Tips for Hosting a Small Thanksgiving Dinner + Full Menu
2020 has been quite the year, wouldn’t you say? Sadly, our holidays are falling in suit with how this year has gone. Thanksgiving dinner, party of 3. We decided not to travel for Thanksgiving this year and keep it low key with just the three of us. That does not mean a good Thanksgiving Dinner is impossible. Trust me, I know- The thought of cooking an entire Thanksgiving dinner seems overwhelming and a lot for such a small group of people, right?
I have some really good tips for hosting a small Thanksgiving Dinner so you can enjoy the best meal of the entire year. I hosted another couple for a Friendsgiving last weekend and it was such a success that Joey and I decided we are going to recreate this exact menu for our actual Thanksgiving day. You’ll find our whole menu plus links to the recipes!
Let’s be honest- I very much look forward to all the Thanksgiving Dinner favorites, the stuffing, the turkey, the green bean casserole, the sweet potatoes…Yum! Yum! I typically try to be mindful about what I eat throughout the year, so these types of foods aren’t always on my regular week night menu and it’s such a treat during Thanksgiving.
Don’t let this crazy year take that away-
Here are my tips for Hosting a Small Thanksgiving Dinner:
- 1. Ditch the Full size Turkey– A full turkey is a ton of work and takes a lot of time. I opted for buying just the turkey breast. Our grocery store sells the Honeysuckle brand and it couldn’t be more perfect. I bought about a 1.15 pound package and used this recipe to brine it overnight so it’s perfectly tender and juicy. The next day we added salt, pepper, and garlic, and roasted in the oven for about 40 minutes.
- 2. Cut Your Family Recipe in Half– It is soo easy to simply take that family recipe and cut it in half to serve a smaller portion. I went another step and decided this year I’m going to cut our family stuffing recipe in half, but also serve it in individual croquettes so it’s more petite and looks cute. Do yourself a favor, and actually make this completely homemade- don’t use the box stuff. You’ll thank me and it’s so easy to do.
- 3. Make as Much Ahead of Time As you Can- In order to help alleviate some of the stress, start prepping your dinner the day before. Things like casseroles, stuffing, and sweet potatoes can be assembled the day before. All you have to do the day of is pop it in to the oven to finish cooking through.
- 4. Use Smaller Portions– Similar to cutting your recipe in half try to explore other options so you aren’t buying as much. We opted for twice baked sweet potatoes this year instead of an entire casserole. It ended up even being a money saver by only having to buy two sweet potatoes, which was plenty for us. We used this recipe and was able to come up with two different types of sweet potatoes.
- 5. Combine Homemade Options with Catered Options- There are a ton of local restaurants that are catering Thanksgiving Dinner. I do love to cook, but if you don’t a great way to make your life easier and support small businesses in your area is to order a take out Thanksgiving Dinner. You could even do half and half- make some things yourself and do take out for others. Our favorite cafe, Mediterra Cafe is doing a full Thanksgiving Dinner. I think I’m going to order a charcuterie, some rolls, and maybe even a dessert or two.
Our Small Thanksgiving Dinner Menu
Homemade Green Bean Casserole (The BEST)
Shredded Citrus Brussel Sprouts
How are you and your family navigating the holidays this year?
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