Homesick for the holidays? For students far from home and craving a sense of Thanksgiving tradition, Friendsgiving provides the perfect solution, fostering community no matter where you are.
Unfortunately, for those stuck using a university hall kitchen this holiday season, cooking up a family recipe for Friendsgiving may start to feel like more trouble than it’s worth. So, in the spirit of avoiding a Tesco pie being shoved into Tupperware and passed off as homemade, here’s a quick list of easy Friendsgiving dishes that don’t require a 5-star kitchen:
Charcuterie Board
What better way to begin a major feast than by grazing on a plate of appetizers?
All you need are some seasonal items to add an artistic touch: turkey slices, cranberry jam, nuts, crackers, and, of course, lots of cheese. Arrange them on anything from a traditional charcuterie board to a paper plate. Trust me, the surface the snacks are on matters far less than the appetizers themselves.
However, if you are in the market for a nice board to spice up your aesthetic arrangement, look no further than the selections at Bell Street’s Oliver Bonas or South Street’s Farmore Interiors.
Bonus points if the treats follow an autumnal color scheme or are shaped like a turkey. And, if you’re looking to get a little fancier than just a Tesco spread, Balgove Larder has a wide range of specialty meats, cheeses, and snacks to elevate your board.
For further guidance on what to include in your arrangement, Ain’t Too Proud to Meg provides an exhaustive guide to creating the perfect Thanksgiving charcuterie board.
Stuffing
Stuffing is undeniably one of the most classic and delicious Thanksgiving dishes. The good news is, it requires relatively few ingredients and even less prep time.
Just grab a loaf of bread, celery, onions, seasoning, and broth, and set aside about an hour for baking.
Spend with Pennies outlines a quick, easy, and most importantly, delicious stuffing recipe, suitable for any kitchen.
Mac and Cheese
Though I’m sure we’ve all been tempted by the viral TikTok mac and cheese recipe, those in a dorm room don’t really have the luxury to be hand-shredding a variety of cheeses this Friendsgiving.
Instead, it’s best to keep things simple. Joy Food Sunshine has an 8-ingredient, 15-minute recipe, perfect for all the student chefs looking for an easy contribution to the festivities.
With just some macaroni noodles, cheddar cheese, butter, sour cream, and a couple of seasonings, you can prepare to wow your flatmates at the dinner table. Or, if you’re looking to elevate your recipe with some artisanal cheeses, I. J. Mellis on South Street has a selection from baby Stilton to St Andrews Farmhouse Cheddar.
Sweet Potato Casserole
For those with a sweeter tooth when it comes to side dishes, one classic yet totally doable recipe is sweet potato casserole. With only ten minutes of prep time and six ingredients, this dish can be cooked anywhere.
Grab some sweet potatoes, sugar, cinnamon, butter, and marshmallows, and prepare to have the most delicious course at the table.
For further guidance, Allrecipes provides a step-by-step guide to making a sweet potato casserole as delectable as it is easy.
Pumpkin Pie
Finally, the pièce de résistance: the pumpkin pie. As tempting as it may be to go peruse Fisher & Donaldson’s collection, you must resist the urge.
Whether you have experience in pie-making or not, anyone can whip together a quick pumpkin pie with just five ingredients. All you need is sweetened condensed milk, pie crust, pumpkin puree, eggs, and spices to create your dorm version of this classic Thanksgiving dessert.
Though it can be slightly difficult to source pumpkin puree in town, amazon offers an abundance of options. Or, if you’re feeling ambitious, another option would be to roast a pumpkin and blend it yourself – though this may be less conducive to a hall kitchen.
Either way, Cooking Classy provides an easy, quick pumpkin pie recipe, suitable for even the oldest communal oven on its last legs.
With these recipes now in your arsenal, I send you off to celebrate Friendsgiving with, hopefully, considerably less stress involved. As prep time approaches, remember, the meaning of the holiday is not what you contribute to the table, but the chosen family you surround yourself with.