Before classes let out for Thanksgiving break and everyone heads back home for the long weekend, throw a Friendsgiving to show your appreciation for your favorite people! We all love Thanksgiving because it’s a holiday that completely revolves around food, but it comes with its own lengthy list of stressors. Since classes are still in session until Tuesday, many of us may be crunched for time and money, yet still want to celebrate the holiday with our friends. Here are a couple tips to ensure an enjoyable and hassle-free Friendsgiving, in the hopes that this year may start a tradition of Thanksgiving dinners with your best friends for years to come.
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Find the right location
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Figure out which of your friends has the most spacious place and the easiest access to a stove. Every dorm on Loyola’s campus either has a built-in kitchen or has a communal one in the lounge. Part of the fun of Friendsgiving is cooking with your friends, so find a spot to have your dinner where you can keep cold desserts in the fridge and heat up the dishes your friends bring. If one of your buddies has a particularly nice dorm that isn’t lit by built-in dingy fluorescent lights, Thanksgiving will be much cozier at their place.
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Send out an invite and have a solid head count
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Sending out an email or simple group invite is the first step to having an adult(ish) get-together. It’s also important to know how many people are attending, so you know how much food to bring.
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Figure out who’s bringing what dish
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Make a Google doc or spreadsheet and have every guest add what they’re planning on bringing. Friendsgiving wouldn’t be the same if everyone brought their own variation of mashed potatoes and no one brought gravy. Don’t forget to have someone bring cups, plates, serving spoons, and cutlery in case the host doesn’t have enough to go around.
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Figure out what you’re going to bring
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If you’re anything like me, you’ll probably wait until the day of Friendsgiving to figure out exactly what you’ll be making. I have compiled a list of recipes and quick solutions to this problem:
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When in doubt: Take-out!
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If no one on your guest list is that great of a chef, it’s completely ok to get a box of biscuits from Popeye’s, arrange it nicely on plate, and melt some cheese on top. It’ll still look relatively homemade and probably taste better than homemade biscuits.
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Skip the Turkey
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Dorm ovens are likely not capable of handling an entire turkey, and it’s more than likely that no one in your group has the time to watch it all day. Try heading to your local Aldi’s or Whole Foods and grab a couple rotisserie chickens. This way you’ll have fewer leftovers, save some cash by skipping on that $30 frozen turkey, and won’t have to spend the time defrosting and cooking.
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Get creative with box-mixes
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Not a great chef? Grab a box of cake mix from the grocery store, and follow one of the recipes in the link below and no one will be able to tell you made your dessert last-minute! https://www.popsugar.com/food/Recipes-Start-Box-Cake-Mix-38303129
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Quick and easy side recipes
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The internet is a treasure trove of recipes of people who can’t cook or love to procrastinate for potlucks. Here’s a couple links that’ll save your butt when you’re crunched for time and can’t decide what to bring to friendsgiving:
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Be thankful!
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The most important step to having a bomb-ass Thanksgiving is showing your appreciation for your friends. The spirit of the holiday is about sharing a meal with your favorite people and remembering what you’re thankful for. It’s a time to set aside your daily stressors, relax, and enjoy the little things in life. Have a happy Thanksgiving!
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