KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- It's one of the biggest meals you'll eat all year. So how can you protect your pocketbook and still keep all your favorites on the menu?

The American Farm Bureau says the average feast for 10 comes in at about $43. Volunteer T-V got out to help you find the best deals on all the Thanksgiving grub.

For turkey and trimmings, saving a little cash is a labor of love. "Turkey, I make the dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, green beans, a couple vegetables, cranberry, salad, pumpkin pie," says Suzanne Webb of Tellico Lake.

All those items add up. Saving money starts with the turkey. At Walmart, Round Hill brand turkeys are $0.40 per pound. "There is no way you can get it cheaper than 40 cents a pound, that is cheap," says Seth Holton, co-manager of the Walmart Turkey Creek.

Target's price was $0.68 per pound, for frozen or fresh. Food City brand turkeys were $0.69 per pound.

Gravy was also the cheapest at Walmart at $0.75. Food City's price was $1.25.

For dessert, pumpkin prices may not be the problem. That'd be finding it. Food City was the only store with cans of pumpkin still on the shelves. Target still had organic canned pumpkin. Walmart had only a few cans left for sale.

Make smart buys and, "Basically you can get your whole dinner for less than $20."

And every family has their secrets for making the tastiest bird. "Bake it usually in a bag and then let it get real crusty brown on the top and everything," says Webb.

"I make a paste of oil and flour, it's something that my mother used to do and put it on top of it, and that makes it so juicy," says Mairzy Truex. "There's nothing quite like fresh turkey and gravy and all that stuff."

If you aren't interested in spending the holiday in the kitchen, the Fresh Market, Ingles, Earth Fare, Kroger, and Target also offer complete dinners that you simply pickup and heat.

Open area restaurants include chains Shoney's, Cracker Barrel, Golden Corral, IHOP, and Ruby Tuesday. Also the Crowne Plaza Hotel downtown will have a Thanksgiving Feast, as well as Northshore Brasserie, Copper Cellar, and Calhouns.