If you’re unable to go home for the Thanksgiving holiday, don’t fret! Get a group of friends together and enjoy your own version of Friendsgiving. We think that the easiest way to have your own Friendsgiving is to host it at one person’s apartment and then assign each friend to a specifc dish. Since Trader Joe’s is within walking distance to UCLA’s apartments, we looked over their website to give you some options about what you could whip up for the holiday.
Let’s talk turkey. You can pick up a fresh turkey for only $1.99 or $2.99 a pound and although this will be the most time consuming option, it will end up being the most rewarding option because you will be able to brag to your friends about how you successfully cooked your first Friendsgiving turkey.
For $8.99 a pound, you can purchase a pre-cooked turkey if you don’t feel like cooking a whole bird or if it is a small Friendsgiving gathering.
If there are vegans and vegetarians attending your Friendsgiving, this turkey-less option will make the perfect addition to your party. The 40-ounce package is only $9.99 and you have to admit the picture on the package looks really delicious.
Have no fear! If you can’t find your grandma’s gravy recipe or if you end up not cooking an entire bird, Trader Joe’s has you covered with their own turkey gravy that you can just heat up on your stove.
Now onto the stuffing. No Friendsgiving is complete without this incredibly delicious side and we will admit that it is probably the best part of our plate. If you don’t have the time to make homemade stuffing, all you have to do is add water or broth and butter to create this yummy cornbread stuffing.
Trader Joe’s also has a gluten free option that you can whip up for your pals.
Next, we’ll move onto the other sides. From the scalloped potatoes to the creamed kale, you will have plenty of options for everyone’s different taste buds. Trader Joe’s offers both frozen mashed sweet potatoes and regular mashed potatoes that you can heat up on the stove and dress up with whichever toppings you please. The possibilites are endless, so get creative!
Cranberry sauce literally tastes good on every single part of the Friendsgiving meal and we bet that the cranberry orange relish is divine.
Finally we have arrived at the best part of the meal…dessert! There really isn’t anything quite like a homemade pumpkin pie but Trader Joe’s sells an incredible frozen pie that really gives homemade pies a run for their money.
Well there you have it! If you live on the hill, you can definitely stock up on some frozen and microwavable goodies or purchase a pre-made meal at the grocery store. Also, if you feel like a potluck style dinner will be too hard to manage, restaurants such as Denny’s and IHOP will be open with limited holiday hours so you could always eat there instead. Whether you end up celebrating Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving, we hope you have a lovely night with your close friends and family.
Photos, food prices, and gifs courtesy of mic.com, traderjoes.com, and giphy.com