Success StoryPlanning Holiday Meals on a Thrifty Budget
Planning Holiday Meals on a Thrifty Budget
Author: Lynnette Allen
Planning Unit: Breckinridge County CES
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Plan of Work: Improving community wellness through nutrition, physical activity and safety
Outcome: Intermediate Outcome
Inflation has driven the cost of groceries higher in recent years. According to USDA Economic Research Food Price Outlook (2025), food prices in May 2025 were 2.9 percent higher than in May 2024. This may not be as much as an increase as in most recent years, but it continues to make it difficult for limited resource families. The high average prices make meal budgeting, especially holiday meals which tend to cost more, extremely important. To address this issue the Breckinridge County Extension agent for Family and Consumer Sciences taught Planning Holiday Meals on a Thrifty Budget to thirty-four participants. The lesson focused on ways to plan a menu on a budget and thrifty grocery shopping strategies. A post survey evaluation showed the following outcomes: 100% strongly agreed or agreed that they could identify ways to save money when planning a holiday meal. • 97% strongly agreed or agreed that they could develop a budget-friendly shopping plan for a holiday meal. • 88% strongly agreed or agreed that they intend to create a holiday menu using budget friendly foods. • 85% strongly agreed or agreed that they intend to apply the five-shopping trip strategy for budgeting for future holiday meals. In addition, the participants serve as Extension Homemaker lesson leaders and intend to share this lesson with others, extending the reach of this information to an estimated 500 individuals. One participant noted they enjoyed the program and plans to use shopping list charts provided with the lesson.
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