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5 Recipes to Bring to Thanksgiving Dinner When You’re a Broke College Student

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCF chapter.

As college students, Thanksgiving looks a little bit different for everyone. While most spend Thanksgiving back at home with their family, there are others that spend it with their chosen family—aka their besties.

With mid-terms freshly over and about a month left until winter break, Thanksgiving is the break we’ve been waiting for. I mean let’s be honest—there’s always something on our plate. This Thanksgiving, let’s put the good kind of stuff on our plates. In other words: more food, less stress.

Don’t know what to bring? Check out these quick and easy recipes that even us broke college kids can handle.

1. Sweet Potato Casserole

This side dish is a must-have at Thanksgiving. This recipe only calls for six small ingredients, meaning your bank account won’t suffer and you’ll have this tasty side ready to go in only one hour. 

2. Sugar Coated Pecans 

Okay, so not a classic side dish or a must-have, BUT it does make for the perfect treat to snack on while waiting for your Thanksgiving meal. Although these pecans are great for any occasion, I think they taste best on Thanksgiving. Oh, and not to mention they only take one hour to make.

3. Red Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Just like sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes are another essential for Thanksgiving. If you’re in charge of mashed potatoes this year, you don’t want to let the group down with instant mashed potatoes or microwavable mashed potatoes.

Don’t have a lot of money or time? Check out this recipe for a two-step process that will only take 45 minutes of your time.

4. Baked Macaroni and Cheese

As college students, we practically live off of boxed mac and cheese—or at least I do. This Thanksgiving, treat your pals to some homemade baked macaroni and cheese. It’ll only take an hour and is guaranteed to be a perfect addition to your meal.

5. Pumpkin or Apple Pie

You didn’t think I forgot about dessert, did you?

Pumpkin or apple pie—or both—are the perfect desserts to bring this year, and they’re both as easy as pie (see what I did there?)!

Top it off with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and these desserts will be ready to go.

Thanksgiving is a beautiful holiday. Not only do we get to eat whatever our hearts desire, but we also get to spend the day appreciating the people in our lives. Although we should do that every day, sometimes life gets a little hectic and it’s hard to get everyone together, especially as we grow older. Take this opportunity—whether it’s with your family or your friends—to be thankful for everything you have, including the tasty food.

Happy eating, y’all!

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Nicki Martinez is a senior here at UCF studying Advertising and Public Relations. She currently works at Chick-fil-A as the Assistant Marketing Director, so like most people, she has a passion for Chiken. She's obsessed with anything involving cats, coffee, and Taylor Swift. Her three favorite TV shows are: The Bachelor, The Office, and Friends. She loves to write about relationships, school, movies/tv, and of course- food. She firmly believes that you should never underestimate the power of a strong woman with coffee in one hand and confidence in the other. #GirlBoss! Feel free to follow her on Instagram at @Nickimartinez.
UCF Contributor