4 Ways To Take Your Thanksgiving to Friendsgiving

We’re all familiar with Thanksgiving but have you heard of Friendsgiving? It’s a more casual take on Thanksgiving where you get together with friends and enjoy a fun evening with non-traditional activities and dishes (think potluck!) If you’re thinking of hosting a Friendsgiving, we want to help you make it as memorable as possible. Keep reading and hopefully the following suggestions will help you to create new traditions for this holiday.

1. Food Ideas

Friendsgiving means you can forgo the traditional food and opt for fun and unique meal choices. Why not have everyone bring a different kind of homemade pizza or a different appetizer? You can even do a fondue, with everyone bringing a different dippable ingredient! This fondue set here includes 4 dipping forks and 3 ceramic ramekins. If you still really enjoy traditional Thanksgiving food, here are a few classic options with a twist:

Hawaiian Sweet Roll Stuffing
Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
Sweet Potato Kale Pizza
Pumpkin Pecan Bread Pudding
Cranberry Turkey Paninis
Juicy Turkey Burgers

2. Kitchen Tools

Once you’ve decided what you want to make, It’s time to get out your kitchen gadgets. This Belgian Style Waffle Maker is an excellent choice for a fun meal idea, like pumpkin waffles. It’s compact, easy to clean and can make up to 4 waffles at once. There’s also the Chefman Panini Grill. It has a floating hinge to adjust to thicker sandwiches if you’re feeling extra hungry, and non-stick plates if you love your sandwiches with extra cheese (like these cranberry turkey paninis). It also opens flat for grilling burgers and steaks. The options are endless and delicious!

Preparing your Friendsgiving dish for a larger group of people can take up a good amount of your time. That’s where Crock-Pots come in. They are convenient multi-cookers that can make 5-star meals without you having to slave away in the kitchen. As well, using a Crock-Pot frees up your oven for cooking other dishes or desserts (Chocolate Pumpkin Piecaken, anyone?). The different sizes are great and allow you to prepare larger portions of food, especially during the holidays. Plus, as your meal cooks, you can go and mingle with your guests. If you want a chance to win one of these kitchen miracles, check out our Crock-Pot Crocktober contest here!

 

 

3. Going Green

A lot of guests over means a lot of plates, cups and cutlery being used – maybe more than you have in the kitchen! One option is to have each of your guests bring a plate and set of cutlery with them from home. Or for easy clean up you could use paper and plastic, but that’s not the best option for the environment. Why not use these awesome compostable cups, plates and cutlery? They are made from plant material and will biodegrade but are also heat resistant up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit!

Since Friendsgiving usually requires everyone to bring a different food dish, you will also end up with a ton of food. Make sure you have the right containers to store any leftover food in. Alternatively, you can purchase these reusable containers and pack the leftovers in them for guests to take home. Ask your friends to bring them to your next gathering so you can reuse them again for any leftovers. If there are scraps of food not worth saving, put them in a green bag or bin for composting. Taking all of these tips into consideration will help make your Friendsgiving a little more eco-friendly!

4. Entertainment

Play long into Friendsgiving night with some not-so-classic board games like Telestrations After Dark, Cards Against Humanity, Monopoly Cheaters Edition or Escape Room The Game. Not really a board games kind of crowd? If you have the game consoles, check out these multiplayer games like Super Mario Party and Super Smash Bros for Nintendo Switch or Little Big Planet 3 for PlayStation. If your gang is into music, why not grab a portable bluetooth speaker to play your favourite playlist? Finally, if your group of friends loves capturing the moment, you’ll really enjoy the Fujifilm Instax Mini for taking instant photos that can be given out like souvenirs. It even has a selfie mode and mirror. If you want to take large group photos, try using a selfie stick. This one fits to most Smartphones and expands up to 38.5“. Want to go old-school in a world of technology? Pick up some disposable cameras instead. Nothing beats that feeling of waiting to see how your photos will turn out after you’ve sent them to be developed at the Photolab!

Whether this is your first Friendsgiving or your fifth, we hope you’ve found these suggestions helpful. Whatever you choose to do, we wish you a Happy Friendsgiving!

 

 

Changing of the Gourd: 9 Perfectly Pleasant Pumpkin Recipes

We are well into #PSL season, as you’ve probably gathered from your Instagram feed. (That’s Pumpkin Spice Latte season, for you non-coffee drinkers.) Luckily for foodies, there is so much more to this versatile autumn gourd than just coffee shops and Thanksgiving pie, so we’ve put together some of our favourite pumpkin recipes to help you celebrate everyone’s favourite fall flavour.

1. Pumpkin, Beef and Black Bean Chili 

This hearty, savoury dish has a surprising hint of sweetness from the pumpkin that will warm up any cool fall night. Double the recipe and save for a freezer full of leftovers to enjoy throughout the season—it’s no secret that chili is always better the next day (or week, or month). Don’t forget the chipotle sour cream!

[Find the recipe at Country Living]

pumpkin recipes - chili

2. Savoury Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin for breakfast? Of course! Inspired by traditional Indian cooking, these healthy and simple pancakes are also known as besan ka puda. Ingredients can be substituted to make custom flavours, as well as vegan and gluten-free options. Perfect for getting you out of that breakfast rut.

[Find the recipe at Ruchi’s Kitchen]

pumpkin recipes - pumpkin pancakes

 

3. Glorious Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Even the people who aren’t into the whole #PSL thing will find it hard to pass up a nice, hot bowl of velvety, spiced pumpkin soup. Top with pecans or goat cheese, throw on a pair of fuzzy socks and a cable knit sweater, and you’ll be a Pinterest board come to life. A fall classic.

[Find the recipe at JamieOliver.com]

pumpkin recipes - pumpkin soup

4. Pumpkin Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Got a craving for a creamy pasta dish, but trying to cut down on the fat? We’ve got you covered. The richness of the pumpkin in this recipe takes the place of the loads of cheese traditionally found in a baked pasta dish. Comfort food level: EXPERT.

[Find the recipe at Country Living]

pumpkin recipes - pumpkin shells

5. Easy Pumpkin Curry

Pumpkin and curry go together like a pile of leaves and a jumping toddler. Skip the take-out and instead whip up this spicy crowd-pleaser, even if you’re short on time. You can pour this delicious concoction over your favourite rice, vegetables, or tofu, or whichever combination of the three satisfies your current craving.

[Find the recipe at A Beautiful Mess]

pumpkin recipes - pumpkin curry

6. Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

We hope you hung on to the innards of your jack-o’-lantern, because these crunchy snacks are a fall must-have. Packed with iron, magnesium, fibre, zinc, potassium, healthy fats, protein, and tryptophan (which can boost your mood and help you sleep), vegans and vegetarians have been using pumpkin seeds for years as a natural source of nutrients. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different flavours: soy sauce, cayenne, cinnamon, nutmeg – time to get creative!

[Find the recipe at Oh! She Glows]

pumpkin recipes - roasted pumpkin seeds

7. Savoury Pumpkin Pizza

Yes, it sounds strange on paper, but we promise this will be on your top 10 list of best pizza EVER. Mild and creamy havarti cheese is the perfect flavour accompaniment with the veggies in this dish, and a fun change from mozzarella. Don’t skip the sweetened onions step—they’re the secret ingredient that will put this dish over the top into OMG territory. Meat eaters and vegetarians alike will be instantly addicted, and gluten-free foodies can use their favourite GF crust.

[Find the recipe at Love Lola]

pumpkin recipes - savoury pumpkin pizza

8. Chipotle Pumpkin Veggie Burger

Looking for an alternative to your pre-packaged veggie burger option? Try these quick and healthy pumpkin patties. Spices can be dialed up or down to your preference, and toppings are open to creative interpretation. Don’t get boxed in by the bun—these baked, crunchy beauties can also be tucked into a super-healthy lettuce wrap or crumbled on salads. They also freeze nicely, so they can be made ahead of time. Future you will heartily thank present you.

[Find the recipe at Peas & Crayons]

pumpkin recipes - chipotle pumpkin burger

9. Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Cheesecake

Who doesn’t love a trip to the Cheesecake Factory during a visit south of the border? Well, someone did us all a favour and broke down their creamy, decadent pumpkin cheesecake recipe, and now we’re here to share it with you. (Yeah, you’re welcome.) Next to the prevalent pie, this modern classic is a fall dessert staple. Pro tip: replace white sugar with brown sugar for a deeper, richer taste.

[Find the recipe at Genius Kitchen]

pumpkin recipes - cheesecake factory pumpkin cheesecake

Tuck into these perfectly pleasing pumpkin recipes and enjoy all that fall has to offer. Happy eating!