On Thanksgiving and Family Traditions
While my family has much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, I know that there are 49 million Americans who face hunger and so many families who struggle to put a meal on their table on a daily basis, let alone on Thanksgiving. So I’m thrilled to support the J.M Smucker Company in their efforts to provide up to six million meals to Feeding America in support of local member food banks.
How can you help? Look for special coupons from participating November 2nd newspapers for savings on Crisco and Pillsbury products that will help you share the goodness this season and make every meal matter. For every Crisco and Pillsbury coupon redeemed, The J.M Smucker Company will donate the equivalent of three meals to Feeding America, with a minimum donation of 4.5 million meals (a $450,000 donation) and up to six million meals ($600,000 donation). And you get to save some cash on your holiday dinner, a win for everyone!
Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. I mean, what’s not to love? A special day filled with friends and family and, of course, lots of delicious food… I can’t think of a better way to spend a day.
Growing up we always had a classic Thanksgiving dinner -- roast turkey, green beans, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry salad, crescent rolls, and of course, pumpkin pie -- and my mom went out of her way to set a stunning table, using her best china and glassware. It was the one day of the year when I was allowed to use a “fancy” glass, and she always made sure to put an extra plate at my seat since I couldn’t (and still can’t) stand to have different foods touch on my plate.
These days Thanksgiving looks much the same in my own household, although one aspect is often noticeably absent -- the turkey. I know that on most tables the turkey is the main attraction, crispy and browned to perfection, but I have to confess that I’m just not really a fan. For that matter, my kids aren’t really fans either, so it doesn’t make sense to prepare a feast that no one will eat just because it’s a tradition, so we typically have a ham instead.
We even change up the sides a bit from year to year, but the one Thanksgiving constant is the two glorious homemade pumpkin pies that I bake each year. Yes, I hear you -- baking pies from scratch isn't an easy task, but store bought pumpkin pies can't hold a candle to the creamy goodness of a homemade pumpkin pie. Not to mention you can bake at least two of these treats for the price of purchasing just one!
And so each year I carry on the tradition of baking my pies from scratch, using the Crisco pie crust and pumpkin pie filling recipes passed down from my mother. I loved helping her bake the pies when I was a child, and I look forward to making them with my own kids each year. I’m hoping at least a few of them carry on this tradition with their families some day!
About Deal Seeking Mom
Tara Kuczykowski is the founder of Deal Seeking Mom and Unsophisticook, and the co-author of All in Good Time, as well as a wife and mom of three boys and two girls, ages 6 to 12 years, living in Columbus, OH.
As a former career-oriented professional turned stay-at-home mom, reconciling champagne tastes with a tap-water budget was a challenge, especially with a large family. By learning how to cut costs on her family's basic needs, she found the key to having more disposable income for the things in life that make it worth living.
Her passions are saving money on everyday necessities (and helping others do so as well!) and cooking tasty meals for her family from scratch -- without spending a ton of time in the kitchen.