Like most, Joanna Slabach has always celebrated Thanksgiving with relatives. Her grandmother, who enjoys cooking, provides and fixes most of the day's feast for her small, close-knit family.

Then, about four years ago, Slabach got married. And her husband came from a big family.

With around 30 people expecting to eat well on Thanksgiving, the meal is organized much differently, Slabach said.

"We divvy up the costs," she said.

Her husband's grandmother, in Nappanee, prepares the meat, she said, and everyone in the family brings a side dish for all to enjoy.

"I thought it was a great idea," Slabach said. "That's being a family -- we share the joys and the expense of things."

Slabach usually spends about $7 to make a corn casserole that should give everyone a helping, she said.

Everyone puts his or her dishes on the table, Slabach said, and "that's our dinner."

AVERAGE COST OF A MEAL IS DOWN

In Indiana, the price of a Thanksgiving meal has declined for the third straight year, according to the Indiana Farm Bureau's annual survey.

The average cost of this year's dinner for 10 is $43.93, down $1.64 from last year's average of $45.57 and $3.27 from $47.63 in 2007.

On a national level, the cost of a classic Thanksgiving dinner -- turkey, stuffing, cranberries, pumpkin pie and all the extras -- dropped 4 percent this year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.

The average cost of this year's feast for 10 people is $42.91, a $1.70 decrease from 2008. But that's still more expensive than Thanksgiving meals in 2007 and 2006.

Food items that recently dropped in price are turkeys, white potatoes, milk, rolls and cranberries, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. Sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie mix, pie shells and cube stuffing will cost a little more this holiday season.

FEEDING A VEGETARIAN?

Most vegetarians don't expect the host to make special meal plans, but having a few dishes they can enjoy will be appreciated, according to Progressive Radio Network. The network airs a weekly show, "It's All About Food," dedicated to discussing vegetarianism.

Here are a few tips if you are expecting a vegetarian guest this holiday season:

* Communicate. Discuss what you're thinking about making beforehand. Guests may offer to bring a vegetarian dish that they and others will eat.

* Plan ahead. Get some recipes online and visit a local health food store to prepare at least one meat-alternative main course.

* Learn the language. In a nutshell, a vegetarian does not eat any type of animal flesh, including fish. Some vegetarians may eat dairy or egg products. A vegan doesn't eat any kind of animal product.

* Understand ingredients. Know what ingredients are animal-based, including chicken and beef stock, marshmallows, gelatin, lard, butter and some salad dressings.

* Honesty matters. Even if you use only a dash or pinch of an ingredient that is animal-derived, tell them. Avoid using the same servingware and knives between vegetarian food and other food.

* Don't interrogate. Some people tend to questions vegetarians about the "why," especially when sitting down to eat. Bring it up after the meal if you're curious.

FUN FOOD FACTS

According to the Indiana Business Research Center:

* 14.5 million turkeys were produced in Indiana in 2008. That's less than one-third of Minnesota's leading production of 48 million turkeys.

* The typical whole turkey purchased at a store is a hen, or female, and weighs 15.3 pounds.

* The male turkey, or tom, typically weighs 30 pounds at market and is used for cutlets, tenderloins, turkey sausage, turkey franks and turkey deli meats.

* Indiana is ranked eighth among states in the production of green beans for processing (as opposed to fresh beans). The Hoosier state ranks ninth for cucumber production.

* Hens in Indiana laid 520 million eggs from September 2008 to September 2009. More than 97 percent of those were used as table eggs.

* It's unlikely your Thanksgiving Day helpings of potatoes, sweet potatoes or cranberries were produced in Indiana.

TO THE RESCUE

It's 11 a.m. on Thanksgiving, and your turkey stuffing smells like oyster dressing that absorbed too much liquid.

What to do?

Call or e-mail The Splendid Table on American Public Media with your last-minute food questions and emergencies.

Or you can tune in for some "seasonable" advice and entertainment as you calmly and leisurely prepare your day's feast.

The culinary-culture-lifestyle show will have its annual Turkey Confidential event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.

The events offers listeners a chance to have their questions answered live on public radio stations across the nation.

Call (800) 537-5252 or visit splendidtable.publicradio.org/turkey-confidential to share your question, crisis or story. You can also find the event's guest list, best past disaster stories, complete Thanksgiving day menus and recipes online.

LOCAL ADVERTISEMENTS

* Meijer is advertising a Thanksgiving meal for 10 people that costs less than $20. That includes an 18-pound frozen turkey, box stuffing, canned cranberry sauce, russet potatoes, frozen vegetables and pie. That deal is good through today.

* Kroger's advertisement, good through Thanksgiving Day, offers discounts on total grocery bills with the purchase of any size frozen turkey with your Kroger Plus shopping card. Take $5 off a total grocery order of $50 in additional purchases, $10 off an order of $100 and $15 off an order of $150.

* Walmart is advertising an under-$20 Thanksgiving meal for a family of eight, good through Thanksgiving Day. That meal includes a 12-pound frozen turkey, canned vegetables, canned cranberry sauce, box stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls and pumpkin roll cake.

* Aldi's advertisement covers a 14-pound frozen turkey, box stuffing, instant mashed potatoes, gravy, ingredients for green bean casserole, cut sweet potatoes, canned cranberry sauce, rolls and pies for less than $30. Prices are good through Tuesday.

* Martin's Super Markets are advertising frozen turkeys weighing 10 pounds or more with a pop-up timer. With your Martin's Advantage Card, Troyer turkeys are 67 cents per pound, Honeysuckle is at 87 cents per pound and Butterball is 97 cents per pound. Some frozen pies are buy-one-get-one-free. Prices are good through Sunday.