Meal planning for the holidays can generate indigestion well before anything goes in the oven or on the stove. Recent economic setbacks may force some El Pasoans to reevaluate their Thanksgiving menus, but two EPCC chefs may be able to help.
Steve and Danirabe “Dani” Lowry, instructors with the El Paso Community College Culinary Arts Program, said that families can stretch their meal budgets with smart purchases, a little hands-on effort, and a willingness to consider alternative entrees for their Nov. 27 meal.
The chefs, a married couple with full-time culinary jobs outside EPCC, understand that situations including the recent government shut down, cuts and delays to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and the 3% inflation rate has affected many El Pasoans’ buying power. As is, many El Paso families face food insecurity.
A 2023 study by the University of Texas at El Paso and El Pasoans Fighting Hunger stated that 35% of El Paso County residents, or more than 304,000 people, were food insecure. That means that a family has limited or uncertain access to enough food for an active, healthy life.
“If you plan, be proactive and shop ahead, you can save money,” said Steve Lowry, executive chef at Del Sol Medical Center. “You can still find good deals.”
Any advice is welcome, said Ana Rosales, a 29-year-old Northeast resident and SNAP recipient for two years. The single mother said she had not started her Thanksgiving shopping, but was planning a small meal for two with turkey and some trimmings.
“It would help when I cook,” she said after a visit to the You Eat I Eat Community Unity Food Pantry, 8888 Dyer St. She and Diago, her 6-year-old son, left the nonprofit with a pizza and two large shopping bags filled with food staples and fresh vegetables. Hers is among the more than 67,000 households in El Paso County that receives SNAP benefits.
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The $290 she received monthly from SNAP provided about two weeks’ worth of food. She said she depends on government assistance, child support and what she earns as a makeup artist to pay for food and bills. Because of the SNAP challenges earlier this month, she sought help from current and former clients and the food pantry, which she visited for the first time on Nov. 11.
Rosales, 29, said she appreciated any suggestions to stretch her grocery dollars because food has gotten more expensive. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that food prices had increased 2.7% since August 2024.
The Lowrys believe that their “shop early” advice and cooking tips can help families prepare a Thanksgiving meal that can be plentiful, delicious and less expensive.
Tip 1: Buy seasonal produce.
It’s cheaper, tastes better and is more nutritious.
They said autumn’s workhorses are potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips and hearty winter squash such as butternut and acorn.
“They’re affordable, satisfying and have deep, natural sweetness,” Steve Lowry said. “Roast them with olive oil and fresh herbs (sage, thyme and rosemary). No need to drown them in butter.”
Sticking with spuds, they said families that want traditional mashed potatoes can achieve the same richness if they use chicken or turkey broth, evaporated milk, sour cream or even Greek yogurt instead of butter and heavy cream.
They also promoted home-made cranberry sauce as a way to limit sugar. Cranberries, which are affordable this time of year, can be sweetened with apple or orange juice, or a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.
“The flavor is bright, clean and tastes a thousand times better” than the canned version, said Dani Lowry, a registered dietitian at El Paso Children’s Hospital Multispecialty Center.
Tip 2: Shop early
People can find the best prices for food staples about three weeks before the holiday. The chefs talked about canned pumpkin puree, broth/stock, and vegetables such as onion, garlic, potatoes, and winter squash. Produce stored in a cool, dark and dry space will be ready for Thanksgiving.
Dani Lowry also suggested people look for frozen vegetables, which might be a better and healthier option than a canned version.
“They’re a great option because they do not have as much sodium and preservatives as canned vegetables,” she said.
Tip 3: Consider alternatives
For smaller gatherings, consider alternatives to the traditional turkey that are affordable and delicious. Parties of eight or fewer could go with a turkey breast, a large chicken or a pork tenderloin.
Tip 4: Make some items from scratch
Scratch-made items such as gravies, cranberry sauce and dinner rolls take time, but often are the cheapest, healthiest and most delicious meal items. Do-it-yourselfers can skip the excess sugar, sodium and preservatives found in store-bought items. “You save money and achieve a far superior flavor profile,” the Lowrys said.
This also is the time to use fresh herbs – sage, rosemary and thyme – which should be bought during Thanksgiving week. Herbs may be used on roasted vegetables, roasted potatoes and in gravies.
Tip 5: Save the carcass
Those who roast the turkey should save the carcass as a base for a flavorful broth. Combine the carcass, turkey neck, and any carrot, onion and celery scraps and leftover herbs in a pot with water. Simmer for several hours and strain it to remove the solids. People will be left with a rich broth that can be used immediately or frozen for future soups, stews, sauces and casseroles.
“It’s a free future meal waiting to happen,” Steve Lowry said.
To help people plan and execute their meals with cost and nutrition in mind, the chefs suggest the following websites: Budgetbytes.com, Goodcheapeats.com and Eatright.org.
The Lowrys share many similar ideas with students who take their seven-week “Healthy Meals on a Budget” continuing education course. It involves practical cooking skills, food safety, and basic meal preparation. Participants will learn how to make sides, salads, entrees and desserts, as well as how to start an herb garden.
“There’s more to this course than how to make rice, beans and chicken,” Steve Lowry said.The next Healthy Meals course starts in late March. EPCC will post its spring continuing education courses in December.
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