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Thanksgiving sides are where the grocery bill quietly adds up. The turkey gets all the attention, but six or seven side dishes can cost as much as the bird.
These 18 cheap Thanksgiving side dishes keep that in check. Every one is priced at Walmart and ALDI, and most cost under a dollar a serving. You’ll find the potatoes, stuffing and casseroles people expect, plus a few vegetables and breads that cost almost nothing to make.
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Prices are from Walmart’s and ALDI’s websites for stores in Columbus, Ohio, checked in October 2026. Ohio’s grocery prices are within about 1% of the national average, so you may pay more or less depending on where you live, and prices change often. Here’s how we price our recipes.
Potatoes
1. Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Five pounds of russets, butter and milk. The cheapest way to feed a crowd, and the side everyone goes back for.
Make ahead: Peel and cut the potatoes the night before and keep them covered in cold water in the fridge.
Time: 35 minutes · Serves: 10
Cost: Ingredients – $4.58 from Walmart, $4.40 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.44 to $0.46
2. Scalloped Potatoes
Thin potato slices baked in a cheesy garlic cream sauce. It looks fancy and still costs only about a dollar a serving.
Make ahead: Assemble it the day before and bake it on Thanksgiving.
Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (includes 10 minutes of resting) · Serves: 4
Cost: Ingredients – $4.56 from Walmart, $5.74 from ALDI · Per Serving – $1.14 to $1.44
Stuffing
3. Cornbread Sausage Stuffing
It starts with two boxes of corn muffin mix, so it tastes homemade for well under a dollar a serving.
Make ahead: Bake the cornbread two days ahead so it has time to dry out.
Time: 1 hour 5 minutes (20 minutes of prep) · Serves: 10
Cost: Ingredients – $7.55 from Walmart, $7.51 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.75 to $0.76
4. Sausage & Apple Stuffing
Half a pound of sausage, an apple and day-old bread. A small batch for four that’s easy to double.
Make ahead: Assemble it the day before, cover and refrigerate.
Time: 1 hour (15 minutes of prep) · Serves: 4
Cost: Ingredients – $3.69 from Walmart, $3.54 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.89 to $0.92
Casseroles
5. Green Bean Casserole
The creamy classic with crispy fried onions, made from pantry cans in about 10 minutes of hands-on time.
Make ahead: Assemble it the day before without the onion topping.
Time: 40 minutes · Serves: 6
Cost: Ingredients – $3.33 from Walmart, $3.95 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.55 to $0.66
6. Sweet Potato Casserole
Fluffy mashed sweet potatoes under a layer of toasted marshmallows, at less than 50 cents a serving.
Make ahead: Mash and spread it in the dish the day before. Add the marshmallows right before baking.
Time: 50 minutes (15 minutes of prep) · Serves: 10
Cost: Ingredients – $4.73 from Walmart, $3.52 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.35 to $0.47
7. Corn Casserole
Corn muffin mix, two cans of corn, sour cream and butter. Five ingredients, one bowl and about 10 minutes of prep.
Make ahead: Stir it together the day before, cover and refrigerate.
Time: 1 hour 10 minutes (includes 10 minutes of resting) · Serves: 8
Cost: Ingredients – $3.56 from Walmart, $3.47 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.43 to $0.44
Vegetables
8. Honey Garlic Roasted Carrots
Carrots roasted until caramelized and tossed in honey garlic butter. Cheap, colorful and not another casserole.
Make ahead: Peel and cut the carrots up to 2 days ahead.
Time: 38 minutes · Serves: 8
Cost: Ingredients – $3.50 from Walmart, $3.11 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.39 to $0.44
9. Roasted Brussels Sprouts (With Bacon or Balsamic)
Roasted until crisp at the edges, then finished with bacon or a balsamic glaze. The price shown is before the optional toppings.
Time: 35 minutes · Serves: 4
Cost: Ingredients – $3.81 from Walmart, $3.17 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.79 to $0.95
10. Roasted Cauliflower with Herbs
One head roasted with herbs until golden and a little nutty. It shares the oven with the turkey.
Time: 35 minutes · Serves: 4
Cost: Ingredients – $4.47 from Walmart, $3.38 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.84 to $1.12
11. Creamed Spinach
Rich and creamy, made on the stove in 20 minutes with fresh or frozen spinach.
Time: 20 minutes · Serves: 4
Cost: Ingredients – $1.76 from Walmart, $1.73 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.43 to $0.44
12. Maple Roasted Butternut Squash
Cubes roasted with olive oil, then tossed with maple syrup and cinnamon. One squash feeds six.
Make ahead: Peel and cube the squash up to 3 days ahead.
Time: 50 minutes (15 minutes of prep) · Serves: 6
Cost: Ingredients – $5.60 from Walmart, $3.27 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.55 to $0.93
13. Southern Collard Greens
Simmered low and slow with bacon, onion and garlic. A Southern holiday staple that tastes even better made a day ahead.
Make ahead: Cook them up to 2 days ahead and reheat on the stove.
Time: 1 hour 20 minutes (20 minutes of prep) · Serves: 6
Cost: Ingredients – $6.23 from Walmart, $5.63 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.94 to $1.04
Want green beans without the casserole? Our Garlic Parmesan Green Beans cook on the stovetop with garlic, butter and Parmesan, and cost about $0.95 to $1.06 a serving.
A Fresh Salad
14. Harvest Apple Cranberry Salad
Crisp apples, dried cranberries, pecans and feta with a maple Dijon dressing. Something fresh to balance all the rich food.
Make ahead: Make the dressing and toast the pecans a few days ahead. Toss right before dinner.
Time: 20 minutes · Serves: 6
Cost: Ingredients – $8.00 from Walmart, $8.63 from ALDI · Per Serving – $1.33 to $1.44
Breads
15. Soft Dinner Rolls
Pillowy homemade rolls from flour, milk, yeast and butter, at about 15 cents a roll. Make a double batch for eight people.
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (includes 45 minutes of rising) · Makes: 8 rolls
Cost: Ingredients – $1.18 from Walmart, $1.13 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.14 to $0.15
16. Cornbread
Slightly sweet and golden, and tied for the cheapest side on this list at about 12 cents a square.
Make ahead: Bake it the morning of, or the day before.
Time: 32 minutes · Makes: 9 squares
Cost: Ingredients – $1.11 from Walmart, $1.11 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.12
Cranberry Sauce and Gravy
17. Cranberry Sauce
Fresh cranberries, sugar and water or orange juice. Ten minutes on the stove and better than the can.
Make ahead: Make it a few days ahead. It tastes better after a day in the fridge.
Time: 15 minutes · Serves: 10
Cost: Ingredients – $1.20 from Walmart, $1.20 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.12
18. Traditional Gravy
Smooth, lump-free gravy from butter, flour and broth or pan drippings. Make a double batch for eight.
Time: 15 minutes · Serves: 4
Cost: Ingredients – $1.08 from Walmart, $0.92 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.23 to $0.27
All 18 Sides at a Glance, Cheapest First
Here’s every side on this list sorted by what one serving costs.
| Side | Serves | Walmart | ALDI | Per serving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornbread | 9 squares | $1.11 | $1.11 | $0.12 |
| Cranberry Sauce | 10 | $1.20 | $1.20 | $0.12 |
| Soft Dinner Rolls | 8 rolls | $1.18 | $1.13 | $0.14 to $0.15 |
| Traditional Gravy | 4 | $1.08 | $0.92 | $0.23 to $0.27 |
| Sweet Potato Casserole | 10 | $4.73 | $3.52 | $0.35 to $0.47 |
| Honey Garlic Roasted Carrots | 8 | $3.50 | $3.11 | $0.39 to $0.44 |
| Corn Casserole | 8 | $3.56 | $3.47 | $0.43 to $0.44 |
| Creamed Spinach | 4 | $1.76 | $1.73 | $0.43 to $0.44 |
| Creamy Mashed Potatoes | 10 | $4.58 | $4.40 | $0.44 to $0.46 |
| Green Bean Casserole | 6 | $3.33 | $3.95 | $0.55 to $0.66 |
| Maple Roasted Butternut Squash | 6 | $5.60 | $3.27 | $0.55 to $0.93 |
| Cornbread Sausage Stuffing | 10 | $7.55 | $7.51 | $0.75 to $0.76 |
| Roasted Brussels Sprouts (With Bacon or Balsamic) | 4 | $3.81 | $3.17 | $0.79 to $0.95 |
| Roasted Cauliflower with Herbs | 4 | $4.47 | $3.38 | $0.84 to $1.12 |
| Sausage & Apple Stuffing | 4 | $3.69 | $3.54 | $0.89 to $0.92 |
| Southern Collard Greens | 6 | $6.23 | $5.63 | $0.94 to $1.04 |
| Scalloped Potatoes | 4 | $4.56 | $5.74 | $1.14 to $1.44 |
| Harvest Apple Cranberry Salad | 6 | $8.00 | $8.63 | $1.33 to $1.44 |
How Many Sides Do You Need?
For 8 to 10 people, plan on four or five sides plus rolls and cranberry sauce. One potato dish, one stuffing, one green vegetable and one sweet or bright dish cover what most people want on their plate.
Here’s a full side lineup for eight from this list. Every dish except the green bean casserole makes at least eight servings, and the rolls are doubled.
| Side | Walmart | ALDI |
|---|---|---|
| Creamy Mashed Potatoes | $4.58 | $4.40 |
| Cornbread Sausage Stuffing | $7.55 | $7.51 |
| Green Bean Casserole | $3.33 | $3.95 |
| Honey Garlic Roasted Carrots | $3.50 | $3.11 |
| Cranberry Sauce | $1.20 | $1.20 |
| Soft Dinner Rolls (doubled) | $2.36 | $2.26 |
| Total | $22.52 | $22.43 |
That’s about $2.80 to $2.81 per person for all the sides. For the turkey, dessert and a full timeline, see our budget Thanksgiving dinner for 8, or Thanksgiving dinner for 4 for a smaller table.
A Make-Ahead Plan for Thanksgiving Sides
- Up to 3 days ahead: make the cranberry sauce, peel and cube the butternut squash, peel and cut the carrots and mix the salad dressing.
- 2 days ahead: bake the cornbread for the stuffing so it dries out, and cook the collard greens.
- The day before: assemble the green bean casserole (without the onions), sweet potato casserole (without the marshmallows), corn casserole, scalloped potatoes and stuffing. Peel the potatoes and keep them in cold water in the fridge.
- Thanksgiving Day: bake the casseroles while the turkey rests, roast the vegetables, mash the potatoes, bake the rolls and make the gravy last.
Savvy Tips for Cheaper Thanksgiving Sides
- Check whether your ALDI is running its annual Thanksgiving meal deal. In 2026 it’s back, feeding 10 people for under $39. You can use it as the base of the meal and fill in with a few homemade sides from this list. Here’s what was in last year’s ALDI Thanksgiving feast.
- Check whether your Walmart is running its Holiday Meal Basket. In 2026 it feeds 10 people for $35, with prices good from October 28 to December 24. Like the ALDI meal, it covers the basics, so fill in with a few homemade sides from this list. Our ALDI vs. Walmart Thanksgiving meal comparison shows what’s in each one and what it really costs.
- Buy store brands. Canned green beans, cream-style corn, broth, corn muffin mix and butter are nearly identical to name brands.
- Use frozen when it’s cheaper. Frozen spinach, green beans and butternut squash work in these recipes and keep until you need them.
- Skip pre-cut vegetables. Whole carrots, squash and collards cost less than bagged, cut versions.
- Roast two vegetables at once. Carrots and cauliflower roast at similar temperatures, so two sheet pans in the oven at the same time save time and energy.
- Ask guests to bring one. Rolls, cranberry sauce or a salad are easy dishes to hand off.
Cheap Thanksgiving Side Dishes: Your Questions
What is the cheapest Thanksgiving side dish?
Homemade cornbread and cranberry sauce cost about 12 cents a serving, and dinner rolls about 15 cents. Of the heartier sides, sweet potato casserole, carrots, creamed spinach, corn casserole and mashed potatoes all cost under 50 cents a serving.
How many side dishes do I need for 10 people?
Four or five, plus rolls and cranberry sauce. Choose one potato, one stuffing, one green vegetable and one sweet dish, and make sure each serves at least 8 to 10.
Which Thanksgiving sides can I make ahead?
Cranberry sauce, collard greens and stuffing cornbread can be made 2 to 3 days ahead. Casseroles, scalloped potatoes and stuffing can be assembled the day before and baked on Thanksgiving.
How do I keep side dishes warm until dinner?
Bake casseroles first and keep them covered with foil. They hold their heat for 30 minutes or more. Rewarm everything together in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes while the turkey rests.
