THANKSGIVING DAY MEAL PLANS WHAT'S A HOLIDAY TRADITIONALIST TO DO?

Byline: BARBARA CORREA Staff Writer

Any way you slice it, a traditional Thanksgiving dinner prepared at home is cheaper than going out or catering in. That is, of course, if you don't factor in the cost of your own labor.

The labor factor -- all the hours of shopping, food preparation and cleanup -- is causing more and more traditionalists to outsource the grandaddy of all holiday meals.

Many turn to caterers for that hassle-free, at-home holiday meal. Others head straight to a restaurant.

This Thanksgiving will be Ina Knoesen's fourth year buying her holiday spread from Blueberry Hill Catering in Long Beach, which typically runs between $14 and $20 a head, plus a 10percent delivery charge. She says that, for her, ordering in for up to 20 family members represents a savings that simply can't be measured.

``I don't have that dirty kitchen to face,'' Knoesen said. ``I used to do it myself, and by the time I was finished, I was just done for.''

When it comes to traditional holiday meals, Thanksgiving is still the grandaddy of them all. But as people try to juggle work, family and everything else, more families are deciding they can get enough tradition by eating turkey and mashed potatoes that somebody else has cooked -- and will be cleaning up.

Going out is the new staying in

``It used to be that it was hard to find a restaurant open on Thanksgiving. Now it's hard to find one that's not going to be open,'' said Jordan Traverso, spokeswoman for the California Restaurant Association.

She said that according to surveys done by the National Restaurant Association, more than 10percent of Americans are eating out for Thanksgiving, and 53percent are supplementing their holiday meal with takeout food.

Renee Miller, a supervisor at Pinot Bistro in Studio City, said Thanksgiving Day is the eatery's busiest.

``It's always been that way,'' said Miller, who has worked there for nine years.

Thanksgiving at the bistro runs about $42 per person for a four-course meal including dessert but without wine.

For the first time in 15 years, the Queen Mary will open its Grand Salon for Thanksgiving brunch, in addition to serving Thanksgiving dinner to 350 to 400 regulars who come every year. Prices range from $24 to $49 at the ocean liner's various restaurants.

Louis Alvarez, manager of the historic Sycamore Inn steakhouse in Rancho Cucamonga, expects to sell out on Nov.23, as he does every Thanksgiving. He sells about 800 dinners that day, at $34 to $40 a head, depending on the entree.

With eating out averaging about $40 per person, that's easily one of the most expensive ways to go, especially for a family of wine drinkers (none of those prices includes libations). But catering at home can cost even more, depending on the reputation, size and location of the caterer.

Sherry Smith, owner of Gourmet Catering, a big event planning company that serves all of Southern California, said catering Thanksgiving Day is more expensive than going out to a nice restaurant. She said that is partly because many caterers now add up to a 25percent service charge to any order to cover insurance, workers' comp, and all the other costs of bringing the party to a location.

That's on top of the delivery charge and the food itself, which would run $12.95 per person for a big Thanksgiving for up to 50 people. And again, that doesn't include drinks.

Consider takeout on Thanksgiving

Looking for a cheaper way to go, while still avoiding cooking it yourself? Consider takeout. Marie Calendars in Whittier sells a Thanksgiving turkey feast to go that serves six to eight people. At $74.99, it's a bargain compared with eating out or catering. And yes, it includes pie. Supermarkets typically offer Thanksgiving trimming baskets for about $50.

Takeout doesn't have to be for the whole spread, either.

Supplementing the meal with a ham, for instance, can take a load off the cook. A HoneyBaked Ham to feed up to 16 would range from $45 to $50. And not having to worry about those darned pies helps a lot, too. They're $9.99 at Bakers Square.

Of course, plenty of people are horrified by the mere suggestion of chucking a traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner for a less labor-intensive option, such as going out to eat and letting someone else face all those dirty dishes. Most traditionalists don't opt for doing Thanksgiving themselves to save money. That's just a fringe benefit.

The American Farm Bureau Federation releases a roundup of current prices for turkey and trimmings just before Thanksgiving each year.

It found that the average cost of last year's feast for 10 people was $36.78. That's a national average, but still, it sounds ridiculously low.

Traditional route is also cheapest

Celia Morelli of Woodland Hills spends about twice that amount to feed 15 to 17 people. The price doesn't include wine.

Her spread includes turkey with an Italian sausage dressing, mixed vegetables in a Mornay sauce, mashed potatoes, a sweet potato or yam dish, glazed carrots, a green salad, cranberry sauce, homemade biscuits and gravy and soda. Her nephew brings the pies.

``I've been doing the same Thanksgiving menu for 45 years,'' Morelli said.

Even though Sarah Wolfgramm has an illustrious heritage from relatives who served as chocolatiers to the Royal Courts in England and is herself the owner of a catering company, she always cooks Thanksgiving dinner herself.

``We put everything together and go to a park for potluck, or we do it at home,'' said Wolfgramm, proprietress of Ambassador Catering in Mentone, near Redlands.

Lately, with the family pushing past 150 members, family members been having their own smaller get-togethers.

Ambassador's Thanksgiving spread runs $15 per person, plus $2 for dessert and a $25 delivery charge. Wolfgramm said her clients would save money if they cooked everything from scratch.

``It's cheaper, but a lot more labor,'' she said. ``But part of the fun is getting up early and juggling the pots and pans on the stove -- it's part of the experience.''

barbara.correa(at)dailynews.com

[phone]

Home Economics

The average cost per adult (not including drinks or wine) of cooking at home, catering in and eating out.

Home for the holiday

$7 per person

Catering in

$15.30 per person

Eating out

$37.80 per person

SOURCES: Daily News research; American Farm Bureau Federation

CAPTION(S):

3 drawings, box

Drawing:

(1 -- 3 -- color) no caption (cooking, catering, restaurant)

Illustrations by Jorge Irribarren

Box:

Home Economics (see text)