November 23, 2015 | 2 minute read

Two holiday food cost reports from USDA and the Farm Bureau have great news for your health and your wallet. With all the seasonal vegetables to choose from, your Thanksgiving feast can be delicious, nutritious, cancer-preventive and affordable.

In one report, USDA calculated the cost for a one cup prepared portion of the most popular Thanksgiving vegetables, including carrots, pumpkin, Brussels sprouts and green beans. You can serve one cup of most of these veggies for less than 75 cents each. Among the most economical are fresh carrots (29 cents), sweet potatoes (50 cents), white potatoes (18 cents), and frozen green beans (38 cents).

In some cases, you can get your best bargain with convenience, making it even easier to boost color and nutrition at the table. Canned pumpkin and frozen Brussels sprouts are less per serving than their fresh counterparts.

The Farm Bureau says for $50.11 you can serve ten people a meal of turkey, stuffing, rolls, sweet potatoes, green peas, cranberries, carrots and celery, and pumpkin pie topped with a little whipped cream, along with coffee and milk.

A meal featuring a variety of colorful vegetables means great taste and texture as well as vitamins, fiber and cancer stopping phytochemicals like carotenoids and polyphenols. If you keep added fat and sugar to a minimum, these veggies have just a few calories per bite, so you can keep enjoy the bounty without adding inches to your waist. And keeping a healthy weight and waist means lower risk for 10 cancers, including endometrial, post menopausal breast and liver.

For tasty and beautiful holiday recipes, like Cranberry Apple Salsa, check out our Thanksgiving Menu Makeover ideas.