My family travels to Thanksgiving and we always go out to dinner with our hosts and any other family members already there to an Italian restaurant, or something local and easy, and it's both celebratory (we're together) and relaxing. The night before Thanksgiving has become our favorite tradition.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Takeout. Indian, Chinese, pizza, etc.

+1
No prep, additional grocery store runs, no clean-up, and guests can select their meal.

I don't think you shoukd limit it to "light fare" b/c the next day will will feasting. I was starving upon arrival on Thanksgiving Eve and inhaled my pizza.

+2 - the light veggie soup PP reminds me of Burger King Lady. How could you possibly need anything more than a light lunch when you're going to be feasting on a beautiful turkey dinner in 24 hours! Just take a delicious piece of fruit and eat it outside, or waddle on down the street to Burger King for a double chili cheese bacon burger, if you must!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Takeout. Indian, Chinese, pizza, etc.

Agree, but how torturous Thursday would be knowing there's leftover pizza in the fridge yet being expected to eat turkey and weird casseroles!

Why would there be leftover pizza? Each guest gets 1 slice of pizza and 2 asparagus spears. Easy math.

Going out to dinner - no cleanup

Pizza, enchiladas, Chicken Spaghettis, baked Ziti, all with salad. Or burgers.

You want simple, easy, satisfying, non Tday food.

Anonymous wrote:Takeout. Indian, Chinese, pizza, etc.

+1
No prep, additional grocery store runs, no clean-up, and guests can select their meal.

I don't think you shoukd limit it to "light fare" b/c the next day will will feasting. I was starving upon arrival on Thanksgiving Eve and inhaled my pizza.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do you serve houseguests the night before Thanksgiving?
Obviously this is family and I’d like to serve a veg-forward, simple, yet welcoming meal (and nothing with poultry or potatoes)

I always serve pork BBQ sandwiches. I make it far ahead and freeze. If I have a homemade Mac n cheese in the freezer I make that, too, or I make some sort of slaw.
I know you said veggie forward, but I find this to be really simple and everyone likes it. (Also, our family includes a bunch of teens/20s with huge appetites so something light like soup is a no-go).

So funny, we do the exact same (and for same reasons 😊).

I used to do chili that I made in advance and froze, and then a few years I did a meat sauce in the crockpot with spaghetti.

This year I’m baking a bunch of wings and getting pizzas.

Also a bunch of teen boys so veggie soup isn’t going to cut it.

We do a lasagna. I make it in advance. Bagged salad and some bread. Its a tradition...though I have to say this year I got a "can we have chicken...I am not really eating carbs" Groan...eat the salad!

I would recommend a pasta dish like spaghetti or baked ziti with salad and bread. They can eat for leftovers for lunch the next day and it’s easy clean up.

Sushi

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Takeout. Indian, Chinese, pizza, etc.

Agree, but how torturous Thursday would be knowing there's leftover pizza in the fridge yet being expected to eat turkey and weird casseroles!

Pizza is always our Friday night meal. I like to say that once the turkey is on the table I am done cooking until December. Friday we get pizza, and someone other than me better be paying, and after that it’s leftovers.

Anonymous wrote:What do you serve houseguests the night before Thanksgiving?
Obviously this is family and I’d like to serve a veg-forward, simple, yet welcoming meal (and nothing with poultry or potatoes)

I always serve pork BBQ sandwiches. I make it far ahead and freeze. If I have a homemade Mac n cheese in the freezer I make that, too, or I make some sort of slaw.
I know you said veggie forward, but I find this to be really simple and everyone likes it. (Also, our family includes a bunch of teens/20s with huge appetites so something light like soup is a no-go).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My SIL is coming into town and requested her favorite meal - chicken pot pie. Seems like the worst night of the year for it, but I’m just biting my tongue.

Make sure you request beef Wellington and chocolate souffle the next time you go visit her.

Oops, forgot to add that we do a Korean ssam layout the night before- we just buy most if not all the prepared sides from h mart, stir fry the pre marinated beef, chop up some green onions and lay it all out with lettuce, sauces. Then we eat the leftover sides with the leftover turkey. Thanksgiving lunch is charcuterie. This setup means we don’t have to cook very much other than thanksgiving dinner.

Anonymous wrote:Takeout. Indian, Chinese, pizza, etc.

Agree, but how torturous Thursday would be knowing there's leftover pizza in the fridge yet being expected to eat turkey and weird casseroles!