Cheaper to eat out! 8 recommendations for Thanksgiving restaurants in NJ

It's getting more and more expensive to give thanks this year. Prices are up 12% higher than they were a year ago. According to a survey by Personal Capital, 1 in 4 Americans plan to skip Thanksgiving as inflation hits the holidays. If you don't want to go to that extreme, it may actually be cheaper to eat out this Thanksgiving.

A new report from Wells Fargo shows that your favorite Thanksgiving dishes would cost you the same at a restaurant as if you made them yourself at home.

This article from CNBC.com shows how much more expensive food prices are this year. When you really think about it, eating out on Thanksgiving isn't a bad idea. You don't have to worry about all the buying of the food, the prep time not only with cooking but cleaning the house. You simply make a reservation, then show up.

Once you get there, you don't even have to order turkey, although it is mandatory to order macaroni. You can choose to give thanks with the meal that's right for you. plus you don't have to clean up afterward.

Another nice thing about eating out is that when the meal is over, you leave, as opposed to some guests who stay forever. Plan it right and you could be home in time to watch the Giants play the Cowboys in Dallas. Perhaps a sports bar/restaurant could actually schedule the meal during the game.

Aside from that, I asked my listeners and social following for some Thanksgiving restaurant suggestions, Here's what we've come up with.

Sharon from Egg Harbor
Villari's in Sicklerville

MJ's 34 Matawan
MJ's features a Thanksgiving buffet as well as the Giants Dallas game.

Glenn from Millstone
Forsgate Country Club
Check out their Thanksgiving menu.

Ellen from East Windsor
Fernando's in Hightstown
Check out their Thanksgiving Day Buffet menu

Joanne Ginn Glassoff
The Captain's Inn in Forked River.
Check out their Thanksgiving menu

Jay Goldenberg
Lambertville Station. We have been going off and on for years

Chris Orion
We booked Hell's Kitchen in AC. We've been to the one in Vegas twice...top 3 meals we've ever had. Looked up the AC location and there were plenty of open reservations for Thanksgiving, so we booked.

Martin Stephens
Cracker Barrel, the food is so delicious there.

From their website "Cracker Barrel is open regular business hours Thanksgiving Day and serving a traditional Thanksgiving meal beginning at 11 a.m. Join our Online Wait List to lessen your wait time. You can also use Dine-In Mobile Pay so you can pay for your meal right at your table."

When you think about how expensive Thanksgiving has become and how inexpensive Cracker Barrel is, going there for Thanksgiving is a pretty good idea.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Steve Trevelise only. Follow him on Twitter @realstevetrev.