I like the food but the prep and timing of everything is utterly exhausting. But I feel it is worth it because family and friends come together and we all have the best time. If I could pick up an already cooked Thanksgiving meal I would but we have food allergies in the family so everything has to be made from scratch

The food is not hard to make, though its a lot (you can make most ahead). Most of the sides are humble dishes elevated with butter and sugar. While not healthy..you only indulge once a year thanks to tradition..and food traditions are powerful memories for me. If somebody told me to cook a feast that tastes like “home” it would be a homemade thanksgiving meal..stuffing, apple pie, sweet potatoes taste like something a grandma would make hah…and I love it.

Anonymous wrote:I actually enjoy the work that goes into the Thanksgiving meal. The process is part of the pleasure.

I love the work because I love cooking and people are always thrilled and impressed, but I pretty much hate the menu and all kind of 'homey' or 'comfort' foods. The process IS the pleasure, but I'll never really enjoy the food. It is what it is, it's one day a year.

It’s the feast of carbs at my house and the kids love it.

I actually enjoy the work that goes into the Thanksgiving meal. The process is part of the pleasure.

Anonymous wrote:I love it. One of the best days of the year.

Agree

Normally I do most of the cooking for Thanksgiving the same day and enjoy the process. This year I split the work over several days. Chopped onions and celery and sauteed in butter for vegetable casseroles and stuffing ahead of time, then refrigerated in varying proportions to mix into vegetables and stuffing. Prepped the sweet potato casserole. Made the pie shell and froze it for easy assembly.

Realized this is the way to go. You still have to roast the turkey and make gravy and mashed potatoes, but it really saves a lot of time to do the prep work at your leisure in the days leading up to T-giving. I think I'll continue doing this in the future.

I love thanksgiving foods and don’t find it to be way too much work but I also don’t do everything from scratch. I buy premade pie crust, stuffing that I mix and bake with onions, mushrooms, celery, and my Mac and cheese is pretty much just macaroni, butter, milk and cheddar. Husband does turkey and mashed potatoes.

My parents do really fancy and involved variations of thanksgiving dishes and, though they are great, I actually don’t like them better and they are a lot more work.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love Thanksgiving and all the food. It’s definitely a lot of work if you are not doing it potluck, but it’s so satisfying to see everyone eating and celebrating. There’s something so magical about a feast. This year we did both a whole 18 lb turkey in the regular oven and a breast in our combi-steam oven. The latter was so incredibly easy as you can put a probe in your meat and have your phone alert you when it’s up yo temperature.

I’m mystified by people who don’t like turkey, unless they’ve never had a properly cooked one? You don’t like the crispy bits? The juicy, (herb-butter flavored in our case) breast? You don’t like mashed potatoes and pan dripping gravy? Or cranberry sauces? As surprising as I find this, I certainly think people should make non-traditional foods if they don’t like the typical ones. It’s the gathering that’s important.

I don't hate it, but I don't particularly look forward to it and would rather be eating prime rib, or a rack of lamb, or seafood....etc. I roast a chicken weekly and don't find turkey to be meaningfully different. I do hate cranberry sauces, sweet potatoes, stuffing a lot of the other traditional sides are just ok. I prefer the years (we often travel over Thanksgiving) when we go out to eat and can order what we like, though I do enjoy cooking so will go the traditional route to please others.

Prime rib made by my older brother for xmas beats any turkey. He has an actual meat slicer in his basement so can cut it super thin, plus makes an excellent light gravy (mushroom/beef based jus? Not sure what it is) to go with it.

Eventually will stop making it, feel like we have to make turkey to cater to older family that want and expect it. Neither DH or I like it all thar much. Also find the sides bland and keep them bland for kids and older folks palates.

Eventually will just use the day to cook something special, more labor intensive and fun, but not the usual Thanksgiving stuff.

Anonymous wrote:Spend all day cooking, cleaning etc, rather not waste that time and have a more casual meal with better food.

Then you're doing it wrong. Thanksgiving food is delicious! I'm grateful it is only once a year or I would weigh 300 pounds. FWIW, we host around 20 each year (22 yesterday), and we clean and cook, it just takes a little planning (shopping/cooking) and cleaning and prep, but so worth it

That's because you haven't been to my house for Thanksgiving. Umm-mmm.

What? Some Thanksgiving food is amazing like my favorite, sweet potato casserole.

We travelled on Thanksgiving last year for a tropical vacation with extended family. I did not miss the food at all!

Anonymous wrote:I love Thanksgiving and all the food. It’s definitely a lot of work if you are not doing it potluck, but it’s so satisfying to see everyone eating and celebrating. There’s something so magical about a feast. This year we did both a whole 18 lb turkey in the regular oven and a breast in our combi-steam oven. The latter was so incredibly easy as you can put a probe in your meat and have your phone alert you when it’s up yo temperature.

I’m mystified by people who don’t like turkey, unless they’ve never had a properly cooked one? You don’t like the crispy bits? The juicy, (herb-butter flavored in our case) breast? You don’t like mashed potatoes and pan dripping gravy? Or cranberry sauces? As surprising as I find this, I certainly think people should make non-traditional foods if they don’t like the typical ones. It’s the gathering that’s important.

I don't hate it, but I don't particularly look forward to it and would rather be eating prime rib, or a rack of lamb, or seafood....etc. I roast a chicken weekly and don't find turkey to be meaningfully different. I do hate cranberry sauces, sweet potatoes, stuffing a lot of the other traditional sides are just ok. I prefer the years (we often travel over Thanksgiving) when we go out to eat and can order what we like, though I do enjoy cooking so will go the traditional route to please others.