Turkey deals out there if you know where to look

Sure, Thanksgiving is a big meal served to a big group, but that doesn't mean it has to have a big price tag.

Throughout the holiday season supermarkets offer some of their most competitive prices, and with some smart shopping and cooking strategies you can host a Thanksgiving dinner without emptying your wallet.

Often, the main course can be the best value of the meal. Approaching Thanksgiving, many grocers offer turkeys as a loss leader - meaning they sell it at a loss, planning to make it up in sales of other foods - with prices under $1 a pound.

Avoid deals where you have to spend a certain amount of money to get the sale price. Though it usually is easy to meet the minimum when shopping for a holiday meal, this can lead you to buy items you usually wouldn't, or could get cheaper elsewhere.

Another nice thing about the turkey is that it almost always makes multiple meals. Besides the leftover meat, which can be used for sandwiches, pot pies and casseroles, the bones and skin can be used to make broth for soups and stews.

Also, buying whole poultry is almost always cheaper than prepared cuts. Most people prefer the convenience of the latter, but since you'll be going to the trouble of roasting a whole turkey anyway, consider buying one that is larger than needed for Thanksgiving. The excess meat and carcass can be frozen for later use.