Garlic bread | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Thanksgiving

16 Thanksgiving Meal Contributions For Lazy People Who Can't Show Up Empty Handed

When in doubt, just bring a bottle of wine.

152
16 Thanksgiving Meal Contributions For Lazy People Who Can't Show Up Empty Handed
https://unsplash.com/photos/RPjyNMHDrFY

In This Article:

So, you've been invited to Thanksgiving dinner at a friend or relative's home. Your parents raised you to never show up to an occasion empty-handed, but you don't have time to cook a gourmet dish. There are plenty of reasons for this, and none of them are invalid.

If you're struggling to come up with something easy to bring to Thanksgiving dinner, fear not! These 16 ideas offer some solutions.

A veggie platter

You can buy a vegetable platter straight from the food store, but if you don't want to be that lazy, you can also create your own. You can find carrots, celery and broccoli already chopped into platter-sized pieces. All you'll need to do is arrange the vegetables — and figure out what you want to dip them in. Ranch and hummus are probably your safest bet.

If you really want to get fancy, you can also make a turkey out of your vegetables. But then, you probably wouldn't be looking at this list if you wanted to work that hard, now would you?

Slow cooker mashed potatoes

OK, so you don't want to be the person who shows up with mashed potatoes straight from the box. That's understandable.

Luckily, you don't need to go through too much trouble to make mashed potatoes from scratch. If you own a slow cooker, it will do most of the work for you.

Maple-glazed carrots

With this recipe, you might succeed at getting your relatives to eat — and even enjoy — their vegetables this Thanksgiving. All you need to do is marinate carrots in maple syrup. It doesn't take long, and it tastes delicious!

Cranberry sauce

Cranberry sauce is a classic Thanksgiving side, and it's one that's super easy to make. For a simple cranberry sauce like this one, all you'll really need is a bag of frozen cranberries, lemon and sugar. Of course, if you do have a little extra time, you can also add some flavor with pomegranates or other fruits.

Salad

Bringing a salad might sound boring, but you actually have plenty of options when it comes to making one for Thanksgiving dinner. You can go the classic route, bringing a basic salad with balsamic vinegar dressing. Or you can spice things up with fruits or less-common vegetables.

Whatever you decide to do, the guests dieting through Thanksgiving will be grateful for your contribution.

Macaroni and cheese

If you're above the age of 18, it's probably best to avoid bringing Kraft or Velveeta to Thanksgiving dinner (unless you relish in hearing your relatives complain about 'these damned millennials').

Don't fret, though. Believe it or not, homemade macaroni and cheese isn't so difficult to make — even if it does take a bit more effort than making it out of the box. Plus, you can add whatever toppings you want and use the slow cooker to help.

Garlic bread

Given that garlic bread often comes with fancy Italian meals, you may associate it with gourmet cooking. But it's simple to make on your own — and the only ingredients you really need are bread, garlic powder, parsley and butter.

Bring some oil or marinara sauce to dip the bread in if you want to look like you really gave this some thought.

Stuffing

Let me guess. You love stuffing, but you don't want to make the one out of the box. The guests will notice, after all.

You're in luck. With this easy stuffing recipe, you'll have homemade stuffing in no time. Who knew you just needed to mix and bake croutons and bread with the other ingredients, then bake?

You can cut out the turkey, too, to make this vegetarian-friendly and even easier on yourself.

Corn on the cob

Corn on the cob blends surprisingly well with other Thanksgiving side dishes, and you can seriously just buy it at the store and bake it. As long as there's plenty of butter, the guests won't care where it came from!

Monkey bread

OK, monkey bread is a delicious dessert that does require some effort to make. But, in comparison to most other desserts, it's not so time-consuming.

All you'll need to do is cut up biscuits, marinate the pieces in sugar and cinnamon, and bake them in a pan. So, yes. It's a bit more effort than the other recipes on this list. But once you try it, you'll realize that it was so, so worth it.

Fruit kabobs

If you're searching for a far easier dessert, bring fruit kabobs to Thanksgiving! These require absolutely no cooking on your part. Just chop up your desired fruits and put them on a kabob stick. It's actually that simple.

Chocolate covered strawberries

You can also stick with one fruit and make chocolate covered strawberries. This will be significantly easier if you own a fondue pot, but there are also recipes that make do without one.

Mini pies

Everyone loves dessert, and mini pies are easy to make (and transport). All you need to do is grab mini pie crusts and whatever filling you want — apple and pumpkin filling are usually available in the supermarket, so you won't even need to do much preparation.

Bring ice cream or whipped cream to really "wow" Thanksgiving guests.

Candy corn cupcakes

We can probably all agree that cupcakes are not much of a hassle to bake. And for the holidays, all you need is a little zest with the toppings. Add orange and yellow sprinkles or candy corn to the top, and your cupcakes will look great with all of the other Thanksgiving desserts.

Apple cider sangria

If you're the person who likes to bring alcohol, but you don't want to just bring a bottle of wine this year, try making this apple cider sangria. It's festive, and once you've done all the chopping and mixing, the majority of the creation process takes place sitting in the refrigerator.

Wine

When in doubt, you can always just bring a bottle of wine. Showing up with wine is always deemed classy, especially if it's a decent brand. And whose relatives don't want to be smashed for the holidays?

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Lifestyle

10 Things Only Equestrians Understand

Yes, it IS a sport. Yes, I fall all the time. No, I do not ride in jeans with a cowgirl hat on.

330
horses
Barn Pros

Growing up I have always wanted to own a horse. My grandparents own a well known equestrian facility in Georgia, so I have been riding since I was born. A bond between a person and their horse is a bond so strong that it cannot be broken. Everywhere I went I wanted to be around horses, even forcing my family to go on trail rides during vacations. Horses have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember has taught me great responsibility, as well as 14 things that all equestrians can relate to.

Keep Reading...Show less
man wearing white top using MacBook
Photo by Tim Gouw on Unsplash

College is super hard. Between working, studying, and having a social life, it feels like a struggle to just keep afloat.

I understand. When you feel like your drowning and there's no way to stay afloat I understand that it feels like everyone else is doing just fine. I understand all the frustration, long nights in the library, and that feeling that you want to just throw in the towel. I understand that sometimes it's too hard to get out of bed because your brain is already filled with too much information to remember. I understand because I am also feeling pretty burnt out.

Keep Reading...Show less
No Matter How Challenging School Gets, You Have To Put Your Health First — A Degree Won't Mean Anything If You're Dead
Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

Some of the best advice I've ever received was from my social studies teacher in sophomore year of high school. He stated, "If you don't know it at midnight, you're not going to know it for the 8 a.m. exam, so get some sleep."

It's such a simple piece of advice, but it holds so much accuracy and it's something that the majority of college students need to hear and listen to. "All-nighters" are a commonality on college campuses in order to cram in studying for an exam that is typically the next day.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

Warnings About College To Incoming Freshmen As Told By Gifs

College is hard, but you will make it through.

546
college just ahead sign
Wordpress

1. You will have that special "college" look to you.

2. You will feel like an adult but also feeling like a child.

3. You will have classes that are just the professor reading from their lecture slides for an hour.

4. You will need to study but also want to hang out with your friends.

5. Coffee is your best friend.

6. You don't know what you're doing 99% of the time.

7. You will procrastinate and write a paper the night before it is due.

8. Money is a mythical object.

9. It is nearly impossible to motivate yourself to go to classes during spring.

10. The food pyramid goes out the window.

11. You will have at least one stress induced breakdown a semester.

12. Most lecture classes will bore you to tears.

13. You will not like all of your professors.

14. You will try to go to the gym... but you will get too lazy at some point.

15. When you see high school students taking tours:

16. You will try to convince yourself that you can handle everything.

17. Finals week will try to kill you.

18. You won't like everyone, but you will find your best friends sooner or later.

19. You actually have to go to class.

20. Enjoy it, because you will be sad when it is all over.

Obsessive Thoughts Keep My Brain Stuck On A Loop And Me Stuck On My Couch
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Sometimes my brain just starts turning on an idea and it doesn't want to stop.

I don't know if it is related to my anxiety, perfectionism or depression. I don't know why it happens. It's frustrating, it's painful and it stops me from functioning.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments