Friendsgiving is an annual tradition for many college students. Each year, we gather our friends, microwaves, hot plates, and random pantry staples together to create a meal to remember. While many of us are limited by inadequate cooking supplies and pricey turkeys, Friendsgiving is a holiday that can be celebrated by ALL – regardless of whether your dorm is oven-less or equipped with the latest cooking gadgets. Consider some of the following ideas as you plan the perfect Friendsgiving!
1) Utilize your microwave.
Thank goodness for the invention of the microwave. Check out this website (and many others!) that show you how easy it is to make mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, even cooked turkey (!) in your microwave.
If you’re feeling Pinterest-y and have a smaller group of guests, consider having a dessert table where each guest makes one of these mug pies!
2) Strength in numbers!
While the host of Friendsgiving generally makes the turkey, he or she should coordinate a potluck so that one person doesn’t become overwhelmed with all of the cooking (whether done in a microwave or actual oven). You can assign every person a dish, or, if you’re feeling adventurous, have everyone make their favorite dish and surprise one another with the most random assemblage of Thanksgiving dishes.
3) Tom the Turkey → Chris the Chicken
Throw tradition out the window and buy a pre-cooked Rotisserie chicken at a nearby grocery store, like Safeway or Fred Meyer. Naming the bird is not necessary, but always a fun twist.
4) The COG
Last year, my friends and I took tupperware containers to the Cog and slipped in a few slices of pie and some rolls. Don’t get too ambitious, but the COG can be a good resource for basic Thanksgiving necessities, particularly with a limited budget.
5) Throw your hands up in the air and go out to eat instead!
Sometimes, orchestrating an all-out, Pinterest-worthy Friendsgiving just isn’t worth the hassle. One of the two Friendsgiving meals that I enjoyed last year was spent at Luigi’s, an Italian restaurant in downtown Spokane. The kind of cuisine doesn’t really matter, just as long as you’re eating it with the people you love!
HC Gonzaga wishes you a happy, hearty, and stress-free Friendsgiving!