18 Friendsgiving Food Ideas for College Students

• Throwing a Friendsgiving party usually includes cooking a large meal.
• Appetizers include spinach-artichoke dip, bruschetta, and bacon-wrapped Brussels sprouts.
• Most Friendsgiving dinners feature turkey as the main course and many different sides.
• Friendsgiving desserts can include pumpkin pie, cobbler, or cookies.

A Friendsgiving party allows friends to gather and celebrate together during the holidays. College students staying on campus during Thanksgiving break may want to organize a Friendsgiving. There are several options — you can host a potluck, cook the meal yourself, or make the entire meal with your friends.

In the following sections, students can learn what to bring to Friendsgiving, including ideas for Thanksgiving dinner entrées and Thanksgiving desserts.

Best Thanksgiving Appetizers

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Spinach-artichoke dip is a popular Thanksgiving appetizer. Best served warm, this dip works well with chips and crackers. As the name suggests, spinach-artichoke dip is made with ingredients like spinach, artichoke, garlic, and several kinds of cheeses. This recipe takes about 30 minutes in total to make.

Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are an easy-to-make appetizer for Friendsgiving. Key ingredients for this recipe include eggs, mustard, mayonnaise, and various spices. Students can easily prepare deviled eggs in large or small quantities, making them perfect for gatherings of all sizes. Deviled eggs take about 20-30 minutes to make.

Bacon-Wrapped Brussels Sprouts

Bacon-wrapped Brussels sprouts put a fun twist on a classic vegetable dish for Thanksgiving. In addition to cooking Brussels sprouts and bacon, this dish requires ingredients like maple syrup, mayonnaise, and red pepper flakes. Students can make this dish spicy or mild — whatever suits their tastes!

Creamy Pumpkin Hummus

A fun Friendsgiving dish idea, creamy pumpkin hummus is perfect for dipping chips and vegetables. For this dip, you'll need canned pumpkin, chickpeas, minced garlic, and cumin. This dish takes 10-15 minutes to make. Use a food processor for the best dip consistency.

Tomato Bruschetta

One of the best Thanksgiving appetizers is tomato bruschetta. For this dish, you'll need to toast a loaf of bread and top it with tomatoes, garlic, and basil. This dish takes about 15 minutes to make. For best results, let the tomatoes steep in the olive oil, salt, and garlic for as long as possible.

Charcuterie Board

One of the classic Thanksgiving appetizers is a charcuterie board. This appetizer provides plenty of options for guests, allowing them to choose what they'd like to eat. Charcuterie boards include different kinds of cheeses, olives, crackers, and dips. Students can get a variety of cheeses at the local grocery store.

Best Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas (Entrées and Sides)

Roasted Turkey

Roasted turkey is a classic Thanksgiving dish. Turkey takes a long time to prepare and cook, so plan accordingly. Most importantly, you must leave enough time to completely thaw your turkey before cooking it. Depending on the size of the turkey, it may need to thaw for multiple days.

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce is a classic Thanksgiving side and a tasty Friendsgiving food idea. This dish takes about 20 minutes to make. You can use fresh or frozen cranberries in your recipe and may want to include ingredients like orange zest, nutmeg, and allspice. The key ingredient for sweetening cranberry sauce is sugar.

Bread Rolls

Bread rolls are a crowd-pleasing option for Friendsgiving. Students can find premade bread rolls at the store, along with take-and-bake options. More adventurous chefs can make bread rolls from scratch. Making bread rolls can take several hours, so consider making them the day before your meal to save time.

Stuffing Casserole

College students can make stuffing casserole with premade ingredients or from scratch. Premade stuffing casserole ingredients typically include store-bought stuffing and frozen vegetables, whereas homemade stuffing casserole requires celery, bread crumbs, and butter. This dish can be vegetarian or include chicken. You'll need a casserole dish or a large nonstick baking dish.

Homemade Gravy

The best Thanksgiving dinners include homemade gravy. This recipe takes about 15 minutes to make. You'll need flour, butter, chicken broth, and spices. For more flavor, students can include turkey pan drippings if they've already finished cooking the turkey. You can easily make gravy in large and small quantities as needed.

Roasted or Mashed Potatoes

Many Thanksgiving dinners include roasted or mashed potatoes. Roasted potatoes take just over an hour to make. Mashed potatoes take about 35 minutes to cook. Many roasted and mashed potato recipes include butter, salt, and pepper. You can also use herbs like parsley or add garlic.

Green Beans

For an easy, classic vegetable dish, students can make green beans. For a healthier take, consider steaming green beans. To add flavor, you can sauté green beans in oil or butter and add other seasonings like garlic. Choosing fresh green beans rather than frozen can also enhance flavor.

Sweet Corn

Sweet corn takes about 15 minutes to make. This side dish doesn't require many ingredients — just corn, lemon juice, and sugar all placed in boiling water together. Be sure to allow plenty of time to shuck all the corn you'll need for the dish.

Best Thanksgiving Desserts

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie is a classic Thanksgiving dessert and a great idea for Friendsgiving. College students can use fresh or canned pumpkin to make pie. Other ingredients include condensed milk, eggs, nutmeg, and ginger. If you're feeling adventurous, try making your own pie crust.

Apple Pie

Apple pie takes about three hours to make. Like pumpkin pie, students can make the crust or buy a premade crust from the store. Ingredients include apples, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Keep in mind that different types of apples have different flavors — some are more tart, whereas others are sweet.

Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler

Pumpkin pecan cobbler combines some of the best Thanksgiving desserts all into one. Cobbler is easier to make than pie because it doesn't require a crust. Ingredients include cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and butter. This recipe takes about 50 minutes to make.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies take about 50 minutes to make altogether. Ingredients include flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and semi-sweet chocolate chips. These cookies are an easy-to-make alternative to pumpkin pie. Students can make this dessert in large batches for bigger gatherings. Attendees can then take home any leftovers at the end of the night.