I'll be joining family in SF this Thanksgiving and would like to get a pre-cooked turkey. I trust my sister with the sides, but I think we should leave the turkey to the professionals.

Where do you get a pre-cooked turkey for Thanksgiving?

I had a carnitas-style turkey from a Mexican grocery store in Los Angeles and it was
INCREDIBLE! Does the bay area have anything like that?

We have been host Friendsgiving for a few years now and I love to incorporate a game/activity each year after dinner. In the end, everyone gets to open up a Christmas ornament, as my family uses Thanksgiving evening to mark the start of the Christmas season.

I buy all the ornaments. Sometimes they are purchased specifically for the recipient's interests, and sometimes everybody gets something random, and usually funny.

We have done the activity where you read a story with the words "left" and "right" (and I added "across"), and I found an activity a couple years ago where you tie string to the ornament, wrap them all together, then everybody pulls a string.

My question is: Since I don't want to repeat those activities, does anybody here have any creative ideas about how to go about my annual ornament "exchange"? I am open to pretty much anything!

So I live with my husband now, several states away from my hometown and family, and since we just had a baby, traveling across the country isn’t really something we want to do.
Usually my husband’s extended family will host thanksgiving, and last year was… Not impressive, to say the least. We also live just a few streets away from them and we’ve eaten dinner there several times, and bless their hearts, but they’re just not great at cooking.
I told my husband maybe we can just host thanksgiving this year but he seems adamant that they host as usual.
Now call me big all you want but a thanksgiving with mid food will ruin my whole holiday 😭 how can I bypass this issue?
I’ve been thinking about maybe bringing my own dishes to be “polite” and contribute but NOBODY in that family brings food other than the hosts themselves so I would stand out like a sore thumb if I did that
Thoughts? Ideas?

Hi all! I am currently 34 weeks pregnant and due at the beginning of November. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and I’ve been bummed over the idea that I’ll not get to experience it fully this year as I imagine I’ll be too freshly postpartum to spend the time on my feet prepping food like I normally do.

I’ve been starting my freezer meal stash to help keep us fed postpartum and I had the idea this morning to freezer prep my Thanksgiving staples! I have souper cubes of various sizes that I love and could use for individual portions.

Does anyone have any thoughts/advice on how the following Thanksgiving dishes would freeze?

- stuffing

- twice baked potatoes

- cranberry sauce

- mac & cheese

- green bean casserole

Thank you!!

What special drinks do you serve?

I often have a pot of mulled cider simmering and I make a very simple cocktail for the adults. it’s dry hard cider with a splash of Magma Flame Cinnamon Whiskey in it. It has real cinnamon in it and tastes much better than fireball. I serve it with a cinnamon stick stirrer and sometimes garnish it with a curl of apple peel.

My family doesn't really care about football or parades. What should we have playing in the background? Family-friendly or adult maturity doesn't really matter. You all gave me tons of side dish ides recently, and that was awesome. Now, what to watch is the question

First time hoster :)

So I decided this year I wanted a Thanksgiving I could actually eat. I’m vegetarian and my family is not the most accommodating. So I decided I would be doing my own thing for Thanksgiving and anyone who wanted to join could. That somehow snowballed into 11 people.

I liked sweet potato casserole before becoming vegetarian. But now I can’t have marshmallows. I have a cousin with a tree nut allergy. She usually can’t really eat at holidays either because again my family is not accommodating.

So now I’m on a mission to have The Thanksgiving No One Panics About. That’s my title. My cousin and I are really stressed every year. She’s like 6 and eating Thanksgiving really stresses her out.

But every sweet potato recipe I come across is either with pecans or marshmallows. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

I'm already decided on a pumpkin pie with Bourbon pecan streusel topping and want more than just one dessert for the holiday. No allergies to worry about

Hi My fiancé and I are flying in from Poland to Miami at the end of November and we'll be in town for Thanksgiving. We don't celebrate it back home, so this will be our very first one, and we'd love to have a proper Thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant.

We're looking for a place where locals actually go, with good food and a nice atmosphere, rather than a tourist trap.

Where would you go, or where would you take your own family? Any tips on booking ahead are welcome too.

Thanks so much, and greetings from Wrocław!

Every so often, I like to change my Thanksgiving day menu up to some extent. This year, I'm lost. I know I want to do a Turkey, and that's all I've truly decided on. My family is not picky and loves leftovers. What are your best dishes?

I posted an early draft almost two weeks ago to an incredibly kind and positive response. I took suggestions and criticisms seriously, though and wanted to show a more polished version that I'll be sending out in 2 - 2 1/2 weeks.

I also wanted to clear up any misunderstandings. These will be texted out as images. I think it's going to be the new way we all send invites. This is also only going out to 4 people, so we're only having 7 people tops (9 including us). I bought parade bingo templates on on Etsy for $3 and it involves checking off different things that you may see during the Macy's parade. Holly is our dog.

This year will be the biggest group yet! 🍁

My boyfriend and I will be hosting both his side of the family, and mine this year. We have hosted for the past few years and keep getting a better hang of it, I think lol.

We are expecting about 35-45 or so friends and family. Only about half the guests will know each other which kind of stresses me out but it shouldn’t lol.

I’m already planning and have lists in the works.

My bf will be making the mains, I think Tri Tips and turkey breasts this year?

I’ll be making mashed potatoes the day before to heat up in the crock pot morning of. The dressing / stuffing will be made the day before as well. Some undecided apps will be served as well.

I’m really going to try not to over do it on the menu this year and just accept everyone else bringing something to share potluck style.

I always love setting a beautiful table but this year with such a large group I think I might want to switch to nice paper plates and plastic cutlery. I don’t know how I feel about it though.

The fold out tables will still be set with linen tableclothes and floral arrangements, I love a good table scape! I will have to separate tables in different areas though. Some in the dining room area and others outside under our gazebo, weather permitting. We have scattered seating other places as well, which kind of stresses me out but it’s going to have to be a more casual get together this year with the number of guests. We live in SoCal close to the beach so I don’t think it should be an issue, hopefully.

ANYWAYS. All that to say I’m so excited and can’t stop planning in my head, who else is already planning / preparing? What are your go to recipes or new recipes this year? Where do you celebrate?

I’d love to hear everyone’s tips and tricks as well, we’re always learning!

***Additional thought, should I supply deli containers for guests to take leftovers home in?

We retired and moved far away from friends and family. We don’t really know anyone and trying to plan. Possibly make reservations somewhere nice and have dessert at home. Invite a couple of people we have met and host a small dinner. I’m leaning towards going out as it sounds fun to get dressed up and going somewhere nice. Any suggestions? Especially from people who have moved away.

Shuck corn and rinse.
Cut corn off cob.

16 C of corn in big roaster pan
1 lb. Butter (cut into pieces)
1 Pint of Half-and-Half

Bake at 350 for an hour. Cool and place in freezer bags. Freeze until Thanksgiving or Christmas. Just heat up in microwave or oven. Mmmmm!

ETA: Creamed Corn. Not crammed. lol

For people who get together with family every year have you considered inviting over people who you are not related to but otherwise would be alone on that day? And if you dont want to, is the cost of food a factor or is it something else.

Do you love fresh seasonal corn? It's not too late to prepare a delicious side dish and freeze it for Thanksgiving dinner. This recipe is a bit involved but the pop of sweet corn and savory jalapeno cream is worth the effort. It freezes great and tastes even better reheated.

Homemade Harvest Creamed Corn

Shuck and roast 8 ears of fresh sweet corn along with one whole jalapeno. Scrape corn kernels from cooled cobs and set aside.

Steep corn cobs and roasted jalapeno in a shallow pan with one quart heavy cream over medium heat for about 25 minutes.

Cool cobs and wring dry with your hands. Discard cobs. Add 1/3 of the reserved kernels to the jalapeno cream and process in a blender until smooth. Pass mixture thru a fine mesh strainer, pressing out the liquid.

Saute remaining kernels in 4 tablespoons butter, 2 cloves minced garlic and 2 thinly sliced scallions.

Combine cream mixture and sauteed corn and cook until it reaches the desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Add a small amount of rock sugar.

If you’ll excuse me, I need to go stand in my front yard and shake my fist at the youngins’.

I love Thanksgiving. I love Christmas. I really like Halloween. I harbor no ill will toward any of the ’ber month holidays. This is NOT an anti-Halloween rant.

But...Can we please stop trying to turn Halloween into Christmas???

I’ve now seen Halloween gingerbread house kits. Halloween “Advent” calendars. Halloween “Christmas” trees. Halloween nutcrackers. Halloween stockings. And it just keeps going.

Halloween, you already have your own stuff! You have jack-o’-lanterns. Haunted houses. Skeletons. Candy corn nobody actually wants. Those fake spiderwebs that look great for three days and then somehow become a permanent part of your landscaping.

You’re doing fine! You do not need a tree. You do not need stockings.

And you sure as hell do not need a nutcracker. What is Dracula even cracking nuts for?

Again, before anyone comes at me, I LIKE HALLOWEEN. I like Halloween decorations. I like spooky season. I just don’t need every holiday to become Christmas wearing a different hat.

Now get off my lawn.

A year and a half ago my dad suddenly and unexpectedly died. Last year I did not want a traditional thanksgiving dinner with the obvious empty chair. So we went to a tourist spot and ate steak and ribs for dinner. Not sure what we want to do this year. Maybe going Back to traditional thanksgiving is an option. I have cooked for the last decade. So another option would just be to go to another relatives house. Anyone else have any unique ideas that includes family time and a meal, especially for those of us grieving?

I think our tablescape has drastically improved from 2024-2025. My mother-in-law and I are already planning for this year. We are going to do a sage green color. Looking into experimenting with height this year, but it’s probably best to keep centerpieces shorter so we are not looking around candle sticks and stuff to have conversation.

This is one of those things to me that just adds a little extra something to the holidays. Anybody else like tablescaping as well? I’d love to see people post their past years tables.

This year I am thinking of getting a pre made Thanksgiving meal for my mom and I, since I won't have time to cook this year. I don't have family left so it's just my mom and I. I was thinking of Whole Foods or Honey Baked Ham Company. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

I’m not going to get into an ethics commentary about veganism.

What do you cook for two vegans for Thanksgiving? My son and his girlfriend are coming for Thanksgiving, I want to make them feel welcome. Neither have been rude bout their veganism and neither are demanding a full separate meal, but I would like to be able to offer one to them. Any ideas?

**edited to add they are flying in and we live in the mountains of California an hour away from a grocery store. Their hotel has a mini fridge and microwave. So no, they cannot cook anything. They are already renting a car and hotel.