Dollar Tree fan shows people how to make a Thanksgiving meal for just $20

A woman has been revealing how to enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner on a budget by cooking a delicious meal using only Dollar Store ingredients – all for under $20.

Rebecca Chobat, who posts online under the username Dollar Tree Dinners, has been applauded for her budget-friendly recipes which allow people to cook up decadent meals at a lower cost.

The Virginia-based woman regularly shares her recipes online, with hundreds of fans thanking her for bringing festive cheer into the home for a lot less.

In a recent video, which has been viewed over 3.1 million times, she takes viewers into a Dollar Store to buy the ingredients to create a three-course meal.

‘I think it was the best Thanksgiving dinner that I’ve ever made,’ Rebecca declared.

Each item in the store was $1.25, with some of the key ingredients including canned Turkey, boxed mac and cheese mix and canned apple.

The menu for her delectable feast started with some fried mac and cheese croquettes with ranch dipping sauce.

‘I started with a box of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner Thick ‘n Creamy,’ Rebecca said in a follow up clip where she shared her recipes.

The super cook explained she used a ‘no drain method,’ which involves draining the pasta before adding one-and-a-half cups of water, one cup of milk, two tablespoons of margarine and the cheese powder all together in one pot.

‘Bring it to a boil stirring every couple of minutes, then cover and simmer for eight minutes, stirring occasionally,’ she continued. 

‘The result is a really rich and saucy mac and cheese.’

Next, she poured the pasta into a shallow container and puts it in the fridge to chill, preferably overnight.

After this, Rebecca cut it into 12 pieces and coated each cut into breadcrumbs, before dunking them in milk, coating them again and rolling into a ball.

She then fried them in oil until crispy and served with ranch dipping sauce.

For dinner, she made a casserole that encompassed ‘all of the best parts of Thanksgiving.’

To start, she made powered mashed potato, subbing out half the water for chicken broth, which then went into the baking dish for layer one.

Layer two, she added a can of French style beans which she had drained, and then shredded some canned turkey to add on top, with Rebecca suggesting adding the turkey broth from the can to make gravy for the next layer.

The final layer included the turkey stuffing mix and rehydrating the dried cranberries, which she added into the stuffing.

She topped with a few pieces of chopped up margarine and baked at 400F for 30 minutes.

‘This casserole is the reason I think this is my best thanksgiving dinner yet,’ she said passionately.

‘If you’ve been needing an easy and affordable Thanksgiving dinner then this is the one to make,’ Rebecca declared, holding out the dish. 

Rebecca Chobat, who posts online under the username Dollar Tree Dinners, has been applauded for her budget-friendly recipes which allow people to cook up decadent meals at a lower cost 

Users loved Rebecca’s thrifty content. many thanking her for sharing the budget friendly meals

‘Just for this meal you’re looking at $11.25 – which is a steal,’ she said, adding to generously feeds four. 

For dessert, Rebecca whipped up some caramel apple cookie bars, which she says can also be made with cherry pie filling. 

To start, she made the the cookie sugar mix and baked it in a pan, as per the instructions.

Whole it baked, she took the pie filling – with whatever fruit of choice – and let it simmer on the stove top until it was thick and spreadable.

For those making the caramel apple version, Rebecca melted Werther’s Chewy Caramel candies and spread it over the cooled cookie base before adding the pie filling.

She topped it with some more cookie dough – suggesting buying two packet mixers – baking at 350F for 20 to 35 minutes.

Users loved Rebecca’s thrifty content, many thanking her for sharing the budget friendly meals. 

‘Hi, I work at Dollar Tree and I genuinely want you to understand how much you are helping people. I see MANY moms, single people buy these things because of you,’ one user wrote in a comment. 

‘My partner and I are making your casserole! because it’s just us and fussing with a bird is not worth it’ another person wrote. 

‘Truly makes me teary-eyed. We are financially able to make thanksgiving dinner how we’d like, but the fact that you make this possible for SO many… you’re a treasure on this app,’ added gushed.