How to Have the Best “Friendsgiving”

Attending a Friendsgiving is on my November bucket list so Louisa’s guest post today couldn’t be better timing! 

How to Have the Best “Friendsgiving”

Guest post by Louisa from Living Lou

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and because we celebrate our Thanksgiving in Canada during October, I’ve got plenty of tips and tricks for your own Thanksgiving feast this year. It will be here before you know it, so now is the right time to start planning and thinking about how you’ll be celebrating. If you’re not able to make it home for the holidays, please don’t worry! You can have your own Friendsgiving potluck with your friends who are still on campus. Here are my tips for having a successful Friendsgiving potluck. 

1. Divide the dishes

Plan out ahead of time what everyone will be bringing – the last thing you want is no turkey and and three kinds of mashed potatoes! My friends and I would create Facebook groups or messages where we’d plan out who was bringing what so that we knew there would be dessert. If you’re on the hook for dessert, my pumpkin pecan pie recipe is a must. 

Tip: Start off by covering the bases of turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing and dessert and build from there depending on how many people there will be. 

2. Keep cutlery and dishes in mind

No one will have enough plates and cutlery to feed a crowd, a great tip is to bring your own plate and cutlery with you for dinner and then wash it up and bring it home. This will ensure that there are enough dishes for everyone and will help the host with cleanup after the big meal. 

3. Keep recipes simple

While it’s certainly important to be fearless and ambitious in the kitchen, there is also a time and place for simplicity. I’ve got a few Thanksgiving dishes that are so simple, like this apple crisp (which is also gluten free), that are next to impossible to make a mistake. Stick to simple, tried and true recipes for a successful dinner. 

4. Be conscious of the budget

Last year, my friend ended up spending much more than he had planned on our Friendsgiving dinner. As the host, he made the turkey and a couple of the other dishes which set his back account back quite a bit. Be conscious of your budget before signing up for a dish and opt for cheaper cuts of turkey (like thighs or the leg) if you aren’t roasting an entire bird. Another way around this is to have everyone pitch in money for the turkey and then prepare their additional dishes separately. 

Tip: I’ve got a budget-friendly turkey thigh recipe that is a great option if there aren’t enough people to warrant an entire bird. 

5. Enjoy!

To me, Thanksgiving is all about spending time with my friends and family. It can be really tough if you’re across the country and unable to make it home, and this is ok. But remember, this is why your friends at college become your make-shift family. Enjoy each others company and delicious food! I always found Friendsgiving to be such a bonding experience within my friend group.