How to Slay Friendsgiving: 18 On Point Recipes for Every Dietary Need

Natural Beauty Industry Expert Sara Novak |

Sep 10, 2024

group of friends eating on the kitchen for the party

More and more people are celebrating Friendsgiving because rather than spending the holiday with the family you were born into, you get to choose your family for one day a year. Not to mention that so many of us don’t have enough time or money to spend going home for such a short period of time. If you’re celebrating Friendsgiving this year, or even more impressive, you’re hosting, we’ve got your guide to putting together a holiday meal that your friends and loved ones won’t soon forget.

Your Friendsgiving Checklist

Hosting Friendsgiving shouldn’t just be about getting it done, it should be about enjoying the process. After all, what’s the point in putting the meal together if you’re stressed the entire time? And one of the best ways to reduce the stress of hosting is to plan ahead.

Plan your menu

This is a great place to get started. Choose what you want to make and then tell your guests what they need to bring. If you’re not specific, you’re likely to end up with 15 desserts. If you’re not into cooking, but you want to host, think about sourcing from a meal delivery service like BlueApron, Hellofresh, or Plated.

#1 Make sure you have enough seating.

Once you plan your guest list, you’ll know how much seating is required for your get together. If you need another table or more chairs, give yourself a few weeks to get them together.

#2 Track down utensils.

The same goes for utensils. If you’re hosting 15 people, it’s not likely that you’ll have enough plates and spoons to feed the crowd. And rather than buying paper plates, which takes your table setting down a notch, why not borrow what you need from your guests?

#3 Get cooking.

When the big day comes, you’ll want to have prepped much of the menu so all you have to do is put it in the oven and throw together a great salad. You can occupy your guests with a delicious signature cocktail like this pumpkin spice margarita.

#4 Choose some good tunes.

Amp up the atmosphere, by choosing some great tunes. Jazz is a great choice because it’s vibrant, but doesn’t have words that can disrupt the conversation.

List of Rules for a Potluck

If you’re attending a potluck Friendsgiving, know the rules of etiquette when it comes to bringing a dish.

Rule #1. Have everything that you need on hand.

When your host is rushing around to get everything ready, it’s best not to come with a list of questions. Bring your own utensils, bowls, etc, and don’t assume that you’ll have rights to the oven once you get there. Instead, come as prepared as possible.

Rule #2. Choose something that guests will like.

This isn’t the time to choose something that half your guests will turn their noses up at like super stinky cheeses or innards. Choose a crowd pleaser that doesn’t stink up the whole house.

Rule #3. BYOB

Bring a bottle of wine or a beer of choice if you’re planning on having a drink. Don’t expect your host to drink through their entire wine cellar because you didn’t have time to stop at the store.

Rule #4. Have veg options

Nowadays, you’ll almost always have at least one guest that doesn’t eat meat. So have at least a few options that they can partake in. That doesn’t mean that you have to have a Tofurky turkey, but it does mean that you don’t need to put meat or dairy in every single side.