Friendsgiving Menu Ideas

"Friendsgiving was officially added to the dictionary in January 2020. But the origins of the holiday begin much earlier. In 2007, a tweet used the word. A different theory suggested that a Baileys ad in 2011 used the term, which led to its gain in popularity.

Still, another theory suggests that the show Friends inspired the concept. Friendsgiving has since become a beloved holiday, no matter which theory is correct.[1] 

We've got you covered if you're wondering what to bring or serve at your upcoming dinner. Keep reading to learn how to plan a menu and some of our favorite recipe ideas.

What Should I Bring to a Friendsgiving Dinner?

One of the great things about a Friendsgiving dinner is that there are plenty of options for everyone. Whether you can cook or not, you'll be able to contribute.

Usually, it's advisable to leave the main dish to the host as it reduces transportation troubles. However, you and your friends could make a few smaller main dishes instead of one large one.

A side or dessert is usually a safe option for something to bring. There are many easy recipes that most people can follow.

Remember bringing drinks, including a fun cocktail, can be a great alternative to a dish. If you’re left wondering what to bring to a Friendsgiving, don’t be afraid to ask the host1[2] 

Related: The Best Gifts For Bakers: A Holiday Gift Guide

How to Plan A Successful Friendsgiving Menu

To plan a successful Friendsgiving, planning out good Friendsgiving dishes is essential. To do this, it is necessary to keep a few things in mind.

First off, consider any allergies or dietary requirements that your guests have. This has the potential to alter your meal radically. Consider reaching out to everyone individually because they may be allergic to something you didn't even realize.

When considering allergies and dietary requirements, the degree to which they will alter your meal varies. You can plan meatless and meat options if you have one vegetarian guest. However, if most of your guests are vegetarians, you may want to plan for your main dish to be meatless. Similarly, light allergies may require you to indicate what foods have allergens, but if a guest has a severe allergy, it may require you to avoid using that allergen in any food you serve.

Once you have allergies taken care of, you can start planning out the mean itself. This will typically consist of several elements, including appetizers, a main dish, side dishes, and desserts.

We recommend serving snacks and appetizers before the meal is finished.[3]  Doing this will prevent your guests from getting too hungry if the meal's preparation takes too long.[4]  This is important because sometimes accidents happen, and a meal takes much longer to make than expected; in these cases, appetizers will help tide your guests over.

The main dish will be the centerpiece of a meal. For most traditional Thanksgiving meals, this will be a roasted turkey. However, you can change this up, especially if you have a lot of vegetarian or vegan guests. If you do end up substituting turkey for something else, make sure to alert your guests beforehand, as the main dish is often the thing they look forward to most.

Side dishes will be served alongside the main dish and are also something many guests look forward to. Common sides include sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, some vegetables, and stuffing. However, you can get more creative when it comes to sides and can make a wide variety of different dishes. In addition, if you want to avoid cooking the full meal yourself, sides are a great way to offload some of the work. Depending on your group, you can ask each of your guests to bring a different side, leaving you time to focus on the main dish.

Finally, no Friendsgiving meal would be complete without dessert. Giving everyone something sweet to cap off the meal is a great way to end things. Many people go with Thanksgiving classics, like pumpkin pie, while others choose something different, like cookies or sweet fruits.

When considering any of these options, remember that variety is important. A Friendsgiving meal will involve many people with many different tastes. A guest may not like one side dish but will be happy to find that you have provided several other options.

A dependable skillet can help you create our skillet rolls and many other recipes! Take a look at our fry pans & skillets, available in any size and material you need!

Our Favorite Friendsgiving Menu Ideas

While a Friendsgiving menu can be anything you want it to be, a few Friendsgiving meal ideas are more popular than others. Many guests will expect some of these as a classic element of the holiday season. Plus, plenty of these options are just downright good!

Turkey Breast

Turkey is one of the classic Friendsgiving dinner ideas. But making a whole turkey is a lot of work! As an alternative, we recommend making crockpot turkey breast.

Since it cooks in a crockpot, there's little chance you'll mess it up. Plus, by using bone-in turkey with the skin on, you'll have a flavorful, juicy result. We highly recommend drizzling it with a buttery, peppery gravy to finish.

Related: The De Buyer’s Thanksgiving Cookware Shopping Guide

Ridiculously Easy Friendsgiving Sweet Potatoes

This sweet potato recipe takes a lot of work because of its deliciousness. But it's super easy and affordable!

Chop or slice some sweet potatoes, add olive oil, honey, and cinnamon, then throw them in the oven. Plus, these are simple to reheat if you bring them to a friend's house.

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

Nothing beats homemade fresh cranberry sauce. Start with fresh cranberries and add orange juice and zest to flavor this recipe.

We recommended serving this cranberry sauce with turkey and gravy. If there are any leftovers, mix them with mayonnaise to make a cranberry-mayo spread that tastes great on turkey sandwiches.

The Best Mash Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are always a crowd-pleaser. This creamy recipe is sure to be a hit at your Friendsgiving table. They are thick and creamy, featuring two kings of potatoes. Plus, they're seasoned with a hint of garlic.

You can customize this recipe in a few ways too. Make them as smooth or chunky as you want, and choose whether to leave the skins on or remove them.

Easy Skillet Rolls with Porcini Sea Salt

Making rolls or another type of bread may seem a bit overwhelming. But with this easy skillet rolls recipe, you don't even need to worry about using the oven.

We love the addition of porcini sea salt, which adds to the savory flavor. This recipe uses frozen rolls, unsalted butter, and sea salt to create rolls your friends won't get enough of.

Cheesegiving: The Thanksgiving Meal Board

One unique but incredibly popular Friendsgiving option is a full cheese board. Providing something like this makes for a great appetizer, giving guests something to graze on. When planning a cheese board like this, use a mix of different cheeses and consider throwing in some meats or other charcuterie classics.

Related: Skillet Vs. Pan: The Differences And Uses

Friendsgiving Dessert Ideas

When it comes to dessert, there are plenty of options out there. Pumpkin pie is a classic and will be easy to find ingredients for during the holidays. However, there are plenty of other options as well. Chocolate-covered Oreos are easy to make, apple cinnamon blondies are a seasonal treat, and black forest cheesecake cookies are easy to share with a large group.

Happy Eating with Your Delicious Friendsgiving Menu

Friendsgiving is a great opportunity to bring a group of friends together and celebrate a good time together. Ensuring the meal you have accompanying it is simply a way to make the whole event even better!

As you plan the meal, make sure to consider allergies and preferences. Then, pick out a variety of delicious and exciting dishes. If you do this, you and your guests will surely have an amazing time!

A tart or pie is always a welcome addition to any Friendsgiving spread. The right equipment can make a difference in the final product and how easy it is to bake. Check out our line of tart and pie bakeware here!