Ah, Friendsgiving…the super fun precursor to actual Thanksgiving, celebrated with you and your best friends! It can also be used in place of real Thanksgiving if you and some friends can’t make it home for the real shindig. Friendsgiving is an event where everyone invited brings a part of a Thanksgiving meal and you share a day together eating, laughing, watching football, and of course, giving thanks. So without further ado, here is the extensive guide on everything you need to know about Friendsgiving. Enjoy!
How Does it Work?
- Choose a host or hostess! Usually the most organized of the group, someone who can whip people into shape, and someone with a lot of space to accommodate people.
- The host or hostess will be the person who makes the turkey and the gravy!
- Make a list of food items and have people sign up for which meal or item they want to bring.
- Be sure to include appetizers, main entrées, desserts, and drinks!
- Make sure there are no doubles (dessert and stuffing doubles are totally OK though).
- And most importantly, have a designated cups and ice person!
How to Prep:
- Start the planning about a month ahead, just so everyone is sure about what they’re bringing and what the date is.
- On the day of, the host or hostess will cook the turkey and make the gravy.
- They will also set up one long folding table with chairs and put a tablecloth on the table, and set up a trash and recycling station.
- The host or hostess will then stop and enjoy their time at Friendsgiving!
- Be sure to know which food items will need to be cooked or heated in the oven before dinner starts.
- All guests should arrive armed with take home containers, tinfoil, or plastic wrap so no food goes to waste.
- Guests should label the dish they bring their food in with their name so there are no mix ups!
- Make a playlist to be played though out the day and into dinner!
How the Day Goes:
- Friendsgiving is a laid back and friendly holiday
- Guests have the option to dress up nicely or dress down— no judgement for wearing sweats to eat that huge meal!
- There should be a room to watch football or play games in.
- Dinner is served anywhere from 2-4, any later and friends turn into enemies.
- Group nap after dinner. BYOB&P (blankets and pillows).
Dessert!
FOOD:
Appetizers – Easy to make snacks to nibble on before the meal!
- Salt and Lemon Kale Chips*- for the health addict http://www.marthastewart.com/345350/kale-crisps-sea-salt-and-lemon#Thank…|/274851/thanksgiving-appetizer-recipes/@center/276949/everything-thanksgiving|345350
- Cheese, Cracker, and Grape platter- for the easygoing traditional
- Hot Spinach Dip, served with veggies and breadsticks- for the football fanatics http://www.marthastewart.com/338357/hot-spinach-dip#Thanksgiving%20Appet…|/274851/thanksgiving-appetizer-recipes/@center/276949/everything-thanksgiving|338357
Entrées – The obvious reason everyone showed up…
- Turkey – with stuffing http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/turkey-with-stuffing-reci…
- Stuffing – you can never have enough stuffing.
- Green Bean Casserole* http://www.frenchs.com/recipe/frenchs-green-bean-casserole-RE1511-1
- Mashed Potatoes* http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/velvety-mashed-potatoe…
- Roasted Harvest Veggies* http://www.marthastewart.com/313260/roasted-harvest-vegetables
- Salad – field greens with glazed pecans, baked goat cheese crumbles, dried cranberries, and blueberry pomegranate vinaigrette. (adapted from http://unos.com/menus/salads.php)
- Cranberry Sauce – canned is fine!
Desserts – The opportunities are endless! Home made or store bought, desserts are important.
- Pumpkin Pie – what is Friendsgiving without pumpkin pie?! http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pumpkin-pie-recipe.html
- Apple Crisp/Cobbler/Pie – whatever your heart desires… or all three
- • Brownies
- Fruit Salad
- Any type of cookie – chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, peanut butter, butter, sugar, M&M…
At the end of the day, make sure everyone is full and takes home as many leftovers as they can carry! Guests should pitch in and help clean to spare the host or hostess some time too. Be creative with your Friendsgiving: hang up decorations, make cute place settings, or do fun activities such as bobbing for apples or decorating pumpkins to look like turkeys! The Martha Stewart of the friend group will totally be able to come up (and help out) with something. Happy Friendsgiving!