10 Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Ideas

As you prepare for the holidays, you may feel stress about what to fix, but these 10 Thanksgiving dinner menu ideas can keep the festivities on track. Although Thanksgiving involves more than just the meal, you want the dinner to delight friends and family. Consider these ten Thanksgiving dinner menu ideas to give your guests an unforgettable meal.

1. In the Beginning The first course for your guests, appetizers are a nice way to begin Thanksgiving dinner. With such an elaborate meal, keep the starters simple: cheese and crackers, veggies and dip, or shrimp cocktail.
2. Drink Up During the celebration, cap off the event with a nice toast. Champagne or a sparkling wine adds a nice touch. For children or non-drinkers in your group, consider making a spritzer with Seltzer water and fruit juice.
3. Breaking Bread From nut bread to muffins to focaccia, bread options abound. With sweet options as well as dinner rolls, everyone will find something to enjoy.
4. The Main Course In most households, turkey garners the top spot for Thanksgiving dinner. If you want to offer other choices, honey ham or roasted pork loin make nice additions.
5. Cranberries and More Although some sort of cranberry sauce makes it on to most tables, try other relish recipes too. If you prefer to stick with cranberries, find a recipe with nuts, mandarin oranges, or pears to jazz up your sauce.
6. Pass the Veggies Many Thanksgiving tables feature a cornucopia of vegetables. For variety, consider steamed asparagus or acorn squash with cinnamon along with traditional options like green beans and corn.
7. Family Favorites As you review your Thanksgiving dinner menu, don’t forget Grandma’s homemade stuffing or your great aunt’s broccoli casserole.
8. Alternatives to Turkey It may seem crazy to think about Thanksgiving dinner and not include turkey, but some people have moral, religious or other objections to this dish. For vegetarians in the group, look up recipes with tofu or consider a cheese and vegetable lasagna. If you just want something different, braised duck, leg of lamb, or even salmon offer delicious alternatives.
9. Healthy Options Whether you want keep from adding extra pounds or you have guests with dietary concerns, having healthy options on your Thanksgiving dinner menu makes sense. You can easily make adjustments to traditional items, like baking sweet potatoes instead of serving candied yams or offering roasted carrots in addition to mashed potatoes.
10. Just Desserts The culmination of the festivities, many hosts decide to offer several desserts. If you are preparing most of the meal, think about asking guests to bring pecan pie, pumpkin pie, or anything chocolate to share.