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Friendsgiving dinner party food is fun to plan for since you can be as traditional or non-traditional as you want to. Food and drink for Friendsgiving is usually pretty Thanksgiving-traditional, but since this is food for a special event that isn’t the most conventional, you can go outside the box and still be fine.
These are some ideas for things to take to a Friendsgiving dinner, or to make if you’re the host, plus links to some of our other articles about how much of each food to make for a crowd.
Roasted Turkey
If you’re hosting the Friendsgiving meal, you should consider roasting a turkey even if you don’t want to do a full-out Thanksgiving menu. People will be happy to have it as an option, and roasting a turkey really brings the feel of the holiday home.
You can read our article about how to roast a turkey here: Where To Put Turkey In The Oven
Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are another traditional dish that people like, and you can flavor them in the conventional way or add unusual herbs and seasonings for fun.
Click to read an article about how many potatoes to make for a crowd.
Adding herbs to mashed potatoes can make all the difference to their flavor. Here are some options:
- Chives – Adds a mild onion flavor and a pop of color.
- Rosemary – Provides a woody, fragrant flavor, use finely chopped.
- Thyme – Offers a subtle, earthy taste. Great with butter and garlic.
- Parsley – Fresh and slightly peppery, adds brightness.
- Sage – Warm, slightly peppery. Pairs well with butter for a comforting flavor.
- Dill – Adds a fresh, slightly tangy note, especially good with sour cream or cream cheese.
- Tarragon – Has a slightly licorice-like flavor, which can add depth.
- Oregano – Earthy and slightly bitter, it can add a Mediterranean twist.
- Basil – Sweet and aromatic, offering a fresh taste.
- Chervil – Mild and delicate, with a hint of anise.
You can mix and match these herbs or choose one that goes well with the other dishes you’re serving.
Gravy
Gravy is a staple not only for the flavor, but to put on the turkey in case it gets dried out in the cooking process! We’ll hope that won’t happen, but planning on having some gravy is a good idea anyway. Make it yourself or buy it premade to take the stress out of the process.
You can put it on the turkey, mashed potatoes, and biscuits if you have those with your meal.
Cranberry Sauce
This is another Thanksgiving staple, and people will argue about whether they like the whole-berry or jellied can version better. You can also make your own cranberry sauce from scratch.
Here’s an article about how much canned sauce you’ll need for a crowd: How Many Cans Of Cranberry Sauce For A Crowd
Stuffing/Dressing
Stuffing is another classic favorite, and you can do it in many ways. Start with a bag of store-bought stuffing and add extras to it (read about stuffing additions here.)
You can also make stuffing from slightly stale bread if you want to start from scratch. You can use old cornbread or dinner bread for this to give it some special flavor.
Green Beans
Green beans can be served steamed or in a casserole for a more traditional take. It’s a popular side dish for a sit-down turkey dinner, and there are a lot of variations on the theme. Everyone has an opinion about how green bean casserole should be made, and it’s a good dish to assign to a guest if you’re doing a potluck dinner.
If you’re wondering about how many green beans you’ll need per person, you can read the answer to that in this article: Green Beans
Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet potato casserole is something that you either love or hate, depending on whether you like the addition of marshmallows. You can make it without adding the marshmallows, of course, but for some reason that isn’t as festive.
Click here to read about how many sweet potatoes you’ll need per person.
Macaroni and Cheese
Macaroni and cheese isn’t the most traditional Thanksgiving side dish, but for a Friendsgiving dinner there’s no reason why you shouldn’t add it onto the menu.
You can make a straight version with just the cheese, or you can add in vegetables to spice it up.
Brussels Sprouts
I was having a conversation about brussels sprouts the other day, and we were split on whether they were a yea or a nay. Cooking them in a creative way will make more people interested in trying some.
One way to serve them as an appetizer would be to wrap them in bacon and cook them that way. You can also mash them or make a soup with them.
Cornbread
Cornbread is a nice alternative to dinner rolls, but it’s nice to have both of them at the table! Cornbread is made with corn meal instead of wheat flour, and if it’s made correctly it’s tender and has a nice crumb that goes great with butter or honey.
Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Pie
These are holiday classics, and whether you prefer sweet potato or pumpkin pie doesn’t really matter. They’re both delicious and perfect for a Friendsgiving or another holiday dinner.
You can read about the difference between sweet potato and pumpkin pie here.
You can include other pie flavors, of course, but don’t leave out the crowd favorites!
Dinner Rolls
Dinner rolls and other bread is fun to bake, and if you have a friend who’s a talented bread baker, you should enlist them to bring some to your dinner party. (This article goes over how much bread you’ll need for a crowd.)
Some ideas for dinner rolls are:
- Parker House rolls
- Garlic and herb rolls
- Herb and parmesan rolls
- Potato rolls
- Brioche rolls
- Buttermilk biscuits
- Honey wheat rolls
- Sourdough rolls
Roasted Vegetables
Having a lot of vegetables is a must for people who are vegetarian or who have dietary restrictions.
Roasting vegetables brings out the flavor by caramelizing the sugars in them, and you don’t need to add a lot of other things to them for that reason. You can avoid adding butter or broth to skip the animal products, and your vegan friends will be happy.
Click here to read about how many roasted vegetables you’ll need to feed a group.
Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs are a popular appetizer, so you can have them for before dinner, or as a side dish during the meal. Some people would just eat them by themselves and be happy even if there was no other food!
Click here to read about how many deviled eggs you’ll need.
Charcuterie Board
This is another good option for the appetizers before the meal, and you can get as fancy or stay as basic as you’d like.
This is also a good food assignement to give to a guest or two so that you can concentrate on the main dishes for the evening. If one person is in charge of bringing crackers, another is in charge of bringing cheese, and one brings fruit, they can assemble it all together when they get to the party.
This article has all the information about how much cheese and crackers you’ll need to have people bring.
Sushi Rolls
If you want to get a little non-traditional for the appetizers (or for the whole meal) you could serve sushi. This is something that people won’t necessarily expect, but it would be fun if your crowd likes a little change-up.
You could even go whole-hog (or whole-fish?) and do a full suhsi meal instead of the traditional food. If you’re going to do that, though, warn people in case they don’t eat sushi! You might want to have it as an alternative menu instead of making it the full meal.
Read about how many sushi rolls per person here.
Tacos
I’m serious about this one…If you’re going to be non-traditional, why not include tacos with the meal, or have them as the entire meal.
You could even set up a full taco bar with a variety of fillings and toppings to let your guests get creative with their own dinners.
Click here to read about tacos for a crowd.
Champagne, Sparkling Cider, and Wine
For the dinner drinks, having a range of alcohol and non-alcoholic options is a good idea. Champagne is good for toasts, but people don’t generally drink it with a meal other than brunch.
Wine is always good to have for a meal, and it’s easy for guests to bring with them. You should also make sure to have non-alcoholic options like sparkling (or regular) cider for guests who dont’ drink alcohol, though.
It’s also a good idea to have a good range of sodas on hand, because some people prefer that to a fancier drink!
Coffee Bar
For before or after the meal, you can have a coffee bar with different types of coffees, creamers, and teas set up. Throw in hot chocolate to match the season.
Click here to read about how to keep coffee warm for a party.
Mini Desserts
For dessert we’ve already mentioned pies, but you could also prepare a range of small mini desserts that are more like a two-bite treat.
This could include small cookies like macarons or meringues, or mini tarts and cheesecake bites. You can make them yourself or buy them premade at a bakery or from the grocery store freezer section. This is another thing that’s good for guests to bring as a potluck item.
Click here to read an article about how many mini desserts you’ll need for your guest count.