Friendsgiving is a beloved celebration that has gained traction in recent years as a way to celebrate Thanksgiving and come together with another very important form of family: your friends. However, a Thanksgiving meal and party is no joke. It’s a lot to spend time and money on, something that college students like myself don’t have in excess. But Friendsgiving can still be a massive success! Here are some tips on how to celebrate Friendsgiving on a college student budget.Â
1. Shared grocery shopping
Don’t let the responsibility of grocery shopping fall on just one person, even if they’re the cook. Pool money with friends so you can buy ingredients and foods in bulk. You can find affordable staples like boxed stuffing, canned veggies, and frozen pies all in the grocery store.Â
2. cook together!
After buying groceries together, why not also all cook and meal prep together? Not only is it cheaper to cook in bulk, but it also doubles as a fun bonding activity. You can easily divide up tasks: someone chops veggies, another bakes the pie, and others tackle main dishes they might specialize in cooking.Â
3. Skip the turkey
A big turkey is a big commitment. If you can’t spend that much or don’t have enough people to merit a full size turkey, opt for an alternative like a rotisserie chicken, casserole, or vegetarian dish like a hearty pasta or salad. Thanksgiving isn’t all about the turkey, you know!
4. BYOD Potluck Dinner
The best and easiest way to have a huge Thanksgiving feast without the hassle is making it a BYOD, or bring-your-own-dish, potluck. Ask each guest to bring one dish or drink, homemade or bought. Examples of inexpensive dishes include mashed potatoes, canned cranberry sauce, pasta salad, soups, bread rolls, mac and cheese, and more.Â
5. Diy decorations, activities and more
While the main attraction of Thanksgiving is the meal, there is so much more to be done when a group of friends gather. Organize easy entertainment like trivia, charades, movie nights, and more. Make it an arts and crafts night with the classic hand-turkeys we all made as kids or cute paper fall leaves. It would be especially fitting to work in gratitude activities, like a jar where everyone writes down what they are thankful for.Â
6. volunteer at a food bank together
A fantastic way to give back to the community during the giving season and organize an activity for a group of friends would be to volunteer at a food bank during Thanksgiving week. Get together and serve people who don’t have the means to have a Thanksgiving dinner.Â
Friendsgiving is about making memories, not about spending money. Celebrate the bonds you’ve created in college while sharing an affordable yet delicious meal that you’ve created together.