The perfect Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t need to be a source of stress. Discover the ideal feast with our curated list of recipes, menus, and ideas below. Whether you’re looking for an option that has all the work done for you or if you’d prefer a traditional DIY feast, we’ve got you covered! Be sure to visit your Farm Boy store and our digital flyer to find all the greatest deals on holiday must-haves.
Thanksgiving Menu Idea #1: A Traditional Spread with Minimal Work
Planning Thanksgiving dinner can be an overwhelming task, especially if you live somewhere with minimal kitchen space. Fortunately, Farm Boy is here to help with deliciously effortless chef-inspired options to fill your table and your belly! Ditch the holiday meal planning and instead order up either of the Thanksgiving dinners we have on offer.
Our Thanksgiving Dinner for 2 features a delicious four-course meal for five-star holiday dining. Enjoy an autumn-inspired starter before segueing into a classic main dish of roast turkey breast with all your favourite Thanksgiving side dishes. Think: turkey gravy, cranberry sauce, apple sausage stuffing, and more! This dinner even comes with a decadent dessert, too!
For those looking to feast with the family—but don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen all day—we have our Complete Thanksgiving Dinner! This meal generously serves between 6-8 people and features classic items prepared by our chefs. With only 2 hours of heating time required, choosing this Thanksgiving option allows you to spend more time with loved ones. Now that’s something to be thankful for!
You can also visit our Chef Department to find the necessary extras to your Thanksgiving spread. Enjoy freshly prepared, ready-to-enjoy items like Farm Boy™ Turkey Gravy, Farm Boy™ Cranberry Ginger Sauce, French green beans, and more.
Suggested Thanksgiving Dessert Ideas
Scoop up something easy and delicious from our Bake Shop’s selection of festive Thanksgiving desserts. Choose traditional sweet treats to keep your holiday spread cohesive. These tasty classics are perfect on their own or served alongside a scoop of Farm Boy Ice Cream!
A Southern classic, sweet potato pie should be a staple at your Thanksgiving table! Rich, sweet potato filling tops a shortbread crust in a made-from-scratch dessert you can enjoy warm or cold.
Flaky, golden pie crust encases a sweet, gooey apple filling. Made with simple ingredients, you’ll want to serve this classic topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Two beloved holiday pies collide to celebrate the season! Velvety pumpkin filling is topped with caramelized brown sugar pecans for a Thanksgiving dessert that’s the best of both worlds.
Thanksgiving Menu Idea #2: A Change from the Classics
Classic Thanksgiving food is undeniably delicious, but sometimes you’re just in the mood to switch things up. While there are still some seasonal holiday flavours in this menu, we’ve departed from your traditional Thanksgiving recipes for something that’s a bit more interesting. Choose one dish or go for the entire menu: the choice is yours!
Suggested Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Roasted Acorn Squash and Kale Salad
The ultimate fall salad, this Thanksgiving side dish is full of bright, vibrant flavours, colours, and textures. The tang of the goat cheese beautifully complements the sweetness of the cranberries and golden raisins. If you or any of your guests are plant-based, simply swap the Farm Boy™ Original Goat’s Milk Cheese for Farm Boy™ Vegan Feta Style Cheese Alternative.
Roasted Maple Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta
Roasted Brussels sprouts are a traditional Thanksgiving side dish, but we ratcheted things up a few flavour notches in this recipe. Thanks to the addition of maple syrup and salty pancetta, this side is sure to move beyond your Thanksgiving menu and enter your regular dinner roster. If you’re running low on oven space, this recipe also works for the air fryer for maximum convenience.
Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Spicy Toum
Mashed potatoes will always have a place in our heart, with their creamy texture and deliciously garlicky flavour. However, if you’d like to spice things up this Thanksgiving, add this recipe when you’re in the midst of holiday meal planning. These smashed baby potatoes have a crispy, crunchy exterior and a fluffy interior. Paired with our Spicy Toum, they’re an effortless—and extremely flavourful—side dish.
Suggested Thanksgiving Main
Reverse-Sear Beef Roast
What is Thanksgiving without turkey, you might ask? Well, it’s still all kinds of yummy! Instead of a magnificent golden roast turkey gracing your table, try something a little different with this buttery, tender reverse-sear beef roast. A showstopper of a main dish, this beef roast recipe doesn’t take an entire day like a Thanksgiving turkey might. Use our guide (and a meat thermometer) to determine your desired level of doneness.
Suggested Thanksgiving Dessert Ideas
Maple Almond Cheesecake
We all know that pumpkin pie is delicious, but if Thanksgiving has you totally over pumpkin spice season, we have the dessert recipe for you. Maple is the underdog of the fall flavour lineup, but we think it deserves its chance to shine. This decadent cheesecake recipe is an unexpected but still festive Thanksgiving dessert. In addition to being delicious, this dessert recipe has one other trick up its sleeve: you can make it a day or two ahead of time and simply keep it in the fridge until serving! Just warm up the sauce before drizzling and voila! Dessert is served.
Thanksgiving Menu Idea #3: A Stress-Free DIY Extravaganza
Maybe you’re a Martha Stewart in training, or just the host/hostess with the most/mostest. You love preparing a gigantic feast and sitting back to watch everyone enjoy the fruits of your labour. You put the “extra” in “extravaganza”. If that sounds like you, we have the perfect Thanksgiving menu! In addition to classic cranberry sauce, gravy, turkey, and stuffing, below are some delicious appetizer ideas and festive Thanksgiving desserts.
Suggested Thanksgiving Appetizer Ideas
Mulled Apple Cider
A fall beverage that transcends Thanksgiving, it’s mulled apple cider. While you could definitely enjoy your Farm Boy™ Sweet Apple Cider all on its own, this traditional Thanksgiving recipe uses cranberries, fresh ginger, and autumnal spices to level up that fall flavour. If you’re hosting a crowd, this drink can be served at room temperature in a punch bowl. For a smaller guestlist, serve this drink nice and toasty warm.
Cheesy Stuffed Mushroom Caps
Elegant and bite-sized, this Thanksgiving appetizer is sure to wow your guests and tide them over until the main event. An hors d’oeuvre that’s equal parts savoury, cheesy, and umami, they look like more work than they actually are. Present on a beautiful serving tray or plate and you have a delicious app!
Suggested Thanksgiving Side Dish
Hasselback Roasted Butternut Squash
Butternut squash is a holiday mainstay, but this dish goes beyond your usual Thanksgiving side dish. Its wow-worthy presentation is thanks to the thin slices in the squash and the garnish of vibrant pomegranate arils, toasted pecans, and blue cheese. While you could certainly offer your guests a classic butternut squash mash or puree, we love the show-stopping quality of this dish. (Need to make it vegan? Simply ditch the blue cheese!)
Suggested Thanksgiving Dessert Ideas
Baked Nutty Caramel Apples
Warm, nutty, and maple-y, this rustic dessert has all the qualities of a memorable Thanksgiving treat. An easy dish to make between courses (the filling can be prepared ahead of time), you’ll want to serve these apples soft and warm from the oven. Pair with a scoop of Farm Boy™ Vanilla Ice Cream (or Farm Boy™ Vanilla Bean Oat-rageous Dairy-Free Dessert) for a delicious twist on the classic apple pie.
Pumpkin Spice Cream Trifles
For a dessert that looks like you spent ages preparing but can be made the day before, try these trifles! Layers of delicious pumpkin flavour and a combination of creamy and crunchy textures makes this a Thanksgiving winner. This recipe serves six but can easily be increased if you have a larger guest list at your holiday shindig.
Chef Tips
Prep in advance as much as possible.
Some dishes need to be cooked and served immediately to be delicious, while others won’t lose their lustre if prepared a day or two before. When it comes to your traditional Thanksgiving recipes, we recommend prepping the following in advance:
- Cranberry Sauce: If made from scratch, this can easily be prepared a couple days beforehand. Simply reheat before serving, if you like it warm. We know some prefer it chilled, instead.
- Green Veggies: Blanch and shock your veggies (think: green beans, broccoli) the day before, then store them in the ice bath in the fridge. This will keep them crisp and vibrant. On Thanksgiving, simply sauté them in seasoned oil or butter before serving.
- Gravy: If you’re making your gravy the old-school way with turkey trimmings, you can definitely prepare it the day before. In fact, this makes the process easier, as the fat will rise to the surface of the gravy for you to quickly skim off. When it’s time to serve, simply reheat your gravy for your guests.
- Chopped Veggies: For any salads or veggie side dishes, wash, peel, and chop them. This will help save counter space and time on the big day.
Avoid recipes you’ve never made before.
Thanksgiving is not a good time to experiment with new recipes. Stick to what you know and call in reinforcements (like our chef-prepared cranberry sauce and gravy) when you need to. Simple dishes prepared with confidence always taste better than something complicated.
Plan your menu according to your equipment.
Cooking is a dance between time and temperature. Consider your space, your appliances, and your timing when holiday meal planning. Pay attention to what temperatures items should be served at and plan accordingly. Can some dishes be made or heated in the microwave or air fryer? Is your oven limited to housing only a turkey? These are the questions to ask before deciding your menu.
Finishing Touches
Whatever your vibe, setting your Thanksgiving table is a beautiful—and easy—way to get into the holiday spirit. Visit your local Farm Boy to check out our floral department for deals on seasonal blooms and greenery. You can also add in mini pumpkins for an extra festive touch. Finish it all with some simple candles for a gorgeous tablescape ready for your guests.
