A basic Thanksgiving menu will allow you to implement tradition and simplicity this holiday season. You’ll quickly learn just by looking at Thanksgiving menu template designs that more often than not, standard menus are better. Not only will a basic selection of Thanksgiving classics meet everyone’s expectations, but suit their Thanksgiving traditions from all the years that came before.
When you have a holiday that revolves around dining as much as Thanksgiving, it’s not exactly an ideal time for food trends and experimentation. With this in mind, it’s important to be familiar with all the basics that can make up the ultimate Thanksgiving restaurant experience. Read on to learn all about it!
Must-Have Dishes for a Basic Thanksgiving Menu
A basic Thanksgiving menu comprises all the must-haves that people will automatically expect to see. So, if you’d like a breakdown of what such a menu should look like, review the sections below. By the end, you'll have several ideas for how to craft a traditional, delicious, and simplistic Thanksgiving dinner menu.
Must-Have Appetizers for a Basic Thanksgiving Menu
The appetizer list should consist of snacks and finger foods. However, it’s important to not go overboard, since you’ll risk your guests filling up before the main course comes out. However, it’s still the norm to have a variety of starters to choose from at the beginning of the meal. Plus, they often pair well with the main course and side dishes. The following dishes are popular must-have appetizers on Thanksgiving:
- Shrimp cocktail
- Stuffed mushrooms
- Charcuterie boards
- Butternut squash soup
- Spinach dip and pita chips
Must-Have Entree Food for a Basic Thanksgiving Menu
Entrees are the focal point of any meal. But on Thanksgiving, they’re the most anticipated course on the table. Despite this being the case for numerous restaurants and households across the nation, it’s the menu category with the fewest options. Due to the number of people a single turkey can feed, it’s no surprise that there aren’t other options most of the time. However, it’s still advisable to offer dishes for those who prefer pork, beef, or a vegetarian diet. You don’t have to have an entire vegan Thanksgiving menu, but a couple options here and there will suffice. The following dishes should serve as great Thanksgiving entrees:
- Roast turkey
- Prime rib
- Honey-glazed ham
- Vegetable pot pie
Must-Have Side Dishes for a Basic Thanksgiving Menu
During Thanksgiving dinner, there should be at least one or two side dishes that pair beautifully with the main courses. Actually, a Thanksgiving feast is probably one of the few times when several side dishes are acceptable! From sauteeing fresh produce to blending potatoes with butter and herbs, there are many fan-favorite side dishes to make this coming Thanksgiving. The must-have side dishes that you’ll find on almost every Thanksgiving dinner table include:
- Bread stuffing
- Cranberry sauce
- Mashed potatoes and gravy
- Green bean casserole
- Buttered and salted corn
- Mashed sweet potatoes and marshmallows
- Steamed broccoli with a cheddar cheese sauce
Must-Have Desserts for a Basic Thanksgiving Menu
Whether you make them from scratch or outsource the Thanksgiving desserts from a wholesale bakery, there are many simple ideas. As long as the desserts at the end of the meal consist of classic fall flavors, they should go over really well. With this being said, several must-have dessert menu items for a Thanksgiving menu include:
- Apple pie
- Pumpkin pie
- Cherry pie
- Pecan pie
- Mixed berry pie
- Pumpkin cupcakes
- Pumpkin cheesecake
- Apple cider donuts
Must-Have Beverages for a Basic Thanksgiving Menu
When planning all the food items for a Thanksgiving menu, it can be easy to forget about the drinks! Sure, there is a time and place for fun and trendy fall cocktails. In fact, some bars and restaurants might have an entire drink menu dedicated to fall beverages once September rolls around. But what can you offer customers to keep things simple? Consider some of the must-have beverages for a basic Thanksgiving menu below:
- Water
- Soda
- Tea
- Wine
- Apple cider
- Coffee drinks
- Hot chocolate
- Thanksgiving cocktails
- Thanksgiving mocktails
3 Tips for Creating a Basic Thanksgiving Menu
There are several tips that a restaurant’s staff can follow to swiftly create a basic Thanksgiving menu. Here are the easy tactics to make the whole process simpler, requiring much less of your time:
- Determine the food and drink selection ahead of time so that you can better plan ingredient orders and restocks.
- Prepare the dishes in stages, whether it means chopping vegetables in advance or freezing cooked meat products in proper serving sizes.
- Consider all the dishes that you can make in advance in the days leading to Thanksgiving, like mashed potatoes and pies.
Frequently Asked Questions About a Basic Thanksgiving Menu
Would you like to check out a brief overview of what it takes to craft a basic Thanksgiving menu for your eatery? If so, check out the following selection of frequently asked questions and answers for a recap on the topic at hand.
Can a Basic Thanksgiving Menu Still Be Upscale?
Yes, a basic Thanksgiving menu can absolutely be upscale. For one, just because the menu items are standard doesn't mean they’re not of high quality. Plus, you can always put an upscale twist on the classics. An example of this would be instead of having mashed sweet potatoes, serve a sweet potato soufflé instead. It’s also important to note that proper restaurant lighting and decor can set an upscale ambiance.
Just think of a restaurant dimly lit with candles as opposed to a cafeteria lit by fluorescent lights. If anything, the environment can sometimes add to how upscale a dining area feels more than the food itself!
Will a Basic Thanksgiving Menu Be Cheaper to Make?
Yes, a basic Thanksgiving can be cheaper to make than an elaborate spread of unique dishes. A classic Thanksgiving feast is also easy to achieve on a budget. Sure, organic food items can bump up the overall price of the meal. However, there are also a ton of super affordable food items, especially in the frozen department.
Which Dishes Are Always Included In a Basic Thanksgiving Menu?
The dishes that must always be present on the Thanksgiving menu include the following:
- Turkey
- Stuffing
- Gravy
- Green beans
- Mashed potatoes
- Cranberry sauce
- Apple or pumpkin pie
Which Desserts Are Classics for a Thanksgiving Dinner?
The desserts that are classics for a Thanksgiving dinner include the following dishes:
- Apple pie
- Pumpkin pie
- Cherry pie
- Blueberry pie
- Pecan pie
- Pumpkin cheesecake
- Apple cider donuts
What Is the Best Way to Simplify Thanksgiving Dinner Preparations?
The best way to simplify Thanksgiving dinner preparations is to handle each recipe step by step. This idea refers to sorting, chopping, and possibly seasoning anything you need before Thanksgiving Day. When you split up all of your meal preparations into batches, it becomes much less overwhelming and time-consuming. You’ll be putting the same amount of time into each dish, just not all at once. As a result, the entire journey to creating Thanksgiving dinner will appear to be much simpler.
A Basic Thanksgiving Menu for a Successful Holiday Dinner
Sometimes, a simple menu is all you need to host an unforgettable holiday dinner. If you disagree, consider this: would it be better to have a lengthy menu full of dishes that don’t taste that great, or a shorter menu where everything is spectacular? When you put the possibilities for Thanksgiving dinner into this perspective, the choice seems pretty obvious, don’t you think? But where can you acquire all those high-quality ingredients to bring a five-star menu to fruition?
Schedule a demo with BlueCart today, and we’ll walk you through the steps to using an award-winning inventory management system and digital marketplace. Once you give it a try, you’ll be feeling pretty thankful for the added ease and efficiency in your business!