Thanksgiving Guide: Menu Plan, Family Activities & More
This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. Please read our disclosure policy.
We’ve created this Thanksgiving Guide as a one-stop shop for all of your thanksgiving needs. Includes simple, no-fuss recipes, fun activities for the whole family, ideas for leftovers, and more.
Thanksgiving Activities
It never hurts to have some activities set out around the house. Here are a few that your family might enjoy!
- Thanksgiving Bingo – Use our free printable for a fun game all ages can play together.
- Make a Thanksgiving Tree – A family activity that all can participate in. Free printable included.
- Table Talk Cards – Great conversation starters at the table! We created a different set of these printable cards for Preschoolers, Elementary Kids, and Tweens & Teens. Have each person draw a card to ask the group.
- 30+ Thanksgiving Crafts – Want to keep those little hands busy? Here are some great ideas.
- Set out a puzzle. I personally love Ravensburger Puzzles. They are high quality and don’t fall apart!
Thanksgiving Recipe Ideas
We’ll pulled together a few very doable recipes for each portion of the meal for you. Pick one or two from each section and enjoy a homemade meal!
Appetizers
- Bacon-Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese – An easy holiday favorite. Salty, sweet, chewy, and creamy in one bite.
- Hummus & Veggie Sticks – Tasty and not too filling. Need to save room for that turkey!
- Homemade Chex Mix – My grandma would have bowls of this out everywhere when we celebrated Thanksgiving at her house. Be warned, it’s addictive!
- Simple Charcuterie Board – Follow our 4 easy steps to the perfect board. Anyone can do this.
Main Course
- Roast Turkey Breast with Pan Gravy – Cheaper and easier to manage for a smaller group. Serves up to 8.
- Whole Roast Turkey – I have used this detailed guide by The Yummy Life a few times now.
- Crockpot Ham – This method frees up the oven. Serve with our delicious Pineapple Sauce or Cranberry Orange Sauce on the side to make it extra special.
- Ham and Cheese Sliders – Everyone loves these! Make ahead of time and freeze before the big day.
Side Dishes
- Autumn Chopped Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette – Trust me. This salad is a WINNER.
- Simple Homemade Stuffing – So easy. You’ll never go back to store bought after this.
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes – Creamy mashed potatoes made in the pressure cooker to save time! Or consider making our Healthy Mashed Potatoes.
- Bacon-Wrapped Green Beans – Who wants a green bean casserole when you can wrap them in bacon?? Or try this amazing, colorful Skillet Green Beans recipe.
- Maple Glazed Carrots – Easy and delicious side.
- Cranberry Orange Sauce – Gorgeous color and amazing flavor in just minutes. Make ahead and freeze! (You could also try out our Apple Cranberry Sauce if cranberry sauce is a bit too tart for you.)
- Bread Machine Dinner Rolls – These are so easy to make and light and fluffy! We also have Bread Machine Wheat Rolls, too.
Dessert and Drinks
- Pumpkin Dump Cake – Easier and tastier than pumpkin pie, in our humble opinion.
- Snickerdoodle Cookies – These are SO good. Fun to have kids help with the prep, too.
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Spice Latte – Such a treat to have before or after a Thanksgiving meal!
- Pie in a Jar – These personal-sized pies are made in little mason jars that can go straight from your freezer to your oven to your mouth.
How to Use Up Leftovers
- Turkey Stuffing Casserole – Use up leftover turkey, gravy, and stuffing in this amazing 4-layer casserole. Make it and freeze for later if you want.
- Turkey Stock – Don’t throw away your turkey carcass! Make simple broth to freeze for later using either your slow cooker, Instant Pot, or on the stove. I freeze it in mason jars to use in soups.
- Turkey Pesto Paninis – A Thriving Home fave! Make these sandwiches in bulk and freeze for later.
- Ham and Cheese Sliders – If you have leftover ham, slice it up to use in these freezable sammies.
- Leftover Ham and Bean Soup – A healthy, comforting soup to use up leftover ham (or smoked turkey) in.
Bonus Tips & Tricks for Hosting
- 10 Thanksgiving Tips for Less Stress – Great advice from our readers for making T-Day less stressful.
- 20+ Easy Meal Ideas for Groups of People – Need more meal ideas? Check out this popular roundup.
Leave a Comment