When you live far from home, you may decide to have thanksgiving with friends instead of family. This has become a holiday tradition for many.
Friendsgiving tends to be more relaxed than your typical family dinner, and so there are more options than just the traditional thanksgiving turkey and cranberry sauce.
In this list you’ll find 17 Friendsgiving food ideas that are sure to be a crowd pleaser! We’ll provide the recipes; all you have to do is prepare it.
Contents
17 Friendsgiving Food Ideas
Here are 17 Friendsgiving food ideas for your next big holiday gathering!
1. Butternut Squash Mac N Cheese
Mac N Cheese isn’t your typical thanksgiving food item. But at a Friendsgiving, anything goes! This butternut squash mac n cheese combines sweet squash with cheesy mac.
The best part about this recipe is that you can pile it high on your plate and not feel guilty about a second helping! Nutritious and delicious.
2. Cheesy Sausage Balls with Butter Garlic Dipping Sauce
This appetizer brings your finger food game to the next level. You can serve it with a number of dipping sauces, but buttery garlic sauce works best.
You can use any type of biscuit mix for these, as well as any cheese, and serve with a tooth pick for easy dipping. Here’s the recipe.
3. Pigs In an Everything Blanket
A quirky spin on the classic pigs in a blanket, these everything-blanketed pigs will be gone before you know it! And you’ll have everyone asking for the recipe.
These appetizers use seasoning from an everything bagel to give your crescent roll a delicious, garlicky taste while keeping the flakiness of the crescent roll. Here’s the recipe.
4. Blueberry Corn Muffins
Cornbread is an easy holiday side dish. Adding blueberries gives it a sweet flavor, and the sugar will help rebound from the inevitable food coma.
Making cornbread into muffins make them easy to hand out and handle during what might be a crazy holiday dinner. Here’s a delicious recipe to try.
5. Hawaiian Roll Stuffing
Stuffing is a classic side dish served with Thanksgiving dinner. That doesn’t mean it has to be boring! Try sprucing things up with this sweet take on stuffing.
It uses Hawaiian rolls to add a sweet flavor to the stuffing, and combines zesty oranges to round out the flavor. Try this recipe at your next Friendsgiving.
6. Sweet Potato Casserole
Another classic side dish to any Thanksgiving dinner, sweet potato casserole is almost a desert with its sweet potatoes, brown sugar, marshmallows, and pecan topping.
Sweet potato casserole is a must-have at Friendsgiving, and is sure to sate the sweet tooth when you don’t want to wait for apple pie. Here’s the recipe.
7. Pumpkin Hummus
Hummus is a healthy and delicious side dish or appetizer you can serve with any meal, including Friendsgiving. It’s best served with warm pita chips.
Cinnamon and pumpkin puree give this hummus a fall themed twist that will fit perfectly with your Friendsgiving day meal. Here’s an easy and delicious recipe.
8. Cauliflower Mac n Cheese
If you’re trying to limit the carb intake this Friendsgiving, try giving this cauliflower mac n cheese a try. It eliminates the pasta and replaces it with cauliflower.
But don’t worry, just because the pasta is gone doesn’t mean the flavor will be. It will still be a deliciously cheesy and creamy side dish. Here’s the recipe.
9. Green Bean Casserole
For some, green bean casserole is a must-have at Thanksgiving dinners. The savory green beans combined with crunchy onions makes for an amazing side dish.
Green bean casserole is typically made with cream of mushroom soup, which you can buy store bought, or make your own. Try this recipe at your next Friendsgiving.
10. Pecan Pie
It’s hard to think of a Friendsgiving meal without thinking about desert. There are plenty of fall-themed options out there, including sweet and salty pecan pie.
Pie may seem like too much to bother with. There’s plenty of store-bought options out there. But if you’re wanting to make it from scratch, try this recipe.
11. Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts may have been the food you ignored as a kid, but as we get older, we come to love those little green balls of crunchy deliciousness.
If you want to spruce up your roasted brussels sprouts, try adding bacon to the mix. It will add a savory touch to the dish. Here’s the recipe.
12. Cranberry Sangria
Cranberry sauce is typically a hit or miss. Either you love it or hate it. But toss it in some sangria mix, and it’s a whole different ballgame!
This festive drink is a great addition at a Friendsgiving day meal. It has fall themed flavors that match perfectly with the season. Here’s the recipe.
13. Apple Tart
Apple tart and apple pie are pretty similar, but if you’re looking for a thicker and more crumbly crust, you’re going to want to make an apple tart.
It takes a little bit of effort to make, but the results are worth it. Try serving it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Here’s the recipe.
14. Mashed Potatoes
It’s hard to imagine Thanksgiving Day without creamy mashed potatoes. It’s a staple side dish that goes great with any holiday meal, including your next Friendsgiving.
Mashed potatoes can be made with russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes. This particular recipe actually calls for a blend of both at a 50/50 ratio.
15. Apple Cider Mimosas
Mimosas don’t have to be simple champagne and orange juice. You can add a fall-themed twist to this beverage to serve at your next Friendsgiving.
Apple cider mimosas are as easy to make as regular mimosas. Instead of using orange juice, you use apple cider. Here’s a simple recipe to try.
16. Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Spinach and artichoke dip is a tasty appetizer that is served with tortilla or pita chips. It’s easy to make and can be prepared in advance.
This creamy appetizer is sure to be a fan favorite at your Friendsgiving dinner. Here’s an easy recipe to try, as well as a recipe for homemade pita chips!
17. Pumpkin Pie
There’s nothing quite like a big slice of pumpkin pie with whipped cream topping after a Thanksgiving meal. It’s decadent and sweet rolled into one.
You can buy store bought pumpkin pie, but it will never be as flavorful as one made from scratch. Here’s a pumpkin pie recipe, and if you’re really daring, a pie crust recipe too!
Wrap Up
Friendsgiving dinner is a time for friends to come together. With a wider selection of foods, you can really go all out with your dish.
Whether you’re bringing a side dish, appetizer, or desert, there’s something in this list that you can bring, and it’s sure to be an instant favorite!
17 Friendsgiving Food Ideas
Ingredients
- Butternut Squash Mac N Cheese
- Cheesy Sausage Balls with Butter Garlic Dipping Sauce
- Pigs In an Everything Blanket
- Blueberry Corn Muffins
- Hawaiian Roll Stuffing
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Pumpkin Hummus
- Cauliflower Mac n Cheese
- Green Bean Casserole
- Pecan Pie
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Cranberry Sangria
- Apple Tart
- Mashed Potatoes
- Apple Cider Mimosas
- Spinach and Artichoke Dip
- Pumpkin Pie
Instructions
- Select your favorite recipe from the list above.
- Organize all the required ingredients.
- Prepare and enjoy in 30 minutes or less!