20 Affordable Yet Awesome Dishes For A Perfect Friendsgiving
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Whether you’ve decided to bail on expensive and high-pressure holiday travel plans or have had enough tense political arguments for one lifetime, there are plenty of reasons to go the non-traditional route of hosting Friendsgiving.
Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions
For those unfamiliar, Friendsgiving is exactly what it sounds like: an assembly of friends and/or neighbors for a Thanksgiving celebration where few, if any, of the participants are bonded by blood.
Normally, Friendsgiving acts like a holiday-specific potluck, with dishes provided by the collective participants usually reflecting the standards of the holiday or perhaps the culture of the cook(s).
But as holiday cooking can sometimes go, Friendsgiving can also get a little expensive, especially if you’re handling multiple dishes for a large group or celebrating without the help of leftovers.
So, if you’ve got a big Friendsgiving commitment but a tight wallet, BuzzFeed has you covered, as this writer has assembled a number of cost-effective and creative ways to spin Friendsgiving on its head while saving you a buck or two.
Publix
So, get out your shopping lists, grab your kitchen tools, and look no further for these affordable yet awesome Friendsgiving dishes.
Sides Stuffed Sliders
What You Need: Hawaiian Rolls, Turkey Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy
One of the best things about Thanksgiving/Friendsgiving are the sides, as the holiday often calls for the perfect cocktail of buttery, starchy goodness to help usher us all into temporary food comas. But if you’re not looking to go out with catering trays of everyone’s favorite sides this Friendsgiving, you can stretch out what you have with a delicious bite-sized treat infused with the holiday spirit: the Sides Stuffed Sliders.
It’s a real simple recipe: Prepare a tray of turkey stuffing, a dish of mashed potatoes, and a saucepan of brown gravy. Then, break out a package of Hawaiian rolls, which you can open into halves. Lastly, place a small amount of stuffing, mashed potato and gravy on each of the rolls, and voila! You’ve got yourself some delicious sliders stuffed with the sides everyone knows and loves, now punctuated with the sweet and moist benefits of the Hawaiian roll that houses them.
Big Mac ‘N Cheese
What You Need: Macaroni & Cheese, Thousand Island Dressing, Ketchup, Diced Onion, Ground Turkey
Another reason to look forward to the Friendsgiving feast is that people tend to bring out more of the fringier yet ultimately delicious dining options that occasionally find their way into the Thanksgiving rotation. Of course, the king of this category is none other than macaroni & cheese, especially when baked or homemade stove-top recipes are brought into the mix for family-sized servings.
Yet, if you’re strapped for cash and need a spark of inspiration for your Friendsgiving contribution, there’s a recipe straight out of the dorm room that might save the day: the Big Mac ‘N Cheese, a mad science cross between macaroni & cheese and hamburger helper. It’s an easy fix as well: After making a traditional box or two of macaroni and cheese, fry up some ground turkey, thicken the cheese with a “secret sauce” blend of thousand island dressing and ketchup, and add in some diced onion for authenticity. Toss in the turkey when cooked, stir well, and pray that your Friendsgiving guests are willing to give this decadent dish a fair taste.
Pilgrim Pizza
What You Need: Pizza Dough, Cranberry Sauce, Candied Yams, Mini-Marshmallows OR Mashed Potatoes, White Gravy, Shredded Turkey
Granted, pizza is not a dish most people associate with Friendsgiving, or even Thanksgiving for that matter. Yet, if you’ve got the leftovers or you’re looking for a cost-effective dish for a number of people, a Pilgrim Pizza is not a bad way to spin your Thanksgiving favorites into a new and unexpected offering.
To properly make a Pilgrim Pizza, one must decide if they want something sweet or something savory. If they want something on the sweeter side, cover some pre-baked pizza dough with a cranberry sauce spread, and top it with some candied yams and mini-marshmallows to transform your Friendsgiving contribution into a must-try desert for all of your guests. However, if you’re looking to stick with the holiday’s most popular food, top pre-baked pizza dough with mashed potatoes and shredded turkey before pouring on a drizzled topping of white gravy that will stretch your dollar and, likely, your friend’s tummies.
The Grateful Bowl
What You Need: Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Corn, Popcorn Chicken, Brown Gravy, or Macaroni & Cheese
Perhaps, you might be more familiar with the Grateful Bowl under its more famous name from a certain fried chicken company, but nonetheless, it’s a valued fast food classic for a reason. Swapping out turkey with the more budget-accommodating popcorn chicken, the Grateful Bowl is a smorgasbord in a single dish, as popcorn chicken and sweet corn are plentifully mixed in a large bowl of mashed potatoes.
From there, the next steps are up to the cook: If you’re looking for a more leftover-friendly version of this bowl, then pour in a healthy amount of brown gravy to help add some rich moisture to the mix. However, if you’re looking to really go above and beyond, a box of macaroni and cheese to substitute the gravy will ensure no one leaves Friendsgiving with an empty stomach.
Two Bird Ramen
What You Need: Ramen Noodles, Chicken Broth, Roasted Turkey, Hardboiled Egg
Sure, a ramen noodle dish is definitely a left field choice for Friendsgiving, but that doesn’t make it any less of a yummy and cost-effective entree perfect for a large group. After all, aren’t ramen noodles the patron saints of the budget dinner, especially when it comes to having your fill on a dime?
Now that we’re over that hurdle, let’s talk turkey…literally: Once you prepare a serviceable portion of ramen noodles boiled in chicken broth, add some shredded or roasted turkey. However, it’s not a Two Bird Ramen without a double dose of poultry, so go ahead a plop in a handful of hardboiled eggs for good measure, which adds more value to this dish while keeping costs nice and slim.
Thanksgiving Mini-Muffins
What You Need: Cornbread Muffin Mix, Dried Cranberries, Vanilla Frosting, Chocolate Syrup
This is another suggestion for a Friendsgiving celebration where you may suspect several guests will be bringing their sweet tooth along for the occasion. While muffins and cupcakes can often be a cost-effective, if labor intensive, dessert option for any holiday, these Thanksgiving Mini-Muffins will be a tasty treat you’ll be thankful for this Friendsgiving.
If you’re going with the boxed mix route (which we may recommend for those operating on a tight budget), then making these mini-muffins should be simple: Just add dried cranberries to your standard mix and cook in a muffin pan according to the instructions. But to stick to the Friendsgiving theme, we have to make sure these munchable delights fit with the visual theme of the holiday, so once they’ve cooled, go ahead and top them with vanilla frosting and a tiny bit of chocolate syrup to emulate the look of mashed potatoes and gravy atop cornbread stuffing.
Pumpkin Pie S’more Shooters
What You Need: Pumpkin Pie Mix, Marshmallow Fluff, Brown Sugar, Graham Cracker Crumbs
A spin on the quintessential Thanksgiving dessert, these Pumpkin Pie S’more Shooters are not only easy on the bank account but are a quick clean-up, considering they’re designed to be served in shot glasses. A miniature parfait that’ll have your Friendsgiving guests lining up for more, start off with a half-glass of pumpkin pie mix, then add in a layer of graham cracker crumbs before adding another quarter-glass of pumpkin pie mix, which you’ll top off with a layer of marshmallow fluff and a sprinkle of brown sugar.
Heat this bad boy up for good measure (though not too hot) and you’ll have a dessert shooter that makes the most out of a can of pumpkin pie mix, a jar of fluff, and assorted dry goods. Of course, you can always add whipped cream or chocolate syrup on top if aesthetics are of importance, but there’s nothing wrong with sticking to the basics with these slurptastic desserts.
Eggsgiving Omelette
What You Need: Eggs, Sliced or Roasted Turkey, Seasoned Potatoes, Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Who says you can’t have breakfast for dinner on Friendsgiving?! If you’re looking to save a little scratch on sides and don’t mind cracking open a few eggs, the Eggsgiving Omelette is a fantastic way to showcase a different side of your favorite Thanksgiving staples.
Trading mashed potatoes for seasoned roasted potatoes, this crackling creation is fairly easy to put together, as you would proceed in the same way you’d cook any omelette, just with turkey and potatoes in the mix. However, you’ll have to choose your protein carefully: It may be tempting to use roasted turkey for a thicker end result, but those looking to save even more might be tempted to go for sliced turkey, which they can break up and parse out to a greater effect across the omelettes themselves.
Blue Plate Turkey Burgers
What You Need: Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Turkey Burger, Potato Bun
If you’re not in the mood to stuff the oven with trays of leftovers or risk blowing up your porch by deep-frying a turkey, this dish is a convenient and tasty solution to these Friendsgiving problems. Utilizing a grill or grill pan, this entree is pretty affordable, especially if you’re sourcing the toppings from leftovers for a post-Thanksgiving Friendsgiving event, but this spin on an American classic is going to be a crowd-pleaser nonetheless.
Of course, the turkey burger is the base of the dish, which you’ll throw atop a potato bun before adding turkey stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy reminiscent of a blue plate special. Yet, this dish is also easily customizable: In addition to the easy swap of any sides for those in your vicinity, you can easily swap out the gravy and turkey burger for vegetarian options for an equally inclusive meal.
Double Turkey BLT
What You Need: Rye Bread, Sliced Turkey, Turkey Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, Ranch Dressing
One of the oldest recipes in the book, a turkey BLT is a solid and flavorful way to stretch out any leftover turkey you may have. However, the double turkey BLT flips the script on the classic sandwich, as the substitution of bacon for turkey bacon makes this dish even healthier than before.
In case you’ve never made one, the BLT is all in the letters: Besides the turkey bacon, you can toss lettuce, tomato, and turkey onto a pair of rye bread slices. And as one final twist on an old standard, you can make this affordable and crunchy BLT with ranch dressing as opposed to mayonnaise stand out among your Friendsgiving guests.
The Gobbling Good Sub
What You Need: Sliced or Roasted Turkey, Cranberry Sauce, Turkey Stuffing, Gravy, Sub Sandwich Roll
Another recipe known for being a cornerstone of leftover dishes, this Friendsgiving favorite works as a feast in a footlong that won’t make you break the bank. As you may assume, this sandwich is economic on time as well: If you’ve got cranberry sauce, turkey stuffing, gravy, and a choice of turkey (sliced for consistency, roasted for girth), then all you have to do is spread those bad boys across as many sub rolls as you may.
Though it might be tempting to keep this whole thing to yourself, Friendsgiving is about sharing and caring, so it may behoove you to cut this sandwich into quarters or even eights, especially if you’re going for a more sizable sub roll. In fact, if you’re lucky, you might only have to bring the sub rolls and improvise with whatever may be leftover from the collective Friendsgiving tributes.
Harvest Cheesecake Dip
What You Need: Pumpkin Pie Mix, Cheesecake Mix, Butter, Eggs, Heavy Cream Cheese, Cinnamon Pita Chips, or Graham Crackers
Being tasked with dessert duty for any holiday leads to the temptation to bring out the packaged goods: store-bought sugar cookies, retailer brand baked goods, and cake from local bakeries. However, if you’re the type to want to usher hand-crafted sweets as the last course of a Friendsgiving meal, this shareable dessert may go easier on your wallet than it will on your waistline, and instructions on respective cans and boxes will go a long way, save for the typical cream cheese, heavy cream, butter, and eggs.
A delicious upgrade to the traditional Thanksgiving favorite of Pumpkin Pie, this mix between pumpkin pie and cheesecake can turn from a no-bake dessert to a delicious, dunkable option when presented alongside either cinnamon pita chips or graham crackers, depending on your specific taste palate. If you’re lucky, there just might be enough left over to take home for extracurricular seasonal dipping.
Turkeyberry Salad
What You Need: Shredded Turkey, Cranberries, Mayonnaise, Celery
If you’ve got a surplus of turkey from Thanksgiving and aim to make the most of the bird, then you and your guests might savor a taste of this simplistic Friendsgiving dish. After shredding up the meat in a bowl, you can pour in some mayonnaise, celery pieces, and cranberries, which you can whip thoroughly to craft the perfect turkeyberry salad.
As with chicken salad and egg salad, this Friendsgiving offering is cost-effective, plentiful, and easy to make, which is great for large groups that might embrace the blend of creamy, crunchy, and bittersweet sensations of the ingredients. This is also an effortlessly customizable dish, too, as you can always slam it between leftover dinner rolls for turkeyberry sliders or throw in some sliced apples to embrace the harvest aspect of the holiday.
Friendsgiving Ronto Wrap
What You Need: Turkey Sausage, Sliced Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Country Gravy, Pita
Fans of Disney Parks will recognize this unsurprisingly delicious food option from Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, which is usually prepared with sausage, roasted pork, coleslaw, and peppercorn dressing on a charred pita. Luckily, you don't need a Disney-sized budget to replicate this dish with a seasonal spin to surprise everyone at Friendsgiving.
Though the pita is still a core ingredient of this recipe, you can easily substitute the sausage with turkey sausage (you get it? For the season!), swap out the roasted pork with slice turkey, and swap out the peppercorn sauce and slaw for white country gravy and mashed potatoes. It may not have the spice and tang of the original, but it's a perfect and unique option for something that can make for a filling handheld nosh at Friendsgiving.
Yams & Crans Sandwich Squares
What You Need: White Toast, Cranberry Jelly, Candied Yams, Marshmallow Fluff
It might not be the prettiest or most ornate Friendsgiving offering, but you won't have to worry about anyone being disappointed by this basic delight. A Thanksgiving-themed improvement on the PB&J formula, this one trades out peanut butter for the ever-controversial seasonal dessert of candied yams while adding cranberry jelly or jam and marshmallow fluff atop of white toast.
Unless you've got the cheese to dispose of a full loaf of bread, you might want to stretch your buck with this dish, which should be easy enough: Slice off the crusts and cut each sandwich into four squares, effectively transforming it into a finger food. If you're looking to keep your guests satiated with hors d'oeuvres this Friendsgiving, this not-so-decadent dish will certainly do the trick without ruining anyone's appetite.
Turkey Tacos
What You Need: Tortillas or Corn Shells, Shredded Turkey, Sweet Corn, Roasted Potatoes, Gravy
Friendsgiving is a great opportunity to experiment with new dishes you can fashion from leftovers, and let's face it: Tacos are always a great idea. So, if you've got the budget to bring in some tortillas or corn taco shells, you can entice your Friendsgiving party into indulging in these deliciously subversive small plates.
You don't need an instruction manual to put these together: Just fill your respective shells with shredded turkey, sweet corn, roasted (or, if needed, mashed) potatoes, and gravy, which shouldn't set you too far back and will be as appealing to the eyes as it is to the stomach. For potential substitutions, adding ground turkey burger could help better capture the authentic taco flavor, and you can always swap out the gravy for melted cheese for a more digestible dish.
Good Gravy Wings
What You Need: Roasted Chicken Wings, Brown Turkey Gravy, Mashed Potatoes
It's not exactly a secret that, on occasion, turkey can be a fairly expensive poultry item, which is partly why some people's entire annual turkey consumption falls on Thanksgiving. Luckily, tradition plays a little more fast and loose with Friendsgiving, and this is where this unlikely and super simplistic dish comes to the rescue for those not looking to break the bank this year.
Gravy wings are exactly what one might suspect them to be: roasted (or, if easier, grilled) chicken wings, which you can slather in buttery mashed potatoes and dip into brown turkey gravy. There's not much more to it unless you feel like going above and beyond the call of duty, and if you're able to procure pre-cooked wings for the price of half of a typical grocery order, that's even better!
Plymouth Rock Roll-Ups
What You Need: Sliced Turkey, Cornbread Stuffing, Turkey Stuffing, Gravy for Dipping
An old yet trusted dish for those looking to take their cold cut game to new heights, turkey roll-ups are only as strong as their filling, and luckily, there’s a lot of options on that for Friendsgiving. It might be tempting to go with leftovers here, and that’s completely understandable, but you might want to double-down on stuffing here, especially if you suspect your guests may bring the plain old versions of Thanksgiving faves.
For these mouthwatering morsels, you really only need turkey slices, two different types of cornbread stuffing for variety, and the choice of white or brown gravy for dripping as this delicacy can admittedly be pretty dry at times. But once it’s assembled, these roll-ups make for a solid “set-it-and-forget-it” finger food that’s guaranteed to improve the atmosphere of Friendsgiving.
Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
What You Need: Pumpkin Pie Mix, Maple & Brown Sugar Oatmeal, Milk, Pecan Nuts
This writer will be the first one to admit that not everyone's bag appears to be oatmeal, as the thick, breakfast good is far from any people's first choice for dinner, let alone a Friendsgiving celebration. However, this out-of-the-box recipe is not only a fantastic seasonal offering but is deceptively shareable, if prepared correctly.
Putting together pumpkin pie oatmeal is the easiest part of the proceedings, as standard oatmeal mix (we highly recommend the maple and brown sugar flavor) is blended with a small (but not unsubstantial) amount of pumpkin pie mix, alongside hot milk for thickness and pecan nuts for flavor (although always be sure to do an allergy check with your guests). For those looking for extra thickness to give each spoonful an extra kick in the tongue, you can also add in yogurt as long as it fits into your budget.
Discogiving Fries
What You Need: Crinkle Cut French Fries, Turkey Gravy, Shredded White American Cheese, OR Shredded Mozzarella
The cheat code of Friendsgiving for those opting out of traditional Thanksgiving sides, this New Jersey diner staple is an oh-so-good substitute for mashed potatoes and gravy at the dinner table. Cooking up a plate of crinkle cut fries (though, all things considered, any kind of non-seasoned fries should serve quite well), these spuds are then covered in shredded white American cheese or shredded Mozzarella, baked until melted, and then doused with brown turkey gravy.
For east coast folks, the appearance of homemade disco fries is bound to be the talk of Friendsgiving for its simplicity and ingenuity, while those unfamiliar are in for a dang good surprise. And if needed, you can always substitute turkey gravy for brown or mushroom gravy to make this an even more vegetarian-friendly plate.
