven’t planned, these costs can eat into your food budget.
5. Take Home Containers
Frugal families will instruct members to bring their own Tupperware, but you might just find it easier to have some on hand, whether you plan to give away leftovers or store them yourself. A 20-piece (containers and lids) of Rubbermaid Take-Alongs is almost $10 at Target and that's probably just enough to save what you want for yourself.
6. Extra Baking Staples
Thanksgiving cooking is that time of year not to skimp on herbs, butter, sugar, salt, olive oil, lemons, garlic, and cream, to name a few. While all of these items can be purchased at reasonable prices at low-cost retailers like Aldi or Walmart, or warehouse stores like Costco and Sam’s Club, if you haven’t accounted for just how much you’ll need, your budget could take a hit.
Editor’s note: Prices and availability are subject to change.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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